Inhalable gadofullerenol/[70] fullerenol as high-efficiency ROS scavengers for pulmonary fibrosis therapy

Fullerenols Ameliorate Social Deficiency and Rescue Cognitive Dysfunction of BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J Autistic-Like Mice

Background

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social interaction and communication and can cause stereotypic behavior. Fullerenols, a type of carbon nanomaterial known for its neuroprotective properties, have not yet been studied for their potential in treating ASD. We aimed to investigate its role in improving autistic behaviors in BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice and its underlying mechanism, which could provide reliable clues for future ASD treatments.

Methods

Our research involved treating C57BL/6J (C57) and BTBR mice with either 0.9% NaCl or fullerenols (10 mg/kg) daily for one week at seven weeks of age. We then conducted ASD-related behavioral tests in the eighth week and used RNA-seq to screen for vital pathways in the mouse hippocampus. Additionally, we used real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to verify related pathway genes and evaluated the number of stem cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) by Immunofluorescence staining.

Results

Our findings revealed that fullerenols treatment significantly improved the related ASD-like behaviors of BTBR mice, manifested by enhanced social ability and improved cognitive deficits. Immunofluorescence results showed that fullerenols treatment increased the number of DCX+ and SOX2+/GFAP+ cells in the DG region of BTBR mice, indicating an expanded neural progenitor cell (NPC) pool of BTBR mice. RNA-seq analysis of the mouse hippocampus showed that VEGFA was involved in the rescued hippocampal neurogenesis by fullerenols treatment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our findings suggest that fullerenols treatment improves ASD-like behavior in BTBR mice by upregulating VEGFA, making nanoparticle- fullerenols a promising drug for ASD treatment.

Reactive oxygen species-scavenging nanomaterials for the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases

With increasing proportion of the elderly in the population, age-related diseases (ARD) lead to a considerable healthcare burden to society. Prevention and treatment of ARD can decrease the negative impact of aging and the burden of disease. The aging rate is closely associated with the production of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS-mediated oxidative stress in aging triggers aging-related changes through lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA oxidation. Antioxidants can control autoxidation by scavenging free radicals or inhibiting their formation, thereby reducing oxidative stress. Benefiting from significant advances in nanotechnology, a large number of nanomaterials with ROS-scavenging capabilities have been developed. ROS-scavenging nanomaterials can be divided into two categories: nanomaterials as carriers for delivering ROS-scavenging drugs, and nanomaterials themselves with ROS-scavenging activity. This study summarizes the current advances in ROS-scavenging nanomaterials for prevention and treatment of ARD, highlights the potential mechanisms of the nanomaterials used and discusses the challenges and prospects for their applications.

Developing Hypoxia-Sensitive System via Designing Tumor-Targeted Fullerene-Based Photosensitizer for Multimodal Therapy of Deep Tumor

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been approved for clinic. However, powerless efficiency for deep hypoxic tumor therapy remains an enormous challenge for PDT. Herein, a hypoxia-sensitive nanotherapeutic system (FTCD-SRGD) based on fullerene (C70 ) and anoxic activating chemical prodrug tirapazamine (TPZ) is rationally designed for multimodal therapy of deep hypoxic tumors. To enhance the accumulation and achieve specific drug release in tumor, the FTCD-SRGD is modified with cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-d-Phe-Lys) (cRGDfK) peptide and disulfide bonds. With the exacerbated hypoxic microenvironment created by C70 consuming O2 for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), TPZ is activated to produce toxic radical species to ablate deep tumors, which achieves a synergistic treatment of C70 -mediated PDT and hypoxia-enhanced chemotherapy. Additionally, given this hypoxia-sensitive system-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) activating anticancer cytotoxic T lymphocyte to result in more susceptible tumor to immunotherapy, FTCD-SRGD plus immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD-L1) fully inhibit deep hypoxic tumors by promoting infiltration of effector T cells in tumors. Collectively, it is the first time to develop a multimodal therapy system with fullerene-based hypoxia-sensitive PS for deep tumors. The powerful multimodal nanotherapeutic system for combining hypoxia-enhanced PDT and immunotherapy to massacre deep hypoxic tumors can provide a paradigm to combat the present bottleneck of tumor therapy.

A novel fullerene composite material for directional oil control and antioxidant

BACKGROUND

There are very few cosmetic ingredients that can target oil control and extend the wear time. Fullerenes have been reported to have excellent antioxidant capacity and a variety of biological activities, such as quenching free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and promoting lipid flocculation.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of applying foundation makeup on the face is to make the skin color even, but the secretion and oxidation of skin oil will make the makeup mottled and dull. In order to solve this problem, a fullerene composite material that can directionally absorb oil and resist oil oxidation has been developed.

METHODS

Fullerenes and hydroxyapatite composite was prepared by high pressure homogenization under alkaline condition. The indicated morphology and structure were characterized by SEM, UV-Vis, Raman, and XRD. The oil absorption capacity was determined by adding the C60 -hydroxyapatite composite to a mixed solution of hexane and oil, shaking for 1 h, filtering, analyzed by GC-MS, and calculating the oil absorption by external standard method. Artificial sebum was prepared by adding different mass of water and oleic acid to screen the optimum ratio. C60 -hydroxyapatite mixture and C60 -hydroxyapatite composite were added to the artificial sebum to test the oil-absorbing capacity of the materials. The hydroxyl radical scavenging ability of C60 -hydroxyapatite composite containing different fullerene contents was measured by X-band ESR spectroscopy, and the long-term radical scavenging ability of the composites was tested in comparison with VC. Antioxidant experiment is adding C60 -hydroxyapatite composite material, and hydroxyapatite to oleic acid, then the UV light irradiation is aimed to accelerate the oxidation of oleic acid. Oleic acid act as a control group, and make the detection of oleic acid peroxide value after 7 days. The safety of the materials was tested by using culture media to soak the C60 -hydroxyapatite composite for 24 h and then used to culture cells.

RESULTS

The characterization of SEM, UV-Vis, Raman, and XRD showed that fullerene clusters were dispersed on the surface of hydroxyapatite stably, and they formed a stable composite. The adsorption rates of C60 -hydroxyapatite composites for oleic acid, phenyl trimethicone, caprylic capric glyceride, isooctyl palmitate, mineral oil, olive oil, and dimethicone were 60.5%, 9.3%, 9.15%, 5.24%, 2.94%, 1.01%, and 0%, respectively. The flocculation amount of artificial sebum was 5.9 g per gram of C60 -hydroxyapatite mixture and 24.2 g per gram of C60 -hydroxyapatite composite. C60 -hydroxyapatite composites have excellent quenching ability for hydroxyl radicals. When the fullerene content is 1, 2, 3, and 4 mg/kg, the quenching rates are 25.02%, 39.57%, 49.75%, and 62.24%, respectively. The quenching effect was enhanced with the increase of fullerene content, and it had strong long-term antioxidant properties. It can also be proved that C60 -hydroxyapatite composites have strong antioxidant capacity through antioxidant experiments. The peroxide value of oleic acid on Day 0 was 2.8, and after 7 days of UV irradiation, the peroxide values of blank control, hydroxyapatite group, C60 -hydroxyapatite composite containing 0.5% and 1% fullerenes four groups of materials were 8.02 meq O2 /kg, 7.98 meq O2 /kg, 7.11 meq O2 /kg, and 6.87 meq O2 /kg, respectively. The cell activity was 20.94% and 99.2% after the cells were cultured for 24 h using C60 -hydroxyapatite composite and hydroxyapatite extracts, respectively, and the addition of fullerene was able to significantly increase the cell activity.

CONCLUSION

Fullerene hydroxyapatite complex has excellent directional oil absorption characteristics, which can effectively remove free radicals and reduce skin oil oxidation.

Zero-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials for Fluorescent Sensing and Imaging

Advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest and play key roles in scientific innovations in diverse fields. In particular, increased attention has been focused on carbon-based nanomaterials exhibiting diverse extended structures and unique properties. Among these materials, zero-dimensional structures, including fullerenes, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanodiamonds, and carbon dots, possess excellent bioaffinities and superior fluorescence properties that make these structures suitable for application to environmental and biological sensing, imaging, and therapeutics. This review provides a systematic overview of the classification and structural properties, design principles and preparation methods, and optical properties and sensing applications of zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials. Recent interesting breakthroughs in the sensitive and selective sensing and imaging of heavy metal pollutants, hazardous substances, and bioactive molecules as well as applications in information encryption, super-resolution and photoacoustic imaging, and phototherapy and nanomedicine delivery are the main focus of this review. Finally, future challenges and prospects of these materials are highlighted and envisaged. This review presents a comprehensive basis and directions for designing, developing, and applying fascinating fluorescent sensors fabricated based on zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials for specific requirements in numerous research fields.

Efficiently normalizing leukopoiesis by gadofullerene nanoparticles to ameliorate radiation-triggered myelosuppression

Myelosuppression is a predominant side-effect of radiotherapy, which manifests as the lower activity of blood cell precursors in bone marrow. Though progress in anti-myelosuppression has been made by the application of growth factors e.g., the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), the side-effects (e.g., bone-pain, liver injury, and lung toxicity) limit their applications in clinic. Herein, we developed a strategy of efficiently normalizing leukopoiesis using gadofullerene nanoparticles (GFNPs) against myelosuppression triggered by radiation. Specifically, GFNPs with high radical-scavenging abilities elevated the generation of leukocytes and alleviated the bone marrow's pathological state under myelosuppression. Notably, GFNPs potentiated the differentiation, development, and maturation of leukocytes (neutrophils, lymphocytes) in radiation bearing mice even better than what G-CSF did. In addition, GFNPs had little toxicity towards the main organs including the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. This work provides an in-depth understanding of how advanced nanomaterials mitigate myelosuppression by regulating leukopoiesis.

Inhaled nano-based therapeutics for pulmonary fibrosis: recent advances and future prospects

It is reported that pulmonary fibrosis has become one of the major long-term complications of COVID-19, even in asymptomatic individuals. Currently, despite the best efforts of the global medical community, there are no treatments for COVID-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, inhalable nanocarriers have received more attention due to their ability to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs, penetrate biological barriers of the lungs and target fibrotic tissues in the lungs. The inhalation route has many advantages as a non-invasive method of administration and the local delivery of anti-fibrosis agents to fibrotic tissues like direct to the lesion from the respiratory system, high delivery efficiency, low systemic toxicity, low therapeutic dose and more stable dosage forms. In addition, the lung has low biometabolic enzyme activity and no hepatic first-pass effect, so the drug is rapidly absorbed after pulmonary administration, which can significantly improve the bioavailability of the drug. This paper summary the pathogenesis and current treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and reviews various inhalable systems for drug delivery in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, including lipid-based nanocarriers, nanovesicles, polymeric nanocarriers, protein nanocarriers, nanosuspensions, nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and hydrogel, which provides a theoretical basis for finding new strategies for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and clinical rational drug use.

Effects of Aqueous Dispersions of C60, C70, and Gd@C82 Fullerenes on DNA Oxidative Damage/Repair and Apoptosis in Human Embryonic Lung Fibroblasts

Fullerenes and metallofullerenes play an active role in homeostasis of reactive oxygen species and may cause oxidative damage to cells. As pristine fullerenes are a basis for derivatization, studying oxidative DNA damage/repair and apoptosis is important in terms of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity for their biomedical application. Aqueous dispersions of C₆₀, C₇₀, and Gd@C₈₂ (5 nM and 1.5 μM) were cultured with human fetal lung fibroblasts for 1, 3, 24, and 72 h. Oxidative DNA damage/repair was assessed through concentration of 8-oxodG, double-strand breaks, and activation of BRCA1. Activity of apoptosis was assessed through the BCL2/BAX ratio. All three fullerenes caused oxidative modification of DNA at the early stages; C₆₀ caused the most long-term damage, Gd@C₈₂ caused the most short-term damage, and C₇₀ caused "wave-like" dynamics. The dynamics of DNA repair correlated with the dynamics of oxidative damage, but Gd@C₈₂ caused more prolonged activation of the repair system than C₆₀ or C₇₀. The oxidative toxicity of Gd@C₈₂, is minor and the oxidative toxicity of C₆₀ is mild and short-term, in contrast to C₇₀. In relation to the studied effects, the fullerenes can be arranged in a safety row of Gd@C₈₂ > C₆₀ > C₇₀.

Fullerenol inhibits tendinopathy by alleviating inflammation

Tendinopathy is a common disease in orthopaedics, seriously affecting tendon functions. However, the effects of non-surgical treatment on tendinopathy are not satisfactory and surgical treatments possibly impair the function of tendons. Biomaterial fullerenol has been proved to show good anti-inflammatory effects on various inflammatory diseases. For in vitro experiments, primary rat tendon cells (TCs) were treated by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) combined with aqueous fullerenol (5, 1, 0.3 μg/mL). Then inflammatory factors, tendon-related markers, migration and signaling pathways were detected. For in vivo experiments, rat tendinopathy model was constructed by local injection of collagenase into Achilles tendons of rats and fullerenol (0.5, 1 mg/mL) was locally injected 7 days after collagenase injection. Inflammatory factors and tendon-related markers were also investigated. Fullerenol with good water-solubility showed excellent biocompatibility with TCs. Fullerenol could increase expression of tendon-related factors (Collagen I and tenascin C) and decrease expression of inflammatory factors (matrix metalloproteinases-3, MMP-3, and MMP-13) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Simultaneously, fullerenol slowed the migration of TCs and inhibited activation of Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Fullerenol also attenuated tendinopathy in vivo, including reduction of fiber disorders, decrease of inflammatory factors and increase of tendon markers. In summary, fullerenol is a promising biomaterial that can be used to treat tendinopathy.

Fullerenol protects cornea from ultraviolet B exposure

The eyes are highly susceptible to the oxidative stress induced by ultraviolet B (UVB, wavelength between 280 ∼ 320 nm), which could cause severe damage to the cornea. Fullerenols are effective antioxidants to alleviate UVB-induced injury, while their application for the eyes is still rare. In present study, we investigated the protective performance and mechanism of fullerenols on cornea under UVB radiation in vivo and in vitro. The synthesized fullerenols exhibited broad-spectrum free radical scavenging properties (applicable to both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS)) and photo-stability. When compared with another widely used antioxidant glutathione (GSH), the administration of fullerenols markedly decreased the injured area, corneal edema, cell death, and increased the cell proliferation in UVB-induced rat cornea. The effects of fullerenols were confirmed in UVB-exposed human corneal epithelial cells (hCECs), where elevated cell viability and proliferation, decreased oxidative free radical production, repaired mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA lesions were observed. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis demonstrated that fullerenol alleviated UVB-induced corneal injury through down-regulation of oxidative stress-related genes and up-regulation of proliferation-associated genes. Our results demonstrate the suitability of fullerenols as a potential exogenous treatment in ameliorating UVB-induced cornea damage.

Progress in Antiviral Fullerene Research

Unlike traditional small molecule drugs, fullerene is an all-carbon nanomolecule with a spherical cage structure. Fullerene exhibits high levels of antiviral activity, inhibiting virus replication in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we systematically summarize the latest research regarding the different types of fullerenes investigated in antiviral studies. We discuss the unique structural advantage of fullerenes, present diverse modification strategies based on the addition of various functional groups, assess the effect of structural differences on antiviral activity, and describe the possible antiviral mechanism. Finally, we discuss the prospective development of fullerenes as antiviral drugs.

Metallofullerenols in biomedical applications

Metallofullerenols (MFs) are functionalized endohedral fullerenes connecting at least three levels of organization of matter: atomic, molecular, and supramolecular, resulting in their unique activity at the nanoscale. Biomedical applications of MFs started from gadolinium-containing contrasting agents, but today their potential medical applications go far beyond diagnostics and magnetic resonance imaging. In many cases, preclinical studies have shown a great therapeutic value of MFs, and here we provide an overview of interactions of MFs with high-energy radiation and with reactive oxygen species generated during radiation as a ground for potential applications in modern therapy of cancer patients. We also present the current knowledge on interactions of MFs with proteins and with other components of cells and tissues. Due to their antioxidant properties, as well as their ability to regulate the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, angiogenesis, and stimulation of the immune response, MFs can contribute to inhibition of tumor growth and protection of normal cells. MFs with enclosed gadolinium act as inhibitors of tumor growth in targeted therapy along with imaging techniques, but we hope that the data gathered in this review will help to accelerate further progress in the implementation of MFs, also the ones containing rare earth metals other than gadolinium, in a broad range of bioapplications covering not only diagnostics and bioimaging but also radiation therapy and cancer treatment by not-cytotoxic agents.

The Effect of Polyhydroxy Fullerene Derivative on Human Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells

The use of nanomedicines for cancer treatment has been widespread. Fullerenes have significant effects in the treatment of solid tumors. Here, we are going to study the effects of hydroxylated fullerene C₆₀(OH)_n(n = 18–22) treatment on chronic myeloid leukemia cell proliferation and investigate its toxicity. The results showed that hydroxylated fullerene C₆₀(OH)_n (n = 18–22) at low concentrations (less than 120 μM) not only had apparent toxic side effects, but also promoted the growth of K562 cells, while a high concentration of C₆₀(OH)_n had different degrees of inhibition on K562 cells. When the concentration is higher than 160 μM, the K562 cells showed morphological changes, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased, the cell cycle was blocked in the stage of G2-phase, and cell apoptosis occurred, which may cause apoptosis, autophagy, and a variety of other damage leading to cell death. Meanwhile, it also indicated that its inhibition of solid tumors might be related to the tumor microenvironment; we verified the safety of fullerene without apparent cellular toxicity at a specific concentration.

Recent Advances in Fluorescence Imaging of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Animal Models

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a lung disease that may cause impaired gas exchange and respiratory failure while being difficult to treat. Rapid, sensitive, and accurate detection of lung tissue and cell changes is essential for the effective diagnosis and treatment of PF. Currently, the commonly-used high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging has been challenging to distinguish early PF from other pathological processes in the lung structure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using hyperpolarized gases is hampered by the higher cost to become a routine diagnostic tool. As a result, the development of new PF imaging technologies may be a promising solution. Here, we summarize and discuss recent advances in fluorescence imaging as a talented optical technique for the diagnosis and evaluation of PF, including collagen imaging, oxidative stress, inflammation, and PF-related biomarkers. The design strategies of the probes for fluorescence imaging (including multimodal imaging) of PF are briefly described, which can provide new ideas for the future PF-related imaging research. It is hoped that this review will promote the translation of fluorescence imaging into a clinically usable assay in PF.

Functionalized Gadofullerene Ameliorates Impaired Glycolipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetic Mice

The soaring global prevalence of diabetes makes it urgent to explore new drugs with high efficacy and safety. Nanomaterial-derived bioactive agents are emerging as one of the most promising candidates for biomedical application. In the present study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effects of a functionalized gadofullerene (GF) using obese db/db and non-obese MKR mouse T2DM models. In both mouse models, the diabetic phenotypes including hyperglycemia, impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were ameliorated following 2 or 4 weeks of i.p. administration of GF. GF lowered blood glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, the restored blood glucose levels could persist 10 days after withdrawal of GF treatment. The hepatic AKT/GSK3β/FoxO1 pathway is shown to be the main target of GF for re-balancing gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis in vivo and in vitro. In addition, GF treatment significantly reduced weight gain of db/db mice with reduced hepatic fat storage by the inhibition of de novo lipogenesis through mTOR/S6K/SREBP1 pathway. Our data provide compelling evidence to support the promising application of GF for the treatment of T2DM.

Free Radicals and Actinobacteria as a Misexplored Goldmine of Antioxidant Compounds

Free radicals are highly reactive unstable molecules, which can be synthesized in different ways, considered harmful and threatening to humans; these chemical species have free traffic throughout the human body, interacting with biological molecules and human body organ tissues. The interaction between free radicals and biological molecules is the main factor for disease development or pre-existing disease symptoms aggravation. Antioxidants are chemical compounds able to donate electric charge to stabilize molecules such as free radicals. Recent studies have proved the benefits of antioxidants intake in health improvement. In this way, the search for natural sources of antioxidants has become an ascending trend. In this field, the microbial sources are considered poorly explored compared to the numerous amount of other compounds obtained from them, especially from Actinobacteria. The searched literature about Actinobacteria highlights an important capacity of producing natural antioxidants; however, there is a lack of in vivo studies of these isolated compounds. In this review, we gathered information that supports our point of view that Actinobacteria is a truly renewable and superficially explored source of natural antioxidants. Furthermore, our purpose is also to point this limitation and stimulate more researches in this area.

Ultrasensitive biosensing platform based on luminescence quenching ability of fullerenol quantum dots

An ultrasensitive biosensing platform for DNA and ochratoxin A (OTA) detection is constructed based on the luminescence quenching ability of fullerenol quantum dots (FOQDs) for the first time. As the surface of FOQDs is largely covered by hydroxyl groups, stable colloidal suspension of FOQDS in aqueous solution can be obtained, which is very advantageous for application in biosensing compared to nano-C60. FOQDs can effectively quench the fluorescence of dyes with different emission wavelengths that are tagged to bioprobes to an extent of more than 87% in aqueous buffer solution through a PET mechanism. Moreover, the nonspecific quenching of the fluorescent dyes (not bound to bioprobes) caused by FOQDs is negligible, so the background signal is extremely low which is beneficial for improving the detection sensitivity. Based on the π-π stacking interaction between FOQDs and bioprobes, such as single-stranded (ss) DNA and aptamers, a nucleic acid assay with a detection of limit of 15 pM and a highly sensitive OTA assay with a detection limit of 5 pg mL-1 in grape juice samples are developed through the simple "mix and measure" protocol based on luminescence quenching-and-recovery. This is the first demonstration of constructing biosensors utilizing the luminescence quenching ability of FOQDs through a PET mechanism, and the pronounced assay performance implies the promising potential of FOQDs in biosensing.

Rational Design of Nanomaterials for Various Radiation-Induced Diseases Prevention and Treatment

Radiation treatments often unfavorably damage neighboring healthy organs and cause a series of radiation sequelae, such as radiation-induced hematopoietic system diseases, radiation-induced gastrointestinal diseases, radiation-induced lung diseases, and radiation-induced skin diseases. Recently, emerging nanomaterials have exhibited good superiority for these radiation-induced disease treatments. Given this background, the rational design principle of nanomaterials, which helps to optimize the therapeutic efficiency, has been an increasing need. Consequently, it is of great significance to perform a systematic summarization of the advances in this field, which can trigger the development of new high-performance nanoradioprotectors with drug efficiency maximization. Herein, this review highlights the advances and perspectives in the rational design of nanomaterials for preventing and treating various common radiation-induced diseases. Furthermore, the sources, clinical symptoms, and pathogenesis/injury mechanisms of these radiation-induced diseases will also be introduced. Furthermore, current challenges and directions for future efforts in this field are also discussed.

Gadofullerene inhibits the degradation of apolipoprotein B100 and boosts triglyceride transport for reversing hepatic steatosis

Hepatic steatosis is a widespread metabolic disease characterized by excessive accumulation of triglyceride (TG) in liver. So far, effective approved drugs for hepatic steatosis are still in development, and removing the unnecessary TG from the hepatocytes is an enormous challenge. Here, we explore a promising anti-hepatic steatosis strategy by boosting hepatocellular TG transport using β-alanine-modified gadofullerene (GF-Ala) nanoparticles. We confirm that GF-Ala could reverse hepatic steatosis in oleic acid-induced hepatocytes, fructose-induced mice, and obesity-associated transgenic ob/ob mice. Observably, GF-Ala improves hepatomegaly and hepatic lipid accumulation, reduces lipid peroxidation, and repairs abnormal mitochondria. Of note, we demonstrate that GF-Ala markedly inhibits the posttranslational degradation of apolipoprotein B100 (ApoB100) and boosts hepatocellular TG transport based on their superior antioxidant property. Together, we conclude that GF-Ala could potently ameliorate hepatic TG transport and maintain hepatic metabolic homeostasis without apparent toxicity, being beneficial for treatments of hepatic steatosis and other fatty liver diseases.

Fullerene nanoparticles: a promising candidate for the alleviation of silicosis-associated pulmonary inflammation

Chronic exposure to crystalline silica causes the development of silicosis, which is one of the most important occupational diseases worldwide. In the early stage of silicosis, inhaled silica crystals initiate oxidative stress, a cycle of persistent inflammation and lung injury. And it is crucial to prevent the deteriorative progression in the onset of the disease. Herein, we present a promising candidate for the treatment of crystalline silica-induced pulmonary inflammation, using a silicosis mouse model caused by intratracheal instillation based on local administration of β-alanine and hydroxyl functionalized C70 fullerene nanoparticles (FNs). The results demonstrate that FNs could significantly alleviate inflammatory cells infiltration, lower the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and reduce the destruction of lung architecture stimulated by crystalline silica. Further investigations reveal that FNs could effectively inhibit the activation of NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3) inflammasome, and thus prevent the secretion of mature IL-1β and neutrophil influx, deriving from the superior ROS scavenging capability. Importantly, FNs could not cause any obvious toxicity after pulmonary administration.

Gadofullerene nanoparticles for robust treatment of aplastic anemia induced by chemotherapy drugs

Aplastic anemia (AA) is characterized as hypoplasia of bone marrow hematopoietic cells and hematopenia of peripheral blood cells. Though the supplement of exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) has been clinically approved for AA treatment, the side-effects hinder its further application. Here a robust treatment for AA induced by chemotherapy drugs is explored using gadofullerene nanoparticles (GFNPs).

Methods: The gadofullerene were modified with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions to become the water-soluble nanoparticles (GFNPs). The physicochemical properties, in vitro chemical construction, stability, hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, in vitro cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, in vivo treatment efficacy, therapeutic mechanism and biological distribution, metabolism, toxicity of GFNPs were examined.

Results: GFNPs with great stability and high-efficiency antioxidant activity could observably increase the number of red blood cells (RBC) in the peripheral blood of AA mice and relieve the abnormal pathological state of bone marrow. The erythropoiesis mainly includes hemopoietic stem cells (HSCs) differentiation, erythrocyte development in bone marrow and erythrocyte maturation in peripheral blood. The positive control-EPO promotes erythropoiesis by regulating HSCs differentiation and erythrocyte development in bone marrow. Different from the anti-AA mechanism of EPO, GFNPs have little impact on both the differentiation of HSCs and the myeloid erythrocyte development, but notably improve the erythrocyte maturation. Besides, GFNPs can notably decrease the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibit apoptosis of hemocytes in blood. In addition, GFNPs are mostly excreted from the living body and cause no serious toxicity.

Conclusion: Our work provides an insight into the advanced nanoparticles to powerfully treat AA through ameliorating the erythrocyte maturation during erythropoiesis.

Nanomaterials and Aging

As the proportion of the elderly population increases, more and more people suffer from aging-related diseases. Even if aging is inevitable, prolonging the time of healthy aging, delaying the progression of aging-related diseases, and the incidence of morbidity can greatly alleviate the pressure on individuals and society. Current research and exploration in the field of materials related to aging are expanding tremendously. Here, we present a summary of recent research in the field of nanomaterials relevant to aging. Some nanomaterials, such as silica nanomaterials (NMs) and carbon nanotubes, cause damage to the cells similar to aging processes. Other nanomaterials such as fullerenes and metalbased nanomaterials can protect the body from endogenous and exogenous harmful substances such as ROS by virtue of their excellent reducing properties. Another new type of nucleic acid nanomaterial, tetrahedral framework nucleic acids, works effectively against cell damage. This material selectively clears existing senescent cells in the tissue and thus prevents the development of the chronic inflammatory environment caused by senescent cells secreting senescence-associated secretory phenotype to the surroundings. We believe that nanomaterials have tremendous potential to advance the understanding and treatment of aging-related disorders, and today's research only represents the beginning stages.

Amino acid modified gadofullerene protects against insulin resistance induced by oxidative stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

GF-Ala afforded a significant protection against insulin resistance induced by oxidative stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It could reverse the increase of JNK activation and decreases of insulin-stimulated PI3K, Akt, p70S6K activation and GLUT4 translocation.

The pharmaceutical multi-activity of metallofullerenol invigorates cancer therapy

Currently, cancer continues to afflict humanity. The direct destruction and killing of tumor cells by surgery, radiation and chemotherapy gives rise to many side effects and compromised efficacy. Encouragingly, the rapid development of nanotechnology offers attractive opportunities to revolutionize the current situation of cancer therapy. Metallofullerenol Gd@C82(OH)22, in contrast to chemotherapeutics that directly kill tumor cells, demonstrates anti-tumor behavior with high efficiency and low toxicity by modulating the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, Gd@C82(OH)22 has been recently reported to specifically target cancer stem cells. In this review, we give a concise introduction to the development of the fullerene family and then report the anti-tumor activity of Gd@C82(OH)22 based on its unique physicochemical characteristics, followed by a comprehensive summary of the anti-tumor biological mechanisms which target different components of the tumor microenvironment as well as the biodistribution and toxicity of Gd@C82(OH)22. Finally, we describe Gd@C82(OH)22 as a "particulate medicine" to highlight its distinctions from conventional "molecular medicine", with considerable emphasis on the advantages of nanomedicine. The in-depth investigation of Gd@C82(OH)22 undoubtedly provides a constructive reference for the development of other nanomedicines, especially in the fullerene family. The application of nanotechnology in the medical field definitely provides a promising and favorable future for improving the current status of cancer therapy.

A Novel Drug Design Strategy: An Inspiration from Encaging Tumor by Metallofullerenol Gd@C82(OH)22

Cancer remains a major threat to human health worldwide. Cytotoxicity has imposed restrictions on the conventional cytotoxic drug-based chemotherapy. The rapidly-developing nanomedicine has shown great promise in revolutionizing chemotherapy with improved efficiency and reduced toxicity. Gd@C₈₂(OH)₂₂, a novel endohedral metallofullerenol, was first reported by our research group to suppress tumor growth and metastasis efficiently without obvious toxicity. Gd@C₈₂(OH)₂₂ imprisons tumors by facilitating the formation of surrounding fibrous layers which is different from chemotherapeutics that poison tumor cells. In this review, the authors first reported the antineoplastic activity of metallofullerenol Gd@C₈₂(OH)₂₂ followed by further discussions on its new anti-cancer molecular mechanism—tumor encaging. On this basis, the unparalleled advantages of nanomedicine in the future drug design are discussed. The unique interaction modes of Gd@C₈₂(OH)₂₂ with specific targeted biomolecules may shed light on a new avenue for drug design. Depending on the surface characteristics of target biomolecules, nanomedicine, just like a transformable and dynamic key, can self-assemble into suitable shapes to match several locks for the thermodynamic stability, suggesting the target-tailoring ability of nanomedicine.

Fullerene-based delivery systems

With the development of new drugs, there have been many attempts to explore innovative delivery routes. Targeted delivery systems are a desired solution designed to overcome the deficiency of routine methods. To transform this idea into reality, a wide range of nanoparticles has been proposed and studied. These nanoparticles should interact well with biological environments and pass through cell membranes to deliver therapeutic molecules. One of the pioneer classes of carbon-based nanoparticles for targeted delivery is the fullerenes. Fullerenes have a unique structure and possess suitable properties for interaction with the cellular environment. This short review concentrates on newly developed fullerene derivatives and their potential as advanced delivery systems for pharmaceutical applications.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive biomaterials mediate tissue microenvironments and tissue regeneration

ROS-responsive biomaterials alleviate the oxidative stress in tissue microenvironments, promoting tissue regeneration and disease therapy.