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Smeraldo A, Ponsiglione AM, Netti PA, Torino E. Artificial neural network modelling hydrodenticity for optimal design by microfluidics of polymer nanoparticles to apply in magnetic resonance imaging. Acta Biomater 2023; 171:440-450. [PMID: 37775077 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The engineering of nanoparticles impacts the control of their nano-bio interactions at each level of the delivery pathway. Therefore, optimal nanoparticle physicochemical properties should be identified to favour on-target interactions and deliver efficiently active compounds to a specific target. To date, traditional batch processes do not guarantee the reproducibility of results and low polydispersity index of the nanostructures, while microfluidics has emerged as cost effectiveness, short-production time approach to control the nanoparticle size and size distribution. Several thermodynamic processes have been implemented in microfluidics, such as nanoprecipitation, ionotropic gelation, self-assembly, etc., to produce nanoparticles in a continuous mode and high throughput way. In this work, we show how the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can be adopted to model the impact of microfluidic parameters (namely, flow rates and polymer concentrations) on the size of the nanoparticles. Promising results have been obtained, with the highest model accuracy reaching 98.9 %, thus confirming the proposed approach's potential applicability for an ANN-guided biopolymer nanoparticle design for biomedical applications. Nanostructures with different degrees of complexity are analysed, and a proof-of-concept machine learning approach is proposed to evaluate Hydrodenticity in biopolymer matrices. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Size, shape and surface charge determine nano-bio interactions of nanoparticles and their ability to target diseases. The ideal nanoparticle design avoids off-target interactions and favours on-target interactions. So, tools enabling the identification of the optimal nanoparticle physicochemical properties for delivery to a specific target are required. In this work, we evaluate the use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to analyse the role of microfluidic parameters in predicting the optimal size of the different hydrogel nanoparticles and their ability to trigger Hydrodenticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Smeraldo
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Maria Ponsiglione
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Enza Torino
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy.
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Gimondi S, Ferreira H, Reis RL, Neves NM. Microfluidic Devices: A Tool for Nanoparticle Synthesis and Performance Evaluation. ACS NANO 2023; 17:14205-14228. [PMID: 37498731 PMCID: PMC10416572 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in nanomedicine holds great promise for the treatment of diseases for which conventional therapies present serious limitations. Additionally, NPs can drastically improve early diagnosis and follow-up of many disorders. However, to harness their full capabilities, they must be precisely designed, produced, and tested in relevant models. Microfluidic systems can simulate dynamic fluid flows, gradients, specific microenvironments, and multiorgan complexes, providing an efficient and cost-effective approach for both NPs synthesis and screening. Microfluidic technologies allow for the synthesis of NPs under controlled conditions, enhancing batch-to-batch reproducibility. Moreover, due to the versatility of microfluidic devices, it is possible to generate and customize endless platforms for rapid and efficient in vitro and in vivo screening of NPs' performance. Indeed, microfluidic devices show great potential as advanced systems for small organism manipulation and immobilization. In this review, first we summarize the major microfluidic platforms that allow for controlled NPs synthesis. Next, we will discuss the most innovative microfluidic platforms that enable mimicking in vitro environments as well as give insights into organism-on-a-chip and their promising application for NPs screening. We conclude this review with a critical assessment of the current challenges and possible future directions of microfluidic systems in NPs synthesis and screening to impact the field of nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gimondi
- 3B’s
Research Group, I3Bs − Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters
of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and
Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque
de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s−PT
Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Helena Ferreira
- 3B’s
Research Group, I3Bs − Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters
of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and
Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque
de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s−PT
Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L. Reis
- 3B’s
Research Group, I3Bs − Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters
of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and
Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque
de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s−PT
Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno M. Neves
- 3B’s
Research Group, I3Bs − Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters
of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and
Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque
de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s−PT
Government Associate Laboratory, 4805-017 Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
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Costagliola di Polidoro A, Baghbantarghdari Z, De Gregorio V, Silvestri S, Netti PA, Torino E. Insulin Activation Mediated by Uptake Mechanisms: A Comparison of the Behavior between Polymer Nanoparticles and Extracellular Vesicles in 3D Liver Tissues. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:2203-2212. [PMID: 37023462 PMCID: PMC10170511 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we compare the role of two different uptake mechanisms in the effectiveness of a nanoformulated drug, specifically insulin. Insulin is activated by interacting with insulin receptors exposed on the liver cell membrane that triggers the uptake and storage of glucose. To prove that the uptake mechanism of a delivery system can interfere directly with the effectiveness of the delivered drug, two extremely different delivery systems are tested. In detail, hydrogel-based NPs (cHANPs) and natural lipid vesicles (EVs) encapsulating insulin are used to trigger the activation of this hormone in 3D liver microtissues (μTs) based on their different uptake mechanisms. Results demonstrated that the fusion mechanism of Ins-EVs mediates faster and more pronounced insulin activation with respect to the endocytic mechanism of Ins-cHANPs. Indeed, the fusion causes an increased reduction in glucose concentration in the culture medium EV-treated l-μTs with respect to free insulin-treated tissues. The same effect is not observed for Ins-cHANPs that, taken up by endocytosis, can only equal the reduction in glucose concentration produced by free insulin in 48 h. Overall, these results demonstrate that the effectiveness of nanoformulated drugs depends on the identity they acquire in the biological context (biological identity). Indeed, the nanoparticle (NP) biological identity, such as the uptake mechanism, triggers a unique set of nano-bio-interactions that is ultimately responsible for their fate both in the extracellular and intracellular compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Costagliola di Polidoro
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Zahra Baghbantarghdari
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Vincenza De Gregorio
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ″Federico II″, Complesso Universitario di Monte S Angelo, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Simona Silvestri
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, Naples 80125, Italy
| | - Enza Torino
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, Naples 80125, Italy
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Sood A, Kumar A, Gupta VK, Kim CM, Han SS. Translational Nanomedicines Across Human Reproductive Organs Modeling on Microfluidic Chips: State-of-the-Art and Future Prospects. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:62-84. [PMID: 36541361 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c01080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Forecasting the consequence of nanoparticles (NPs) and therapeutically significant molecules before materializing for human clinical trials is a mainstay for drug delivery and screening processes. One of the noteworthy obstacles that has prevented the clinical translation of NP-based drug delivery systems and novel drugs is the lack of effective preclinical platforms. As a revolutionary technology, the organ-on-a-chip (OOC), a coalition of microfluidics and tissue engineering, has surfaced as an alternative to orthodox screening platforms. OOC technology recapitulates the structural and physiological features of human organs along with intercommunications between tissues on a chip. The current review discusses the concept of microfluidics and confers cutting-edge fabrication processes for chip designing. We also outlined the advantages of microfluidics in analyzing NPs in terms of characterization, transport, and degradation in biological systems. The review further elaborates the scope and research on translational nanomedicines in human reproductive organs (testis, placenta, uterus, and menstrual cycle) by taking the advantages offered by microfluidics and shedding light on their potential future implications. Finally, we accentuate the existing challenges for clinical translation and scale-up dynamics for microfluidics chips and emphasize its future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Sood
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea
| | - Anuj Kumar
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea.,Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea
| | - Vijai Kumar Gupta
- Biorefining and Advanced Materials Research Center, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, United Kingdom
| | - Chul Min Kim
- Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 33 Dongjin-ro, Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do 52725, South Korea
| | - Sung Soo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea.,Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea
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5
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Biocatalysis as a Green Approach for Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles—Batch and Microflow Process Comparison. Catalysts 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/catal13010112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing need for production of iron particles due to their possible use in numerous systems (e.g., electrical, magnetic, catalytic, biological and others). Although severe reaction conditions and heavy solvents are frequently used in production of nanoparticles, green synthesis has arisen as an eco-friendly method that uses biological catalysts. Various precursors are combined with biological material (such as enzymes, herbal extracts, biomass, bacteria or yeasts) that contain chemicals from the main or secondary metabolism that can function as catalysts for production of nanoparticles. In this work, batch (“one-pot”) biosynthesis of iron nanoparticles is reviewed, as well as the possibilities of using microfluidic systems for continuous biosynthesis of iron nanoparticles, which could overcome the limitations of batch synthesis.
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Niculescu AG, Mihaiescu DE, Grumezescu AM. A Review of Microfluidic Experimental Designs for Nanoparticle Synthesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8293. [PMID: 35955420 PMCID: PMC9368202 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics is defined as emerging science and technology based on precisely manipulating fluids through miniaturized devices with micro-scale channels and chambers. Such microfluidic systems can be used for numerous applications, including reactions, separations, or detection of various compounds. Therefore, due to their potential as microreactors, a particular research focus was noted in exploring various microchannel configurations for on-chip chemical syntheses of materials with tailored properties. Given the significant number of studies in the field, this paper aims to review the recently developed microfluidic devices based on their geometry particularities, starting from a brief presentation of nanoparticle synthesis and mixing within microchannels, further moving to a more detailed discussion of different chip configurations with potential use in nanomaterial fabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Dan Eduard Mihaiescu
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, Ilfov No. 3, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
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7
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Smeraldo A, Ponsiglione AM, Soricelli A, Netti PA, Torino E. Update on the Use of PET/MRI Contrast Agents and Tracers in Brain Oncology: A Systematic Review. Int J Nanomedicine 2022; 17:3343-3359. [PMID: 35937076 PMCID: PMC9346926 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s362192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent advancements in hybrid positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance imaging systems (PET/MRI) have brought massive value in the investigation of disease processes, in the development of novel treatments, in the monitoring of both therapy response and disease progression, and, not least, in the introduction of new multidisciplinary molecular imaging approaches. While offering potential advantages over PET/CT, the hybrid PET/MRI proved to improve both the image quality and lesion detectability. In particular, it showed to be an effective tool for the study of metabolic information about lesions and pathological conditions affecting the brain, from a better tumor characterization to the analysis of metabolic brain networks. Based on the PRISMA guidelines, this work presents a systematic review on PET/MRI in basic research and clinical differential diagnosis on brain oncology and neurodegenerative disorders. The analysis includes literature works and clinical case studies, with a specific focus on the use of PET tracers and MRI contrast agents, which are usually employed to perform hybrid PET/MRI studies of brain tumors. A systematic literature search for original diagnostic studies is performed using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. Patients, study, and imaging characteristics were extracted from the selected articles. The analysis included acquired data pooling, heterogeneity testing, sensitivity analyses, used tracers, and reported patient outcomes. Our analysis shows that, while PET/MRI for the brain is a promising diagnostic method for early diagnosis, staging and recurrence in patients with brain diseases, a better definition of the role of tracers and imaging agents in both clinical and preclinical hybrid PET/MRI applications is needed and further efforts should be devoted to the standardization of the contrast imaging protocols, also considering the emerging agents and multimodal probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Smeraldo
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
| | - Alfonso Maria Ponsiglione
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, 80125, Italy
| | - Andrea Soricelli
- Department of Motor Sciences and Healthiness, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Naples, 80133, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
| | - Enza Torino
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care, CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Naples, 80125, Italy
- Correspondence: Enza Torino, Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, Naples, 80125, Italy, Tel +39-328-955-8158, Email
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Ucm R, Aem M, Lhb Z, Kumar V, Taherzadeh MJ, Garlapati VK, Chandel AK. Comprehensive review on biotechnological production of hyaluronic acid: status, innovation, market and applications. Bioengineered 2022; 13:9645-9661. [PMID: 35436410 PMCID: PMC9161949 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2057760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing, existing demand for low-cost and high-quality hyaluronic acid (HA) needs an outlook of different possible production strategies from renewable resources with the reduced possibility of cross-infections. Recently, the possibility of producing HA from harmless microorganisms appeared, which offers the opportunity to make HA more economical, without raw material limitations, and environmentally friendly. HA production is mainly reported with Lancefield Streptococci A and C, particularly from S. equi and S. zooepidemicus. Various modes of fermentation such as batch, repeated batch, fed-batch, and continuous culture have been investigated to optimize HA production, particularly from S. zooepidemicus, obtaining a HA yield of 2.5 g L−1 – 7.0 g L−1. Among the different utilized DSP approaches of HA production, recovery with cold ethanol (4°C) and cetylpyridinium chloride is the ideal strategy for lab-scale HA production. On the industrial scale, besides using isopropanol, filtration (0.22 um), ultrafiltration (100 kDa), and activated carbon absorption are employed to obtain HA of low molecular weight and additional ultrafiltration to purify HA of higher MW. Even though mature technologies have already been developed for the industrial production of HA, the projections of increased sales volume and the expansion of application possibilities require new processes to obtain HA with higher productivity, purity, and specific molecular weights. In this review, we have put forth the progress of HA technological research by discussing the microbial biosynthetic aspects, fermentation and downstream strategies, industrial-scale scenarios of HA, and the prospects of HA production to meet the current and ongoing market demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruschoni Ucm
- Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena (EEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Lorena 12602-810, Brazil
| | - Mera Aem
- Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena (EEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Lorena 12602-810, Brazil
| | - Zamudio Lhb
- Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena (EEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Lorena 12602-810, Brazil
| | - Vinod Kumar
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | | | - Vijay Kumar Garlapati
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, University of Information Technology, Waknaghat 173234, India
| | - Anuj Kumar Chandel
- Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena (EEL), University of São Paulo (USP), Lorena 12602-810, Brazil
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Vermeulen I, Isin EM, Barton P, Cillero-Pastor B, Heeren RM. Multimodal molecular imaging in drug discovery and development. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:2086-2099. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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10
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Smeraldo A, Ponsiglione AM, Netti PA, Torino E. Tuning of Hydrogel Architectures by Ionotropic Gelation in Microfluidics: Beyond Batch Processing to Multimodal Diagnostics. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1551. [PMID: 34829780 PMCID: PMC8614968 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics is emerging as a promising tool to control physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and to accelerate clinical translation. Indeed, microfluidic-based techniques offer more advantages in nanomedicine over batch processes, allowing fine-tuning of process parameters. In particular, the use of microfluidics to produce nanoparticles has paved the way for the development of nano-scaled structures for improved detection and treatment of several diseases. Here, ionotropic gelation is implemented in a custom-designed microfluidic chip to produce different nanoarchitectures based on chitosan-hyaluronic acid polymers. The selected biomaterials provide biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxic properties to the formulation, making it promising for nanomedicine applications. Furthermore, results show that morphological structures can be tuned through microfluidics by controlling the flow rates. Aside from the nanostructures, the ability to encapsulate gadolinium contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging and a dye for optical imaging is demonstrated. In conclusion, the polymer nanoparticles here designed revealed the dual capability of enhancing the relaxometric properties of gadolinium by attaining Hydrodenticity and serving as a promising nanocarrier for multimodal imaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Smeraldo
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care—CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Maria Ponsiglione
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.P.); (P.A.N.)
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care—CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials—CRIB, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Enza Torino
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.S.); (A.M.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Health Care—CABHC, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials—CRIB, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
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11
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Skupin-Mrugalska P, Zalewski T, Elvang PA, Nowaczyk G, Czajkowski M, Piotrowska-Kempisty H. Insight into theranostic nanovesicles prepared by thin lipid hydration and microfluidic method. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021; 205:111871. [PMID: 34051668 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Liposomes are phospholipid-based self-assembled nanoparticles. Various components can be solubilized in the lipid bilayer, encapsulated in the aqueous core or attached to the surface, making liposomes attractive platforms for multimodality functionalization. Here we describe theranostic liposomes delivering a magnetic resonance contrast agent (lipid derivative of gadopentetic acid) and a hydrophobic photosensitizer (zinc phthalocyanine, ZnPc) for photodynamic therapy of cancer. For the first time, this theranostic system was prepared by the microfluidic method. Analogous formulations were produced by thin lipid film hydration (TLH) with down-sizing performed by extrusion for comparison purposes. We demonstrated double the loading capacity of ZnPc into liposomes made by microfluidics compared to TLH/extrusion. Microfluidics resulted in the theranostic nanoliposomes characterized by sizes =2.5x smaller than vesicles prepared by TLH/extrusion. Increased relaxivity was observed for liposomes manufactured by microfluidics compared to TLH, despite a slightly lower Gd chelate recovery. We attributed the improved relaxation to the increased surface area/volume ratio of vesicles and decreased phosphatidylcholine/ZnPc molar ratio, which affected water molecules' diffusion through the liposomal membrane. Finally, we showed photodynamic efficacy of ZnPc loaded into theranostic liposomes in head and neck cancer model, resulting in IC50 of 0.22 - 0.61 μM, depending on the formulation and cell line used. We demonstrate microfluidics' feasibility to be used for theranostic liposome manufacturing and co-entrapment of therapeutic and imaging components in a single-step process with a high yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Skupin-Mrugalska
- Department of Inorganic & Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Zalewski
- NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Wszechnicy Piastowskiej 3, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Philipp A Elvang
- Drug Transport & Delivery Group, Department of Physics, Chemistry & Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Grzegorz Nowaczyk
- NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Wszechnicy Piastowskiej 3, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mikolaj Czajkowski
- Department of Inorganic & Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780, Poznan, Poland
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12
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Targeting Nanostrategies for Imaging of Atherosclerosis. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2021; 2021:6664471. [PMID: 33880112 PMCID: PMC8032543 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6664471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the progress in cardiovascular research, atherosclerosis still represents the main cause of death worldwide. Clinically, the diagnosis of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) relies on imaging methodologies including X-ray angiography and computed tomography (CT), which however still fails in the identification of patients at high risk of plaque rupture, the main cause of severe clinical events as stroke and heart attack. Magnetic resonance imaging, which is characterized by very high spatial resolution, could provide a better characterization of atherosclerotic plaque (AP) anatomy and composition, aiding in the identification of “vulnerable” plaques. In this context, hydrogel matrices, which have been demonstrated able to boost relaxometric properties of Gd-based contrast agents (CAs) by the effect of Hydrodenticity, represent a valuable tool towards the precision imaging of ASCVD improving the performance of this class of CAs while reducing systemic toxicity. In particular, hydrogel nanoparticles encapsulating Gd-DTPA can further contribute to providing CA-specific accumulation in the AP by nanoparticle surface decoration triggering an active targeting of the AP with the overall effect of allowing an earlier and more accurate diagnosis. In this work, we tested crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles (cHANPs) in the complex environment of human atherosclerotic plaque. In addition, the surface of cHANPs was decorated with the antibody anti-CD36 (Ab36-cHANPs) for the active targeting of AP-associated macrophages. Results demonstrate that the Hydrodenticity of cHANPs and Ab36-cHANPs is preserved in this complex system and, preliminarily, that interaction of these probes with the AP is present.
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Niculescu AG, Chircov C, Bîrcă AC, Grumezescu AM. Nanomaterials Synthesis through Microfluidic Methods: An Updated Overview. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:864. [PMID: 33800636 PMCID: PMC8066900 DOI: 10.3390/nano11040864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices emerged due to an interdisciplinary "collision" between chemistry, physics, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material science. Such devices can act as reaction vessels for many chemical and biological processes, reducing the occupied space, equipment costs, and reaction times while enhancing the quality of the synthesized products. Due to this series of advantages compared to classical synthesis methods, microfluidic technology managed to gather considerable scientific interest towards nanomaterials production. Thus, a new era of possibilities regarding the design and development of numerous applications within the pharmaceutical and medical fields has emerged. In this context, the present review provides a thorough comparison between conventional methods and microfluidic approaches for nanomaterials synthesis, presenting the most recent research advancements within the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
- Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Cristina Chircov
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
| | - Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
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14
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Costagliola di Polidoro A, Zambito G, Haeck J, Mezzanotte L, Lamfers M, Netti PA, Torino E. Theranostic Design of Angiopep-2 Conjugated Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles (Thera-ANG-cHANPs) for Dual Targeting and Boosted Imaging of Glioma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030503. [PMID: 33525655 PMCID: PMC7865309 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Glioblastoma multiforme is the most aggressive malignant brain tumor with poor patient prognosis. The presence of the blood-brain barrier and the complex tumor microenvironment impair the efficient accumulation of drugs and contrast agents, causing late diagnosis, inefficient treatment and monitoring. Functionalized theranostic nanoparticles are a valuable tool to modulate biodistribution of active agents, promoting their active delivery and selective accumulation for an earlier diagnosis and effective treatment, and provide simultaneous therapy and imaging for improved evaluation of treatment efficacy. In this work, we developed angiopep-2 functionalized crosslinked hyaluronic acid nanoparticles encapsulating gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and irinotecan (Thera-ANG-cHANPs) that were shown to boost relaxometric properties of Gd-DTPA by the effect of Hydrodenticity, improve the uptake of nanoparticles by the exploitation of angiopep-2 improved transport properties, and accelerate the therapeutic effect of Irinotecan. Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has a mean survival of only 15 months. Tumour heterogeneity and blood-brain barrier (BBB) mainly hinder the transport of active agents, leading to late diagnosis, ineffective therapy and inaccurate follow-up. The use of hydrogel nanoparticles, particularly hyaluronic acid as naturally occurring polymer of the extracellular matrix (ECM), has great potential in improving the transport of drug molecules and, furthermore, in facilitatating the early diagnosis by the effect of hydrodenticity enabling the T1 boosting of Gadolinium chelates for MRI. Here, crosslinked hyaluronic acid nanoparticles encapsulating gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and the chemotherapeutic agent irinotecan (Thera-cHANPs) are proposed as theranostic nanovectors, with improved MRI capacities. Irinotecan was selected since currently repurposed as an alternative compound to the poorly effective temozolomide (TMZ), generally approved as the gold standard in GBM clinical care. Also, active crossing and targeting are achieved by theranostic cHANPs decorated with angiopep-2 (Thera-ANG-cHANPs), a dual-targeting peptide interacting with low density lipoprotein receptor related protein-1(LRP-1) receptors overexpressed by both endothelial cells of the BBB and glioma cells. Results showed preserving the hydrodenticity effect in the advanced formulation and internalization by the active peptide-mediated uptake of Thera-cHANPs in U87 and GS-102 cells. Moreover, Thera-ANG-cHANPs proved to reduce ironotecan time response, showing a significant cytotoxic effect in 24 h instead of 48 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Costagliola di Polidoro
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.C.d.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgia Zambito
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (G.Z.); (L.M.)
- Medres Medical Research GmBH, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Haeck
- AMIE Core Facility, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (G.Z.); (L.M.)
- Medres Medical Research GmBH, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Martine Lamfers
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Tumor Center, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.C.d.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, 80125 Naples, Italy
- AMIE Core Facility, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Enza Torino
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy; (A.C.d.P.); (P.A.N.)
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
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15
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Ponsiglione AM, Russo M, Torino E. Glycosaminoglycans and Contrast Agents: The Role of Hyaluronic Acid as MRI Contrast Enhancer. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10121612. [PMID: 33260661 PMCID: PMC7759866 DOI: 10.3390/biom10121612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of the behaviour of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) combined with imaging or therapeutic agents can be a key factor for the rational design of drug delivery and diagnostic systems. In this work, physical and thermodynamic phenomena arising from the complex interplay between GAGs and contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have been explored. Being an excellent candidate for drug delivery and diagnostic systems, Hyaluronic acid (HA) (0.1 to 0.7%w/v) has been chosen as a GAG model, and Gd-DTPA (0.01 to 0.2 mM) as a relevant MRI contrast agent. HA samples crosslinked with divinyl sulfone (DVS) have also been investigated. Water Diffusion and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry studies demonstrated that the interaction between HA and Gd-DTPA can form hydrogen bonds and coordinate water molecules, which plays a leading role in determining both the polymer conformation and the relaxometric properties of the contrast agent. This interaction can be modulated by changing the GAG/contrast agent molar ratio and by acting on the organization of the polymer network. The fine control over the combination of GAGs and imaging agents could represent an enormous advantage in formulating novel multifunctional diagnostic probes paving the way for precision nanomedicine tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Maria Ponsiglione
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (DIETI), University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy;
| | - Maria Russo
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy;
| | - Enza Torino
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy;
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biomaterials, CRIB, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-328-955-8158
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Sanità G, Carrese B, Lamberti A. Nanoparticle Surface Functionalization: How to Improve Biocompatibility and Cellular Internalization. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:587012. [PMID: 33324678 PMCID: PMC7726445 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.587012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of nanoparticles (NP) in diagnosis and treatment of many human diseases, including cancer, is of increasing interest. However, cytotoxic effects of NPs on cells and the uptake efficiency significantly limit their use in clinical practice. The physico-chemical properties of NPs including surface composition, superficial charge, size and shape are considered the key factors that affect the biocompatibility and uptake efficiency of these nanoplatforms. Thanks to the possibility of modifying physico-chemical properties of NPs, it is possible to improve their biocompatibility and uptake efficiency through the functionalization of the NP surface. In this review, we summarize some of the most recent studies in which NP surface modification enhances biocompatibility and uptake. Furthermore, the most used techniques used to assess biocompatibility and uptake are also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennaro Sanità
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Annalisa Lamberti
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Microfluidic-assisted production of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) and cellulose acetate nanoparticles: effects of polymers, surfactants, and flow rate ratios. Polym Bull (Berl) 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00289-020-03367-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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