All-in-one strategy to develop a near-infrared triggered multifunctional bioactive magnesium phosphate bone cement for bone repair

Bone cement is widely used in clinical with optimistic filling and mechanical properties. However, the setting time of bone cement is difficult to accurately control, and the existing bone cements exhibit limited therapeutic functionalities. In response to these challenges, we designed and synthesized Nd-doped whitlockite (Nd-WH), endowing bone cement with photothermal-responsive and fluorescence imaging capabilities. The doping amount and photothermal properties of Nd-doped whitlockite were studied, and the composite bone cement was prepared. The results showed that the setting time of bone cement could be regulated by near infrared irradiation, and the multiple functions of promoting osteogenic differentiation, antibacterial and anti-tumor could be realized by adjusting the power and irradiation time of near infrared. By incorporating Nd-doped whitlockite and bone cement, we developed an all-in-one strategy to achieve setting time control, enhanced osteogenic ability, tumor cell clearance, bacterial clearance, and bone tissue regeneration. The optimized physical and mechanical properties of composite bone cement ensure adaptability and plasticity. In vitro and in vivo experiments validated the effectiveness of this bone cement platform for bone repair, tumor cell clearance and bacterial clearance. The universal methods to regulate the setting time and function of bone cement by photothermal effect has potential in orthopedic surgery and is expected to be a breakthrough in the field of bone defect repair. Further research and clinical validation are needed to ensure its safety, efficacy and sustainability. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Bone cement is a valuable clinical material. However, the setting time of bone cement is difficult to control, and the therapeutic function of existing bone cement is limited. Various studies have shown that the bone repair capacity of bone cements can be enhanced by synergistic stimulatory effects in vivo and ex vivo. Unfortunately, most of the existing photothermal conversion materials are non-degradable and poorly biocompatible. This study provides a bone-like photothermal conversion material with photothermal response and fluorescence imaging properties, and constructed a platform for integrated regulation of the setting time of bone cement and diversification of its functions. Therefore, it helps to design multi-functional bone repair materials that are more convenient and effective in clinical operation.

Graphene Oxide (GO) for the Treatment of Bone Cancer: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Cancer is a severe disease that, in 2022, caused more than 9.89 million deaths worldwide. One worrisome type of cancer is bone cancer, such as osteosarcoma and Ewing tumors, which occur more frequently in infants. This study shows an active interest in the use of graphene oxide and its derivatives in therapy against bone cancer. We present a systematic review analyzing the current state of the art related to the use of GO in treating osteosarcoma, through evaluating the existing literature. In this sense, studies focused on GO-based nanomaterials for potential applications against osteosarcoma were reviewed, which has revealed that there is an excellent trend toward the use of GO-based nanomaterials, based on their thermal and anti-cancer activities, for the treatment of osteosarcoma through various therapeutic approaches. However, more research is needed to develop highly efficient localized therapies. It is suggested, therefore, that photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and the use of nanocarriers should be considered as non-invasive, more specific, and efficient alternatives in the treatment of osteosarcoma. These options present promising approaches to enhance the effectiveness of therapy while also seeking to reduce side effects and minimize the damage to surrounding healthy tissues. The bibliometric analysis of photothermal and photochemical treatments of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide from January 2004 to December 2022 extracted 948 documents with its search strategy, mainly related to research papers, review papers, and conference papers, demonstrating a high-impact field supported by the need for more selective and efficient bone cancer therapies. The central countries leading the research are the United States, Iran, Italy, Germany, China, South Korea, and Australia, with strong collaborations worldwide. At the same time, the most-cited papers were published in journals with impact factors of more than 6.0 (2021), with more than 290 citations. Additionally, the journals that published the most on the topic are high impact factor journals, according to the analysis performed, demonstrating the high impact of the research field.

Advances in the Application of Photothermal Composite Scaffolds for Osteosarcoma Ablation and Bone Regeneration

Photothermal therapy is a promising approach to cancer treatment. The energy generated by the photothermal effect can effectively inhibit the growth of cancer cells without harming normal tissues, while the right amount of heat can also promote cell proliferation and accelerate tissue regeneration. Various nanomaterials have recently been used as photothermal agents (PTAs). The photothermal composite scaffolds can be obtained by introducing PTAs into bone tissue engineering (BTE) scaffolds, which produces a photothermal effect that can be used to ablate bone cancer with subsequent further use of the scaffold as a support to repair the bone defects created by ablation of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is the most common among primary bone malignancies. However, a review of the efficacy of different types of photothermal composite scaffolds in osteosarcoma is lacking. This article first introduces the common PTAs, BTE materials, and preparation methods and then systematically summarizes the development of photothermal composite scaffolds. It would provide a useful reference for the combination of tumor therapy and tissue engineering in bone tumor-related diseases and complex diseases. It will also be valuable for advancing the clinical applications of photothermal composite scaffolds.

Application of advanced biomaterials in photothermal therapy for malignant bone tumors

Malignant bone tumors are characterized by severe disability rate, mortality rate, and heavy recurrence rate owing to the complex pathogenesis and insidious disease progression, which seriously affect the terminal quality of patients' lives. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive adjunctive treatment offering prominent hyperthermal therapeutic effects to enhance the effectiveness of surgical treatment and avoid recurrence. Simultaneously, various advanced biomaterials with photothermal capacity are currently created to address malignant bone tumors, performing distinctive biological functions, including nanomaterials, bioceramics (BC), polymers, and hydrogels et al. Furthermore, PTT-related combination therapeutic strategies can provide more significant curative benefits by reducing drug toxicity, improving tumor-killing efficiency, stimulating anti-cancer immunity, and improving immune sensitivity relative to monotherapy, even in complex tumor microenvironments (TME). This review summarizes the current advanced biomaterials applicable in PTT and relevant combination therapies on malignant bone tumors for the first time. The multiple choices of advanced biomaterials, treatment methods, and new prospects for future research in treating malignant bone tumors with PTT are generalized to provide guidance. Malignant bone tumors seriously affect the terminal quality of patients' lives. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive adjunctive treatment enhancing the effectiveness of surgical treatment and avoiding recurrence. In this review, advanced biomaterials applicable in the PTT of malignant bone tumors and their distinctive biological functions are comprehensively summarized for the first time. Simultaneously, multiple PTT-related combination therapeutic strategies are classified to optimize practical clinical issues, contributing to the selection of biomaterials, therapeutic alternatives, and research perspectives for the adjuvant treatment of malignant bone tumors with PTT in the future.

Effect of incorporation of nano-graphene oxide on physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of tricalcium silicate cement

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of setting time, compressive strength, pH, calcium ion release, and antibacterial activity of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) after modification with three different concentrations of nano-graphene oxide (GO) powder compared to unmodified Biodentine as a commercial control.

METHODS

GO powder, unhydrated and hydrated cements were characterized using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). GO was also analyzed using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) to determine average lateral dimensions. Specimens were prepared and grouped according to the concentration of GO added to Rootdent MTA (control, 1, 3, and 5 wt%) and the material used (MTA and unmodified Biodentine) into five groups. Setting time was evaluated using Gillmore penetrometer (n = 5). Compressive strength was evaluated using universal testing machine (n = 7). pH and calcium ion release were assessed using pH meter and Induced Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) at 1, 7, 14, and 28 days (n = 7). Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans using direct contact test (n = 7). One-way and repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test were used for data analysis with significance level set at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

Addition of GO to MTA reduced both initial and final setting time. GO modified MTA groups and unmodified Biodentine showed significantly increased calcium ion release at 14 and 28 days. All cements showed alkaline pH of the storage media at all tested time intervals. 1 wt% GO recorded the highest compressive strength values in MTA modified groups. The increased concentration of GO from 1 to 5 wt% successively increased antibacterial activity of MTA, with Biodentine showing the lowest significant value.

CONCLUSION

Addition of 1 wt% GO can significantly improve the tested properties of tricalcium silicate-based cements without compromising their compressive strength.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

GO is a promising modification for tricalcium silicate cements to improve setting time, compressive strength, and antibacterial activity to provide a variety of materials for different clinical situations. This in turn can reduce the risk of reinfection and allow placement of the final restoration in a single visit.

Layered Clay Minerals in Cancer Therapy: Recent Progress and Prospects

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases, and current treatment regimens suffer from limited efficacy, nonspecific toxicity, and chemoresistance. With the advantages of good biocompatibility, large specific surface area, excellent cation exchange capacity, and easy availability, clay minerals have been receiving ever-increasing interests in cancer treatment. They can act as carriers to reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and some of their own properties can kill cancer cells, etc. Compared with other morphologies clays, layered clay minerals (LCM) have attracted more and more attention due to adjustable interlayer spacing, easier ion exchange, and stronger adsorption capacity. In this review, the structure, classification, physicochemical properties, and functionalization methods of LCM are summarized. The state-of-the-art progress of LCM in antitumor therapy is systematically described, with emphasis on the application of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and vermiculite. Furthermore, the property-function relationships of LCM are comprehensively illustrated to reveal the design principles of clay-based antitumor systems. Finally, foreseeable challenges and outlook in this field are discussed.

Nanomaterial-assisted theranosis of bone diseases

Bone-related diseases refer to a group of skeletal disorders that are characterized by bone and cartilage destruction. Conventional approaches can regulate bone homeostasis to a certain extent. However, these therapies are still associated with some undesirable problems. Fortunately, recent advances in nanomaterials have provided unprecedented opportunities for diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of current advanced theranostic nanomaterials in bone-related diseases. First, the potential utility of nanomaterials for biological imaging and biomarker detection is illustrated. Second, nanomaterials serve as therapeutic delivery platforms with special functions for bone homeostasis regulation and cellular modulation are highlighted. Finally, perspectives in this field are offered, including current key bottlenecks and future directions, which may be helpful for exploiting nanomaterials with novel properties and unique functions. This review will provide scientific guidance to enhance the development of advanced nanomaterials for the diagnosis and therapy of bone-related diseases.

Rapid mineralization of graphene-based 3D porous scaffolds by semi-dry electrodeposition for photothermal treatment of tumor-induced bone defects

Graphene-based three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds have been extensively investigated in the photothermal treatment of tumor-induced bone defects due to their photothermal and osteogenic capacity. However, scaffold processing destroys conjugated graphene structure and reduces its photothermal conversion efficiency. In this study, a graphene-based 3D scaffold (GS) with intact conjugated structure was prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). GS was rapidly mineralized biomimetically by a newly developed semi-dry electrochemical deposition method to form a hydroxyapatite (HA) incorporated graphene scaffold (HA-GS). The simulation of the charged particle dynamics provides a better understanding of the mechanism of semi-dry electrodeposition. This scaffold exhibits high photothermal sensitivity that generates sufficient thermal energy for photothermal therapy even under near-infrared irradiation (980 nm) with extremely low power density (0.2 W/cm²). Moreover, osteogenic activity was improved by HA-GS compared with GS. Compared with the blank GS, the HA-GS scaffold deposited with HA also showed regulation of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and remodeled the immune microenvironment of the wound after photothermal therapy. In vivo experiments further verified that HA-GS can ablate osteosarcoma through a photothermal effect. These results suggest that the as-prepared HA-GS may be adopted as a promising multifunctional bone scaffold against tumor-induced bone defect. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The hydroxyapatite (HA) incorporated graphene scaffold (HA-GS) scaffold was prepared by semi-dry electrodeposition first time. The prepared HA-GS has a high photothermal conversion efficiency (it can rise to 48 ^oC under the 5 min irradiation of 980 nm near-infrared laser at 0.2 W/cm²). The mineralized layer prepared by semi-dry electrodeposition is not only osteoinductive, but also reduces the inflammatory response after photothermal therapy. This modulates the immune microenvironment at the bone tumor invasion site, thereby promoting defect repair.

Development of Graphene-Based Materials in Bone Tissue Engineaering

Bone regeneration-related graphene-based materials (bGBMs) are increasingly attracting attention in tissue engineering due to their special physical and chemical properties. The purpose of this review is to quantitatively analyze mass academic literature in the field of bGBMs through scientometrics software CiteSpace, to demonstrate the rules and trends of bGBMs, thus to analyze and summarize the mechanisms behind the rules, and to provide clues for future research. First, the research status, hotspots, and frontiers of bGBMs are analyzed in an intuitively and vividly visualized way. Next, the extracted important subjects such as fabrication techniques, cytotoxicity, biodegradability, and osteoinductivity of bGBMs are presented, and the different mechanisms, in turn, are also discussed. Finally, photothermal therapy, which is considered an emerging area of application of bGBMs, is also presented. Based on this approach, this work finds that different studies report differing opinions on the biological properties of bGBMS due to the lack of consistency of GBMs preparation. Therefore, it is necessary to establish more standards in fabrication, characterization, and testing for bGBMs to further promote scientific progress and clinical translation.

A Multifunctional Layered Nickel Silicate Nanogenerator of Synchronous Oxygen Self-supply and Superoxide Radical Generation for Hypoxic Tumor Therapy

Oxygen consumption but hypoxic tumor environment has been considered as the major obstacle in photodynamic therapy. Although oxygen-supplied strategies have been reported extensively, they still suffer from the complicated system and unsatisfied PDT efficiency. Herein, one-component layered nickel silicate nanoplatforms (LNS NPs) are successfully synthesized using natural vermiculite as the silica source, which can simultaneously supply oxygen (O₂) and generate superoxide radicals (O₂^-•) under near-infrared irradiation. The appropriate electron band structure endows LNS NPs with attractive optical properties, where the bandgap edges determine the performance of redox activity and spectral response characteristic. Evidenced by both in vitro and in vivo investigations, LNS NPs can generate sufficient superoxide radicals under 660 nm laser irradiation to induce tumor cell apoptosis even in a severe hypoxic environment, which benefits from self-supplied oxygen. Besides, the photoacoustic oxy-hem imaging and histologic assay further demonstrated that the generated oxygen can relieve the inherent intratumoral hypoxia. Therefore, LNS NPs not only serve as superoxide radical generator but also produce oxygen to modulate hypoxia, suggesting that it can be used for superoxide radical-mediated photodynamic therapy with enhanced antitumor effect.

Progress of Phototherapy Applications in the Treatment of Bone Cancer

Bone cancer including primary bone cancer and metastatic bone cancer, remains a challenge claiming millions of lives and affecting the life quality of survivors. Conventional treatments of bone cancer include wide surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, some bone cancer cells may remain or recur in the local area after resection, some are highly resistant to chemotherapy, and some are insensitive to radiotherapy. Phototherapy (PT) including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), is a clinically approved, minimally invasive, and highly selective treatment, and has been widely reported for cancer therapy. Under the irradiation of light of a specific wavelength, the photosensitizer (PS) in PDT can cause the increase of intracellular ROS and the photothermal agent (PTA) in PTT can induce photothermal conversion, leading to the tumoricidal effects. In this review, the progress of PT applications in the treatment of bone cancer has been outlined and summarized, and some envisioned challenges and future perspectives have been mentioned. This review provides the current state of the art regarding PDT and PTT in bone cancer and inspiration for future studies on PT.

The in vivo dissolution of tricalcium silicate bone cement

This study aimed to investigate the in vivo dissolution of tricalcium silicate (Ca₃ SiO₅ , C₃ S) bone cement in the rabbit femoral defect. Results indicated that C₃ S paste directly integrated with the bone tissue without the protection of the bone-like apatite. Calcium silicate hydrate gel (C-S-H gel) and Ca(OH)₂ were the main components of C₃ S paste. The dissolution model of C₃ S paste was a mass loss rather than a decrease in volume. The initial dissolution of C₃ S paste (0 ~ 6 weeks) was greatly attributed to the release of Ca(OH)₂ , and the later dissolution (>6 weeks) was attributed to the decalcification of C-S-H gel. Although the mass of C₃ S paste could decrease by more than 19 wt % after 6 weeks of implantation, the created pores (<1 μm) were not large enough for the bone tissue to migrate into C₃ S paste. The loss of Ca ions also resulted in the transformation of SiO₄ tetrahedrons from Q¹ and Q² to Q⁰ , Q³ , and Q⁴ in C-S-H gel. Because only isolated SiO₄ tetrahedrons (Q⁰ ) and Ca ions could be absorbed by the bone tissue, C₃ S paste gradually transformed into a silica-rich gel. The fundamental reason for no decrease in volume of C₃ S paste was that the SiO₄ tetrahedron network still maintained the frame structure of C₃ S paste during the implantation.

Layered Double Hydroxide Modified Bone Cement Promoting Osseointegration via Multiple Osteogenic Signal Pathways

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement has been widely used in orthopedic surgeries including total hip/knee replacement, vertebral compression fracture treatment, and bone defect filling. However, aseptic loosening of the interface between PMMA bone cement and bone often leads to failure. Hence, the development of modified PMMA that facilitates the growth of bone into the modified PMMA bone cement is key to reducing the incidence of aseptic loosening. In this study, MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) microsheets modified PMMA (PMMA&LDH) bone cement with superior osseointegration performance has been synthesized. The maximum polymerization reaction temperature of PMMA&LDH decreased by 7.0 and 11.8 °C, respectively, compared with that of PMMA and PMMA&COL-I (mineralized collagen I modified PMMA). The mechanical performance of PMMA&LDH decreased slightly in comparison with PMMA, which is beneficial to alleviate stress-shielding osteolysis, and indirectly promote osseointegration. The superior osteogenic ability of PMMA&LDH has been demonstrated in vivo, which boosts bone growth by 2.17- and 18.34-fold increments compared to the PMMA&COL-I and PMMA groups at 2 months, postoperatively. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing revealed four key osteogenic pathways: p38 MAPK, ERK/MAPK, FGF, and TGF-β, which were further confirmed by IPA, qPCR, and Western blot assays. Hence, LDH-modified PMMA bone cement is a promising biomaterial to enhance bone growth with potential applications in relevant orthopedic surgeries.

2D Nanomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Nanomedicines: Recent Advances and Future Challenges

Regenerative medicine has become one of the hottest research topics in medical science that provides a promising way for repairing tissue defects in the human body. Due to their excellent physicochemical properties, the application of 2D nanomaterials in regenerative medicine has gradually developed and has been attracting a wide range of research interests in recent years. In particular, graphene and its derivatives, black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides are applied in all the aspects of tissue engineering to replace or restore tissues. This review focuses on the latest advances in the application of 2D-nanomaterial-based hydrogels, nanosheets, or scaffolds that are engineered to repair skin, bone, and cartilage tissues. Reviews on other applications, including cardiac muscle regeneration, skeletal muscle repair, nerve regeneration, brain disease treatment, and spinal cord healing are also provided. The challenges and prospects of applications of 2D nanomaterials in regenerative medicine are discussed.

A novel multifunctional carbon aerogel-coated platform for osteosarcoma therapy and enhanced bone regeneration

Nowadays, groundbreaking strategies are urgently needed to address drug resistance, osteolysis, bone defects and other predicaments impeding the therapeutic efficacy of osteosarcoma. Among them, photothermal therapy (PTT), using systematically administrated nanoagents, exhibits attractive therapeutic efficacy, yet is powerless in bone defect regeneration. Herein, a novel multifunctional beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-Ca3(PO4)2, β-TCP) bioceramic platform-coated with carbon aerogel (CA), which was initially developed for tumor therapy, was fabricated. On account of the desirable photothermal capabilities of CA, sufficient hyperthermia is generated under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser to achieve a thorough ablation of osteosarcoma tumors. Furthermore, CA-coated surfaces provide extra roughness and a higher specific surface area, which promoted the protein recruitment ability and osteogenesis via a fibronectin (FN)-mediated signaling pathway. The photothermal therapeutic efficacy and osteogenesis capability of CA-coated β-TCP-C suggests a novel approach for the treatment of osteosarcoma and provides provoking inspiration for the prospective bio-application of CA.

Bone cements for therapy and regeneration for minimally invasive treatment of neoplastic bone defects

Although calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have been clinically used to repair bone defects caused by bone tumor resection, traditional CPCs cannot kill the remaining tumor cells after surgery and prevent cancer recurrence. In this study, a multifunctional injectable metal-organic framework (MOF) cobalt coordinated tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (Co-TCPP)-modified calcium phosphate cement (Co-TCPP/CPC) was prepared for the minimally invasive treatment of neoplastic bone defects. The incorporation of Co-TCPP not only retained the good injectability of bone cements, but also shortened the setting time, improved the compressive strength, and endowed them with excellent photothermal properties. The hyperthermia effect induced by the presence of Co-TCPP well induced the therapeutic effect against bone tumors both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Co-TCPP/CPC exhibited desirable osteogenesis and angiogenesis by promoting bone and vascular regeneration in vivo. Therefore, the Co-TCPP composite bone cement demonstrated its great potential for bone tumor therapy and tissue regeneration, representing a multifunctional biomaterial for the treatment of neoplastic bone defects.

Effect of zoledronic acid and graphene oxide on the physical and in vitro properties of injectable bone substitutes

The aim of this work was to develop injectable bone substitutes (IBS) consisting of zoledronic acid (ZOL) and graphene oxide (GO) for the treatment of osteoporosis and metastasis. The powder phase was consisting of tetra calcium phosphate (TTCP), dicalcium phosphate dihyrate (DCPD) and calcium sulfate dihyrate (CSD), while the liquid phase comprised of methylcellulose (MC), gelatin and sodium citrate dihyrate (SC), ZOL and GO. The structural analysis of IBS samples was performed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Injectability, setting time and mechanical strength were investigated. Additionally, in vitro properties of synthesized IBS were analyzed by means of bioactivity, ZOL release, degradation, pH variation, PO₄^3- ion release and cell studies. Overall, all IBS exhibited excellent injectability results with no phase separation. The setting time of the IBS was prolonged with ZOL incorporation while the prolonging effect decreased with GO incorporation. The mechanical properties decreased with ZOL addition and increased with the incorporation of GO. The maximum compressive strength was found as 25.73 MPa for 1.5GO0ZOL incorporated IBS. In vitro results showed that ZOL and GO loaded IBS also revealed clinically suitable properties with controlled release of ZOL, pH value and PO₄^3- ions. In in vitro cell studies, both the inhibitory effect of ZOL and GO loaded IBS on MCF-7 cells and proliferative effect on osteoblast cells were observed. Moreover, the prepared IBS led to proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts. The results are encouraging and support the conclusion that developed IBS have promising physical and in vitro properties which needs to be further validated by gene expression and in vivo studies.

NIR light-assisted phototherapies for bone-related diseases and bone tissue regeneration: A systematic review

Recently, the rapid development of biomaterials has induced great interest in the precisely targeted treatment of bone-related diseases, including bone cancers, infections, and inflammation. Realizing noninvasive therapeutic effects, as well as improving bone tissue regeneration, is essential for the success of bone‑related disease therapies. In recent years, researchers have focused on the development of stimuli-responsive strategies to treat bone-related diseases and to realize bone regeneration. Among the various external stimuli for targeted therapy, near infrared (NIR) light has attracted considerable interests due to its high tissue penetration capacity, minimal damage toward normal tissues, and easy remote control properties. The main objective of this systematic review was to reveal the current applications of NIR light-assisted phototherapy for bone-related disease treatment and bone tissue regeneration. Database collection was completed by June 1, 2020, and a total of 81 relevant studies were finally included. We outlined the various therapeutic applications of photothermal, photodynamic and photobiomodulation effects under NIR light irradiation for bone‑related disease treatment and bone regeneration, based on the retrieved literatures. In addition, the advantages and promising applications of NIR light-responsive drug delivery systems for spatiotemporal-controlled therapy were summarized. These findings have revealed that NIR light-assisted phototherapy plays an important role in bone-related disease treatment and bone tissue regeneration, with significant promise for further biomedical and clinical applications.

Sunlight-Driven Photothermal Effect of Composite Eggshell Membrane Coated with Graphene Oxide and Gold Nanoparticles

Eggshell membrane (ESM), which consists of unique interwoven shell membrane fibers, provides a unique supporting platform for functional nanoparticles in catalysis and sensing. This work reports a novel strategy for fabricating sunlight-driven photothermal conversion composite membranes by loading graphene oxide (GO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the three-dimension (3D) network structured eggshell membrane. Surface morphologies and chemical elements were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High photothermal conversion under simulated sunlight irradiation, which may be caused by the synergistic effect of GO and AuNPs, was achieved by coating both GO and AuNPs onto ESM. The temperature of ESM modified with AuNPs, and then GO increased from 26.0 °C to 49.0 °C after 10 min of light irradiation. Furthermore, the nanoscaled GO and AuNPs could add benefit to the heating localization of the obtained composite membrane. It is expected this biocompatible ESM modified with GO and AuNPs would have great potential in drug release and photothermal therapy applications.