The gut microbiome meets nanomaterials: exposure and interplay with graphene nanoparticles

Using In Vitro Models to Study the Interactions Between Environmental Exposures and Human Microbiota

Research has demonstrated a close correlation between human microbiota and overall health, highlighting their intimate connection. Exposure to environmental factors, such as chemical contaminants and biological agents, has the potential to alter the composition and function of microbiota, thereby influencing health outcomes. Meanwhile, microbiota may contribute to host protection by degrading, or rendering harmless, exposures. Environmental exposures demonstrate significant diversity and dynamism; however, conventional methods for exposure-microbiota research, such as animal and epidemiological studies, are often both time-consuming and costly. Additionally, they may raise ethical concerns. This review aimed to examine the existing understanding of employing in vitro models to investigate the interactions between environmental exposures and human microbiota, particularly those located outside the large intestine. A comprehensive search was conducted across the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases, employing a range of keywords related to microbiota, exposures, and in vitro models. A total of 58 studies fulfilled the search criteria, revealing instances of microbial modulation of exposures and vice versa. It was observed that, although considerable research has been conducted on these interactions in vitro, there remains a pressing need for enhanced model designs and application contexts.

Enhancing the bioavailability and activity of natural antioxidants with nanobubbles and nanoparticles

KEY POLICY HIGHLIGHTSNanobubbles and nanoparticles may enhance the polyphenols' bioavailabilityNanobubbles may stimulate the activation of Nrf2 and detox enzymesArmoured oxygen nanobubbles may enhance radiotherapy or chemotherapy effects.

Nanoparticles for efficient drug delivery and drug resistance in glioma: New perspectives

Gliomas are the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) having the highest incidence, and their therapeutic efficacy depends primarily on the extent of surgical resection and the efficacy of postoperative chemotherapy. The role of the intracranial blood-brain barrier and the occurrence of the drug-resistant gene O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase have greatly limited the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in patients with GBM and made it difficult to achieve the expected clinical response. In recent years, the rapid development of nanotechnology has brought new hope for the treatment of tumors. Nanoparticles (NPs) have shown great potential in tumor therapy due to their unique properties such as light, heat, electromagnetic effects, and passive targeting. Furthermore, NPs can effectively load chemotherapeutic drugs, significantly reduce the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and improve chemotherapeutic efficacy, showing great potential in the chemotherapy of glioma. In this article, we reviewed the mechanisms of glioma drug resistance, the physicochemical properties of NPs, and recent advances in NPs in glioma chemotherapy resistance. We aimed to provide new perspectives on the clinical treatment of glioma.