Biomolecular engineering for nanobio/bionanotechnology

Fusion proteins development strategies and their role as cancer therapeutic agents

Cancer continues to be leading cause of morbidity and mortality despite decades of research and advancement in chemotherapy. Most tumors can be reduced via standard oncology treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical resection, and they frequently recur. Significant progress has been made since targeted cancer therapy inception in creation of medications that exhibit improved tumor-selective action. Particularly in preclinical and clinical investigations, fusion proteins have shown strong activity and improved treatment outcomes for a number of human cancers. Synergistically combining many proteins into one complex allows the creation of synthetic fusion proteins with enhanced characteristics or new capabilities. Signal transduction pathways are important for onset, development, and spread of cancer. As result, signaling molecules are desirable targets for cancer therapies, and significant effort has been made into developing fusion proteins that would act as inhibitors of these pathways. A wide range of biotechnological and medicinal applications are made possible by fusion of protein domains that improves bioactivities or creates new functional combinations. Such proteins may function as immune effectors cell recruiters to tumors or as decoy receptors for various ligands. In this review article, we have outlined the standard methods for creating fusion proteins and covered the applications of fusion proteins in treatment of cancer. This article also highlights the role of fusion proteins in targeting the signaling pathways involved in cancer for effective treatment.

Analysis of DNA Origami Nanostructures Using Capillary Electrophoresis

DNA origami nanostructures are engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) that possess significant customizability, biocompatibility, and tunable structural and functional properties, making them potentially useful materials in fields, such as medicine, biocomputing, biomedical engineering, and measurement science. Despite the potential of DNA origami as a functional nanomaterial, a major barrier to its applicability is the difficulty associated with obtaining pure, well-folded structures. Therefore, rapid methods of analysis to ensure purity are needed to support the rapid development of this class of nanomaterials. Here, we present the development of capillary electrophoresis (CE) as an analytical tool for DNA origami. CE was investigated under both capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and capillary transient isotachophoresis (ctITP) modes. Optimization of both systems yielded baseline resolved separations of folded DNA origami nanostructures from excess staple strands. The ctITP separation mode demonstrated superior performance in terms of peak resolution (Rs = 2.05 ± 0.3), peak efficiency (N = 12,200 ± 230), and peak symmetry (As = 1.29 ± 0.032). The SYBR family dyes (Gold, Green I, and Green II) were investigated as highly efficient, noncovalent fluorophores for on-column labeling of DNA origami and detection using laser-induced fluorescence. Finally, ctITP analysis conditions were also applied to DNA origami nanostructures with different shapes and for the differentiation of DNA origami aggregates.

A 50-year systemic review of bioavailability application in Soil environmental criteria and risk assessment

Bioavailability has become a critical factor in improving ecological risk assessment and environmental remediation efficiency in contaminated soil research. However, the soil environmental quality standards and risk assessment procedures used in most countries are still based on the total amount of pollutants for lacking sufficient understanding of the exposure pathways and action mechanisms of pollutants. we collected relevant literature from the Web of Science database, spanning the period from 1950 to 2021 by using Citespace to analyze the scientific development of bioavailability. As of January 09, 2022, the database contained 118,813 publications on bioavailability. The review summarizes the progress in bioavailability research and emerging trends, including exploring advanced analytical techniques, advancing modeling approaches, and integrating interdisciplinary approaches to better understand the fate and behavior of pollutants in complex environmental matrices. In particular, the review emphasizes the need for better integration of bioavailability concepts into soil environmental reference, risk assessment procedures, and environmental remediation strategies. Overall, this review emphasized the necessity of incorporating the concept of bioavailability into soil environmental reference, risk assessment procedures, and environmental remediation strategies.

Biomimetic and bioorthogonal nanozymes for biomedical applications

Nanozymes mimic the function of enzymes, which drive essential intracellular chemical reactions that govern biological processes. They efficiently generate or degrade specific biomolecules that can initiate or inhibit biological processes, regulating cellular behaviors. Two approaches for utilizing nanozymes in intracellular chemistry have been reported. Biomimetic catalysis replicates the identical reactions of natural enzymes, and bioorthogonal catalysis enables chemistries inaccessible in cells. Various nanozymes based on nanomaterials and catalytic metals are employed to attain intended specific catalysis in cells either to mimic the enzymatic mechanism and kinetics or expand inaccessible chemistries. Each nanozyme approach has its own intrinsic advantages and limitations, making them complementary for diverse and specific applications. This review summarizes the strategies for intracellular catalysis and applications of biomimetic and bioorthogonal nanozymes, including a discussion of their limitations and future research directions.

Biomarkers as Biomedical Bioindicators: Approaches and Techniques for the Detection, Analysis, and Validation of Novel Biomarkers of Diseases

A biomarker is any measurable biological moiety that can be assessed and measured as a potential index of either normal or abnormal pathophysiology or pharmacological responses to some treatment regimen. Every tissue in the body has a distinct biomolecular make-up, which is known as its biomarkers, which possess particular features, viz., the levels or activities (the ability of a gene or protein to carry out a particular body function) of a gene, protein, or other biomolecules. A biomarker refers to some feature that can be objectively quantified by various biochemical samples and evaluates the exposure of an organism to normal or pathological procedures or their response to some drug interventions. An in-depth and comprehensive realization of the significance of these biomarkers becomes quite important for the efficient diagnosis of diseases and for providing the appropriate directions in case of multiple drug choices being presently available, which can benefit any patient. Presently, advancements in omics technologies have opened up new possibilities to obtain novel biomarkers of different types, employing genomic strategies, epigenetics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, lipid-based analysis, protein studies, etc. Particular biomarkers for specific diseases, their prognostic capabilities, and responses to therapeutic paradigms have been applied for screening of various normal healthy, as well as diseased, tissue or serum samples, and act as appreciable tools in pharmacology and therapeutics, etc. In this review, we have summarized various biomarker types, their classification, and monitoring and detection methods and strategies. Various analytical techniques and approaches of biomarkers have also been described along with various clinically applicable biomarker sensing techniques which have been developed in the recent past. A section has also been dedicated to the latest trends in the formulation and designing of nanotechnology-based biomarker sensing and detection developments in this field.

Computational evaluation of transport parameters and logic circuit designing of L-Lysine amino acid stringed to Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, and Pd electrodes

The integrants of proteins, i.e., amino acids, have grossed exceptional recognition for their applications towards designing imminent switching devices. Among 20 amino acids, L-Lysine (i.e., positively charged) has the highest number of CH₂ chains, and such chains affect the rectification ratio in several biomolecules. Towards molecular rectification, we investigate the transport parameters of L-Lysine in conjunction with five different coinage metal electrodes, i.e., Au, Ag, Cu, Pt and Pd to form five distinct devices. We deputize the NEGF-DFT formulism for computing conductance, frontier molecular orbitals, current-voltage, and molecular projected self-Hamiltonian calculations using a self-consistent function. We focus on the most widely used electron exchange correlation combination, i.e., the PBE version of GGA with DZDP basis set. The molecular devices under inquisition exhibit phenomenal rectification ratios (RR) in conjunction with negative differential resistance (NDR) regimes. The nominated molecular device offers a substantial rectification ratio of 45.6 with platinum electrodes and a prominent peak to valley current ratio of 1.78 with copper electrodes. We deduce from these findings that L-Lysine based molecular devices would implicit in future bio-nanoelectronic devices. The OR and AND logic gates are also proposed hinged on highest rectification ratio of L-Lysine-based devices.

Extracellularly Detectable Electrochemical Signals of Living Cells Originate from Metabolic Reactions

Direct detection of cellular redox signals has shown immense potential as a novel living cell analysis tool. However, the origin of such signals remains unknown, which hinders the widespread use of electrochemical methods for cellular research. In this study, the authors found that intracellular metabolic pathways that generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are the main contributors to extracellularly detectable electrochemical signals. This is achieved through the detection of living cells (4,706 cells/chip, linearity: 0.985) at a linear range of 7,466-48,866. Based on this discovery, the authors demonstrated that the cellular signals detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) can be rapidly amplified with a developed medium containing metabolic activator cocktails (MACs). The DPV approach combined with MAC treatment shows a remarkable performance to detect the effects of the anticancer drug CPI-613 on cervical cancer both at a low drug concentration (2 µm) and an extremely short treatment time (1 hour). Furthermore, the senescence of mesenchymal stem cells could also be sensitively quantified using the DPV+MAC method even at a low passage number (P6). Collectively, their findings unveiled the origin of redox signals in living cells, which has important implications for the characterization of various cellular functions and behaviors using electrochemical approaches.

Proteins and their functionalization for finding therapeutic avenues in cancer: Current status and future prospective

Despite the remarkable advancement in the health care sector, cancer remains the second most fatal disease globally. The existing conventional cancer treatments primarily include chemotherapy, which has been associated with little to severe side effects, and radiotherapy, which is usually expensive. To overcome these problems, target-specific nanocarriers have been explored for delivering chemo drugs. However, recent reports on using a few proteins having anticancer activity and further use of them as drug carriers have generated tremendous attention for furthering the research towards cancer therapy. Biomolecules, especially proteins, have emerged as suitable alternatives in cancer treatment due to multiple favourable properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural flexibility for easy surface functionalization. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that various proteins derived from animal, plant, and bacterial species, demonstrated strong cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties against malignant cells in native and their different structural conformations. Moreover, surface tunable properties of these proteins help to bind a range of anticancer drugs and target ligands, thus making them efficient delivery agents in cancer therapy. Here, we discuss various proteins obtained from common exogenous sources and how they transform into effective anticancer agents. We also comprehensively discuss the tumor-killing mechanisms of different dietary proteins such as bovine α-lactalbumin, hen egg-white lysozyme, and their conjugates. We also articulate how protein nanostructures can be used as carriers for delivering cancer drugs and theranostics, and strategies to be adopted for improving their in vivo delivery and targeting. We further discuss the FDA-approved protein-based anticancer formulations along with those in different phases of clinical trials.

The development progress of multi-array colourimetric sensors based on the M13 bacteriophage

Techniques for detecting chemicals dispersed at low concentrations in air continue to evolve. These techniques can be applied not only to manage the quality of agricultural products using a post-ripening process but also to establish a safety prevention system by detecting harmful gases and diagnosing diseases. Recently, techniques for rapid response to various chemicals and detection in complex and noisy environments have been developed using M13 bacteriophage-based sensors. In this review, M13 bacteriophage-based multi-array colourimetric sensors for the development of an electronic nose is discussed. The self-templating process was adapted to fabricate a colour band structure consisting of an M13 bacteriophage. To detect diverse target chemicals, the colour band was utilised with wild and genetically engineered M13 bacteriophages to enhance their sensing abilities. Multi-array colourimetric sensors were optimised for application in complex and noisy environments based on simulation and deep learning analysis. The development of a multi-array colourimetric sensor platform based on the M13 bacteriophage is likely to result in significant advances in the detection of various harmful gases and the diagnosis of various diseases based on exhaled gas in the future.

Emerging applications of nanotechnology in context to immunology: A comprehensive review

Numerous benefits of nanotechnology are available in many scientific domains. In this sense, nanoparticles serve as the fundamental foundation of nanotechnology. Recent developments in nanotechnology have demonstrated that nanoparticles have enormous promise for use in almost every field of life sciences. Nanoscience and nanotechnology use the distinctive characteristics of tiny nanoparticles (NPs) for various purposes in electronics, fabrics, cosmetics, biopharmaceutical industries, and medicines. The exclusive physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of nanoparticles prompt different immune responses in the body. Nanoparticles are believed to have strong potential for the development of advanced adjuvants, cytokines, vaccines, drugs, immunotherapies, and theranostic applications for the treatment of targeted bacterial, fungal, viral, and allergic diseases and removal of the tumor with minimal toxicity as compared to macro and microstructures. This review highlights the medical and non-medical applications with a detailed discussion on enhanced and targeted natural and acquired immunity against pathogens provoked by nanoparticles. The immunological aspects of the nanotechnology field are beyond the scope of this Review. However, we provide updated data that will explore novel theragnostic immunological applications of nanotechnology for better and immediate treatment.

A Metal-Containing NP Approach to Treat Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Prospects and Challenges

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of pneumonia in humans, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in immunocompromised patients. Its high rate of multidrug resistance led to an exploration of novel antimicrobials. Metal nanoparticles have shown potent antibacterial activity, thus instigating their application in MRSA. This review summarizes current insights of Metal-Containing NPs in treating MRSA. This review also provides an in-depth appraisal of opportunities and challenges in utilizing metal-NPs to treat MRSA.

Recent Advances in DNA Nanotechnology for Plasmonic Biosensor Construction

Since 2010, DNA nanotechnology has advanced rapidly, helping overcome limitations in the use of DNA solely as genetic material. DNA nanotechnology has thus helped develop a new method for the construction of biosensors. Among bioprobe materials for biosensors, nucleic acids have shown several advantages. First, it has a complementary sequence for hybridizing the target gene. Second, DNA has various functionalities, such as DNAzymes, DNA junctions or aptamers, because of its unique folded structures with specific sequences. Third, functional groups, such as thiols, amines, or other fluorophores, can easily be introduced into DNA at the 5′ or 3′ end. Finally, DNA can easily be tailored by making junctions or origami structures; these unique structures extend the DNA arm and create a multi-functional bioprobe. Meanwhile, nanomaterials have also been used to advance plasmonic biosensor technologies. Nanomaterials provide various biosensing platforms with high sensitivity and selectivity. Several plasmonic biosensor types have been fabricated, such as surface plasmons, and Raman-based or metal-enhanced biosensors. Introducing DNA nanotechnology to plasmonic biosensors has brought in sight new horizons in the fields of biosensors and nanobiotechnology. This review discusses the recent progress of DNA nanotechnology-based plasmonic biosensors.

Interplay of Affinity and Surface Tethering in Protein Recognition

Surface-tethered ligand-receptor complexes are key components in biological signaling and adhesion. They also find increasing utility in single-molecule assays and biotechnological applications. Here, we study the real-time binding kinetics between various surface-immobilized peptide ligands and their unrestrained receptors. A long peptide tether increases the association of ligand-receptor complexes, experimentally proving the fly casting mechanism where the disorder accelerates protein recognition. On the other hand, a short peptide tether enhances the complex dissociation. Notably, the rate constants measured for the same receptor, but under different spatial constraints, are strongly correlated to one another. Furthermore, this correlation can be used to predict how surface tethering on a ligand-receptor complex alters its binding kinetics. Our results have immediate implications in the broad areas of biomolecular recognition, intrinsically disordered proteins, and biosensor technology.

Effect of Inter-Domain Linker Composition on Biodistribution of ABD-Fused Affibody-Drug Conjugates Targeting HER2

Targeted drug conjugates based on Affibody molecules fused to an albumin-binding domain (ABD) for half-life extension have demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in preclinical therapeutic studies. Furthermore, optimization of their molecular design might increase the cytotoxic effect on tumors and minimize systemic toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the influence of length and composition of a linker between the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted affibody molecule (Z_HER2:2891) and the ABD domain on functionality and biodistribution of affibody-drug conjugates containing a microtubulin inhibitor mertansin (mcDM1) (AffiDCs). Two conjugates, having a trimeric (S₃G)₃ linker or a trimeric (G₃S)₃ linker were produced, radiolabeled with ^99mTc(CO)₃, and compared side-by-side in vitro and in vivo with the original Z_HER2:2891-G₄S-ABD-mcDM1 conjugate having a monomeric G₄S linker. Both conjugates with longer linkers had a decreased affinity to HER2 and mouse and human serum albumin in vitro, however, no differences in blood retention were observed in NMRI mice up to 24 h post injection. The use of both (S₃G)₃ and (G₃S)₃ linkers reduced liver uptake of AffiDCs by approximately 1.2-fold compared with the use of a G₄S linker. This finding provides important insights into the molecular design for the development of targeted drug conjugates with reduced hepatic uptake.

Multifaceted Engineered Biomimetic Nanorobots Toward Cancer Management

The noteworthy beneficiary to date in nanotechnology is cancer management. Nanorobots are developed as the result of advancements in the nanostructure, robotics, healthcare, and computer systems. These devices at the nanoscale level are beneficial in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various health conditions notably cancer. Though these structures have distinct potentialities, the usage of inorganic substances in their construction can affect their performance and can cause health issues in the body. To overcome this, naturally inspired substances are incorporated in the fabrication process of nanorobots termed biomimetic nanorobots that can overcome the immunological responses and reduce the side effects with effective functionalization. These biomimetic nanorobots can widen the opportunities in cancer imaging and therapy. Herein, an up-to-date review of biomimetic nanorobots along with their applications in cancer management is provided. Furthermore, the safety issues and future directions of biomimetic nanorobots to achieve clinical translation are also stated.

Review on Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Materials: Bioimaging, Biosensing, Drug Delivery, Tissue Engineering, Antimicrobial, and Agro-Food Applications

In the last few decades, the vast potential of nanomaterials for biomedical and healthcare applications has been extensively investigated. Several case studies demonstrated that nanomaterials can offer solutions to the current challenges of raw materials in the biomedical and healthcare fields. This review describes the different nanoparticles and nanostructured material synthesis approaches and presents some emerging biomedical, healthcare, and agro-food applications. This review focuses on various nanomaterial types (e.g., spherical, nanorods, nanotubes, nanosheets, nanofibers, core-shell, and mesoporous) that can be synthesized from different raw materials and their emerging applications in bioimaging, biosensing, drug delivery, tissue engineering, antimicrobial, and agro-foods. Depending on their morphology (e.g., size, aspect ratio, geometry, porosity), nanomaterials can be used as formulation modifiers, moisturizers, nanofillers, additives, membranes, and films. As toxicological assessment depends on sizes and morphologies, stringent regulation is needed from the testing of efficient nanomaterials dosages. The challenges and perspectives for an industrial breakthrough of nanomaterials are related to the optimization of production and processing conditions.

Applications of Phyto-Nanotechnology for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders

The strategies involved in the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders are very complex and challenging due to the existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a closely spaced network of blood vessels and endothelial cells that functions to prevent the entry of unwanted substances in the brain. The emergence and advancement of nanotechnology shows favourable prospects to overcome this phenomenon. Engineered nanoparticles conjugated with drug moieties and imaging agents that have dimensions between 1 and 100 nm could potentially be used to ensure enhanced efficacy, cellular uptake, specific transport, and delivery of specific molecules to the brain, owing to their modified physico-chemical features. The conjugates of nanoparticles and medicinal plants, or their components known as nano phytomedicine, have been gaining significance lately in the development of novel neuro-therapeutics owing to their natural abundance, promising targeted delivery to the brain, and lesser potential to show adverse effects. In the present review, the promising application, and recent trends of combined nanotechnology and phytomedicine for the treatment of neurological disorders (ND) as compared to conventional therapies, have been addressed. Nanotechnology-based efforts performed in bioinformatics for early diagnosis as well as futuristic precision medicine in ND have also been discussed in the context of computational approach.

Nanoarchitectured air-stable supported lipid bilayer incorporating sucrose-bicelle complex system

Cell-membrane-mimicking supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) provide an ultrathin, self-assembled layer that forms on solid supports and can exhibit antifouling, signaling, and transport properties among various possible functions. While recent material innovations have increased the number of practically useful SLB fabrication methods, typical SLB platforms only work in aqueous environments and are prone to fluidity loss and lipid-bilayer collapse upon air exposure, which limits industrial applicability. To address this issue, herein, we developed sucrose-bicelle complex system to fabricate air-stable SLBs that were laterally mobile upon rehydration. SLBs were fabricated from bicelles in the presence of up to 40 wt% sucrose, which was verified by quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments. The sucrose fraction in the system was an important factor; while 40 wt% sucrose induced lipid aggregation and defects on SLBs after the dehydration-rehydration process, 20 wt% sucrose yielded SLBs that exhibited fully recovered lateral mobility after these processes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that sucrose-bicelle complex system can facilitate one-step fabrication of air-stable SLBs that can be useful for a wide range of biointerfacial science applications.

2D Nanosheets-A New Class of Therapeutic Formulations against Cancer

Researchers in cancer nanomedicine are exploring a revolutionary multifaceted carrier for treatment and diagnosis, resulting in the proposal of various drug cargos or "magic bullets" in this past decade. Even though different nano-based complexes are registered for clinical trials, very few products enter the final stages each year because of various issues. This prevents the formulations from entering the market and being accessible to patients. In the search for novel materials, the exploitation of 2D nanosheets, including but not limited to the highly acclaimed graphene, has created extensive interest for biomedical applications. A unique set of properties often characterize 2D materials, including semiconductivity, high surface area, and their chemical nature, which allow simple decoration and functionalization procedures, structures with high stability and targeting properties, vectors for controlled and sustained release of drugs, and materials for thermal-based therapies. This review discusses the challenges and opportunities of recently discovered 2D nanosheets for cancer therapeutics, with special attention paid to the most promising design technologies and their potential for clinical translation in the future.

Discrimination and isolation of the virus from free RNA fragments for the highly sensitive measurement of SARS-CoV-2 abundance on surfaces using a graphene oxide nano surface

It is highly important to sensitively measure the abundance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on various surfaces. Here, we present a nucleic acid-based detection method consisting of a new sample preparation protocol that isolates only viruses, not the free RNA fragments already present on the surfaces of indoor human-inhabited environments, using a graphene oxide-coated microbead filter. Wet wipes (100 cm2), not cotton swabs, were used to collect viruses from environmental surfaces with large areas, and viruses were concentrated and separated with a graphene oxide-coated microbead filter. Viral RNA from virus was recovered 88.10 ± 8.03% from the surface and free RNA fragment was removed by 99.75 ± 0.19% from the final eluted solution. When we tested the developed method under laboratory conditions, a 10-fold higher viral detection sensitivity (Detection limit: 1 pfu/100 cm2) than the current commercial protocol was observed. Using our new sample preparation protocol, we also confirmed that the virus was effectively removed from surfaces after chemical disinfection; we were unable to measure the disinfection efficiency using the current commercial protocol because it cannot distinguish between viral RNA and free RNA fragments. Finally, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and bacteria in 12 individual negative pressure wards in which patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection had been hospitalized. Bacteria (based on 16 S DNA) were found in all samples collected from patient rooms; however, SARS-CoV-2 was mainly detected in rooms shared by two patients.

Rosmarinic Acid and Ulvan from Terrestrial and Marine Sources in Anti-Microbial Bionanosystems and Biomaterials

In order to increase their sustainability, antimicrobial renewable molecules are fundamental additions to consumer goods. Rosmarinic acid is extracted from several terrestrial plants and represents an effective anti-microbial agent. Ulvan, extracted from algae, is an anti-microbial polysaccharide. The present review is dedicated to discussing the sources and the extraction methodologies for obtaining rosmarinic acid and ulvan. Moreover, the preparation of bioanosystems, integrating the two molecules with organic or inorganic substrates, are reviewed as methodologies to increase their effectiveness and stability. Finally, the possibility of preparing functional biomaterials and anti-microbial final products is discussed, considering scientific literature. The performed analysis indicated that the production of both molecules is not yet performed with mature industrial technologies. Nevertheless, both molecules could potentially be used in the packaging, biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, sanitary and personal care sectors, despite some research being required for developing functional materials with specific properties to pave the way for many more applications.

Impact of the conjugation of antibodies to the surfaces of polymer nanoparticles on the immune cell targeting abilities

Antibodies have been widely used to provide targeting ability and to enhance bioactivity owing to their high specificity, availability, and diversity. Recent advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology permit site-specific engineering of antibodies and their conjugation to the surfaces of nanoparticles (NPs) in various orientations through chemical conjugations and physical adhesions. This study proposes the conjugation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs with antibodies by using two distinct methods, followed by a comparison between the cell-targeting efficiencies of both techniques. Full-length antibodies were conjugated to the PLGA-poly(ethylene glycol)-carboxylic acid (PLGA-PEG-COOH) NPs through the conventional carbodiimide coupling reaction, and f(ab')2 antibody fragments were conjugated to the PLGA-poly(ethylene glycol)-maleimide(PLGA-PEG-Mal) NPs through interactions between the f(ab')2 fragment thiol groups and the maleimide located on the nanoparticle surface. The results demonstrate that the PLGA nanoparticles conjugated with the f(ab')2 antibody fragments had a higher targeting efficiency in vitro and in vivo than that of the PLGA nanoparticles conjugated with the full-length antibodies. The results of this study can be built upon to design a delivery technique for drugs through biocompatible nanoparticles.

A general theory of polymer ejection tested in a quasi two-dimensional space

A general ejection theory of polymer is developed in a two- and three-dimensional space. A polymer is confined initially in a cavity and ejects spontaneously to the outer space through a nanopore channel without the help of any external stimulus. A reflective wall boundary is set at the pore entrance to prevent the falling of the head monomer of chain into the cavity. Three stages are distinguished in a process: (1) an entering stage, in which the head monomer enters the pore to search for a way to traverse the pore channel, (2) a main ejection stage, in which the chain body is transported from the cavity to the outer space, (3) a leaving stage, in which the tail monomer passes through and leaves the pore channel. Depending on the number of the monomers remaining in the cavity, the main ejection stage can be divided into the confined and the non-confined stages. The non-confined stage can be further split into the thermal escape and the entropic pulling stages. The Onsager’s variational principle is applied to derive the kinetics equation of ejection. The escape time is calculated from the corresponding Kramers’ escape problem. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations are then performed in a quasi two-dimensional space to verify the theory. The variation of the ejection speed is carefully examined. The decreasing behavior of the number of monomers in the cavity is studied in details. The scaling properties of the spending time at each processing stage are investigated systematically by varying the chain length, the cavity diameter, and the initial volume fraction of chain. The results of simulation support firmly the predictions of the theory, cross-checked in the studies of various topics. In combining with the previous investigations in the three-dimensional space, the generalized theory is very robust, able to explain the two seemly different phenomena, polymer ejection and polymer translocation, together under the same theoretical framework in the two space dimensions.

CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Exosome Targets CD19 Positive B-lineage Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia and Induces Cytotoxicity

Simple Summary

Our research describes our designer exosomes express CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (Exo-CD19 CAR). This novel Exo-CD19 CAR is cytotoxic for CD19-positive leukemia B-cells without interfering with cytotoxicity in CD19-negative cells. This innovation can be translated into broader clinical applications as CD19 CAR exosome-based nano-immunotherapy for B-cell leukemia instead of whole CD19 CAR T-cell immunotherapy.

Abstract

CAR-T cell therapy is not without some clinical adverse effects, namely cytokine storms, due to a massive release of cytokines when CAR-T cells multiply in the body. Our goal was to develop exosomes expressing CD19 CAR to treat CD19-positive B-cell malignancies, instead of using whole CD19 CAR-T cells, thereby reducing the clinical risk of uncontrolled cytokine storms. Exosomes are extracellular nanovesicles (30–150 nm), composed of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, that carry the fingerprint of their parent cells. Exosomes are a preferred delivery system in nano-immunotherapy. Here, HEK293T parent cells were transduced with CD19 CAR plasmids and cellular CD19 CAR expression was confirmed. Exosomes (Exo-CD19 CAR) were isolated from the conditioned medium of non-transduced (WT) and CD19 CAR plasmid transduced HEK293T cells. Consequently, CD19 B-lineage leukemia cell lines were co-cultured with Exo-CD19 CAR and cell death was measured. Our data show that Exo-CD19 CAR treatment induced cytotoxicity and elevated pro-apoptotic genes in CD19-positive leukemia B-cells without inducing cell death in CD19-negative cells. Overall, the novel CD19 CAR exosomes target the CD19 surface antigens of leukemic B-cells and can induce contact-dependent cytotoxicity.

Uptake and Intracellular Trafficking Studies of Multiple Dye-Doped Core-Shell Silica Nanoparticles in Lymphoid and Myeloid Cells

Introduction

Since most biologically active macromolecules are natural nanostructures, operating in the same scale of biomolecules gives the great advantage to enhance the interaction with cellular components. Noteworthy efforts in nanotechnology, particularly in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields, have propelled a high number of studies on the biological effects of nanomaterials. Moreover, the determination of specific physicochemical properties of nanomaterials is crucial for the evaluation and design of novel safe and efficient therapeutics and diagnostic tools. In this in vitro study, we report a physicochemical characterisation of fluorescent silica nanoparticles (NPs), interacting with biological models (U937 and PBMC cells), describing the specific triggered biologic response.

Methods

Flow Cytometric and Confocal analyses are the main method platforms. However TEM, NTA, DLS, and chemical procedures to synthesize NPs were employed.

Results

NT_B700 NPs, employed in this study, are fluorescent core-shell silica nanoparticles, synthesized through a micelle-assisted method, where the fluorescence energy transfer process, known as FRET, occurs at a high efficiency rate. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, we observed that NT_B700 NP uptake seemed to be a rapid, concentration-, energy- and cell type-dependent process, which did not induce significant cytotoxic effects. We did not observe a preferred route of internalization, although their size and the possible aggregated state could influence their extrusion. At this level of analysis, our investigation focuses on lysosome and mitochondria pathways, highlighting that both are involved in NP co-localization. Despite the main mitochondria localization, NPs did not induce a significant increase of intracellular ROS, known inductors of apoptosis, during the time course of analyses. Finally, both lymphoid and myeloid cells are able to release NPs, essential to their biosafety.

Discussion

These data allow to consider NT_B700 NPs a promising platform for future development of a multifunctional system, by combining imaging and localized therapeutic applications in a unique tool.

Plant-made immunotoxin building blocks: A roadmap for producing therapeutic antibody-toxin fusions

Molecular farming in plants is an emerging platform for the production of pharmaceutical proteins, and host species such as tobacco are now becoming competitive with commercially established production hosts based on bacteria and mammalian cell lines. The range of recombinant therapeutic proteins produced in plants includes replacement enzymes, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). But plants can also be used to manufacture toxins, such as the mistletoe lectin viscumin, providing an opportunity to express active antibody-toxin fusion proteins, so-called recombinant immunotoxins (RITs). Mammalian production systems are currently used to produce antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which require the separate expression and purification of each component followed by a complex and hazardous coupling procedure. In contrast, RITs made in plants are expressed in a single step and could therefore reduce production and purification costs. The costs can be reduced further if subcellular compartments that accumulate large quantities of the stable protein are identified and optimal plant growth conditions are selected. In this review, we first provide an overview of the current state of RIT production in plants before discussing the three key components of RITs in detail. The specificity-defining domain (often an antibody) binds cancer cells, including solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The toxin provides the means to kill target cells. Toxins from different species with different modes of action can be used for this purpose. Finally, the linker spaces the two other components to ensure they adopt a stable, functional conformation, and may also promote toxin release inside the cell. Given the diversity of these components, we extract broad principles that can be used as recommendations for the development of effective RITs. Future research should focus on such proteins to exploit the advantages of plants as efficient production platforms for targeted anti-cancer therapeutics.

Carbon dots: A novel trend in pharmaceutical applications

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs, C-dots, or CDs), are generally small carbon nanoparticles having a size less than 10nm. Carbon dots (CDs) were accidentally discovered during the purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes through preparative electrophoresis in 2004. Carbon is an organic material having poor water solubility that emits less fluorescence. However, CDs have good aqueous solubility and excellent fluorescent property, hence more attention has been given to the synthesis of CDs and their applications in chemistry and allied sciences. CDs being easily accessible for in-house synthesis, simpler fabrication as per compendial requirements are wisely accepted. In addition, since CDs are biocompatible, of low toxicity, and of biodegradable nature, they appear as a promising tool for the health care sector. Furthermore, owing to their capabilities of expressing significant interaction with biological materials, and their excellent photoluminescence (PL), CDs have been emerging as novel pioneered nanoparticles useful for pharmaceutical and theranostic applications. Also, CDs are more eco-friendly in synthesis and therefore can be favorably consumed as alternatives in the further development of biological, environmental, and food areas. A massive study has been performed dealing with different approaches which are adopted for CDs synthesis and their applications as, filters for the separation of pollutants from polluted water, food safety, toxicological studies, and optical properties, etc. While still less emphasis is given on the applications of CDs in pharmaceuticals like for sustained and targeted drug delivery systems, theranostic study, etc. Hence, in the present review, we are exploring CQDs as a boon to pharmaceutical concerns.

Design and construction of chimeric linker library with controllable flexibilities for precision protein engineering

Linkers play essential roles in the engineering of fusion proteins, and have been extensively demonstrated to affect protein properties such as expression level, solubility, and biological functions. For linker design and optimization, one of the key factors is the flexibility or rigidity of linkers, which describes the tendency of a linker to maintain a stable conformation when expressed, and can directly contribute to the physical distance between domains of a fusion protein. In this chapter, we discuss the design and engineering of linkers in fusion proteins, and describe a library-based method for optimization of linker flexibility. This approach is based on chimeric linkers, which are composed of both flexible and rigid (helix-forming) linker motifs. We demonstrate that the chimeric linker library capable of controlling the flexibility in a wide range can fill the gap between flexible and rigid linkers by molecular dynamics simulation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments, as well as its applications in fusion protein optimization.

Nanomedicine: Photo-activated nanostructured titanium dioxide, as a promising anticancer agent

The multivariate condition of cancer disease has been approached in various ways, by the scientific community. Recent studies focus on individualized treatments, minimizing the undesirable consequences of the conventional methods, but the development of an alternative effective therapeutic scheme remains to be held. Nanomedicine could provide a solution, filling this gap, exploiting the unique properties of innovative nanostructured materials. Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO₂) has a variety of applications of daily routine and of advanced technology. Due to its biocompatibility, it has also a great number of biomedical applications. It is now clear that photo-excited TiO₂ nanoparticles, induce generation of pairs of electrons and holes which react with water and oxygen to yield reactive oxygen species (ROS) that have been proven to damage cancer cells, triggering controlled cellular processes. The aim of this review is to provide insights into the field of nanomedicine and particularly into the wide context of TiO₂-NP-mediated anticancer effect, shedding light on the achievements of nanotechnology and proposing this nanostructured material as a promising anticancer photosensitizer.

Harnessing biomolecules for bioinspired dental biomaterials

Dental clinicians have relied for centuries on traditional dental materials (polymers, ceramics, metals, and composites) to restore oral health and function to patients. Clinical outcomes for many crucial dental therapies remain poor despite many decades of intense research on these materials. Recent attention has been paid to biomolecules as a chassis for engineered preventive, restorative, and regenerative approaches in dentistry. Indeed, biomolecules represent a uniquely versatile and precise tool to enable the design and development of bioinspired multifunctional dental materials to spur advancements in dentistry. In this review, we survey the range of biomolecules that have been used across dental biomaterials. Our particular focus is on the key biological activity imparted by each biomolecule toward prevention of dental and oral diseases as well as restoration of oral health. Additional emphasis is placed on the structure-function relationships between biomolecules and their biological activity, the unique challenges of each clinical condition, limitations of conventional therapies, and the advantages of each class of biomolecule for said challenge. Biomaterials for bone regeneration are not reviewed as numerous existing reviews on the topic have been recently published. We conclude our narrative review with an outlook on the future of biomolecules in dental biomaterials and potential avenues of innovation for biomaterial-based patient oral care.

Chiral Surface and Geometry of Metal Nanocrystals

Chirality is a basic property of nature and has great importance in photonics, biochemistry, medicine, and catalysis. This importance has led to the emergence of the chiral inorganic nanostructure field in the last two decades, providing opportunities to control the chirality of light and biochemical reactions. While the facile production of 3D nanostructures has remained a major challenge, recent advances in nanocrystal synthesis have provided a new pathway for efficient control of chirality at the nanoscale by transferring molecular chirality to the geometry of nanocrystals. Interestingly, this discovery stems from a purely crystallographic outcome: chirality can be generated on high-Miller-index surfaces, even for highly symmetric metal crystals. This is the starting point herein, with an overview of the scientific history and a summary of the crystallographic definition. With the advance of nanomaterial synthesis technology, high-Miller-index planes can be selectively exposed on metallic nanoparticles. The enantioselective interaction of chiral molecules and high-Miller-index facets can break the mirror symmetry of the metal nanocrystals. Herein, the fundamental principle of chirality evolution is emphasized and it is shown how chiral surfaces can be directly correlated with chiral morphologies, thus serving as a guide for researchers in chiral catalysts, chiral plasmonics, chiral metamaterials, and photonic devices.

Micro/nanoscale magnetic robots for biomedical applications

Magnetic small-scale robots are devices of great potential for the biomedical field because of the several benefits of this method of actuation. Recent work on the development of these devices has seen tremendous innovation and refinement toward ​improved performance for potential clinical applications. This review briefly details recent advancements in small-scale robots used for biomedical applications, covering their design, fabrication, applications, and demonstration of ability, and identifies the gap in studies and the difficulties that have persisted in the optimization of the use of these devices. In addition, alternative biomedical applications are also suggested for some of the technologies that show potential for other functions. This study concludes that although the field of small-scale robot research is highly innovative ​there is need for more concerted efforts to improve functionality and reliability of these devices particularly in clinical applications. Finally, further suggestions are made toward ​the achievement of commercialization for these devices.

Bismuth as Smart Material and Its Application in the Ninth Principle of Sustainable Chemistry

This paper reports an overview of Green Chemistry and the concept of its twelve principles. This study focusses on the ninth principle of Green Chemistry, that is, catalysis. A report on catalysis, in line with its definition, background, classification, properties, and applications, is provided. The study also entails a green element called bismuth. Bismuth’s low toxicity and low cost have made researchers focus on its wide applications in catalysis. It exhibits smartness in all the catalytic activities with the highest catalytic performance among other metals.

Engineering of Nanoscale Coordination Polymers with Biomolecules for Advanced Applications

Nanoscale coordination polymers (NCPs) have shown extraordinary advantages in various research areas due to their structural diversity and multifunctionality. Recently, integration of biomolecules with NCPs received extensive attention and the formed hybrid materials exhibit superior properties over the individual NCPs or biomolecules. In this review, the state-of-the-art of approaches to engineer NCPs with different types of guest biomolecules, such as amino acids, nucleic acids, enzymes and lipids are systematically introduced. Additionally, advanced applications of these biomolecule-NCP composites in the areas of sensing, catalysis, molecular imaging and therapy are thoroughly summarized. Finally, current challenges and prospects are also discussed.

Cellular Deformations Induced by Conical Silicon Nanowire Arrays Facilitate Gene Delivery

Engineered cell-nanostructured interfaces generated by vertically aligned silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays have become a promising platform for orchestrating cell behavior, function, and fate. However, the underlying mechanism in SiNW-mediated intracellular access and delivery is still poorly understood. This study demonstrates the development of a gene delivery platform based on conical SiNW arrays for mechanical cell transfection, assisted by centrifugal force, for both adherent and nonadherent cells in vitro. Cells form focal adhesions on SiNWs within 6 h, and maintain high viability and motility. Such a functional and dynamic cell-SiNW interface features conformational changes in the plasma membrane and in some cases the nucleus, promoting both direct penetration and endocytosis; this synergistically facilitates SiNW-mediated delivery of nucleic acids into immortalized cell lines, and into difficult-to-transfect primary immune T cells without pre-activation. Moreover, transfected cells retrieved from SiNWs retain the capacity to proliferate-crucial to future biomedical applications. The results indicate that SiNW-mediated intracellular delivery holds great promise for developing increasingly sophisticated investigative and therapeutic tools.

Dual-neodymium magnet-based microfluidic separation device

Microfluidic-based separation methods have been highlighted for a number of biological applications, such as single cell analysis, disease diagnostics, and therapeutics. Although a number of previous studies have been carried out to minimize the physical damage and chemical deformations of the sample during the separation process, it still remains a challenge. In this paper, we developed a microfluidic device with dual-neodymium magnet-based negative magnetophoresis for the separation of the microparticles and cells. The poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was added to the solution to increase the viscoelasticity of the medium which could assist the sorting of the microparticles in the microfluidic device even at low flow rates, while minimizing damage to the cells and microparticles. Following this method, it was possible to separate 10 and 16 μm microparticles with high efficiency of 99 ± 0.1%, and 97 ± 0.8%, respectively. We also demonstrated the separation of glioblastoma cancer cells and neural stem cells (NSCs) in the microfluidic device.

A novel approach for increasing transformation efficiency in E. coli DH5α cells using silver nanoparticles

The present study is the first report on the application of silver nanoparticles for efficient bacterial transformation. EC50 value of 100 nm silver nanoparticles against E. coli DH5α cells was recorded as 4.49 mg L^-1 in toxicity assay. Competency induction in E. coli DH5α cells by treatment with 100 nm silver nanoparticles at a concentration of 1 mg L^-1 for 60 min and transformation using three plasmid vectors of different sizes, viz. pUC18, pBR322 and pCAMBIA resulted in tenfold increase in the bacterial transformation efficiency, i.e. 8.3 × 10⁴, 8.0 × 10⁴ and 7.9 × 10⁴ cfu ng^-1 of DNA, respectively, even without heat shock compared to the conventional chemical method using 0.1 M calcium chloride (2.3 × 10³ cfu ng^-1 of DNA).

Translocation of DNA and protein through a sequentially polymerized polyurea nanopore

Here, we investigated the translocation of biomolecules, such as DNA and protein, through a sequentially polymerized polyurea nanopore, with a thin (<10 nm) polymer membrane of uniform thickness. The polyurea membrane was synthesized by molecular layer deposition using p-phenylenediisocyanate (PDI) and p-phenylenediamine (PDA) as sequential precursors. The membrane exhibited a hydrophobic surface with a highly negative surface charge density (-51 mC m-2 at pH 8). It was particularly noted that the high surface charge density of the membrane resulted in a highly developed electro-osmotic flow which, in turn, strongly influenced the capture probability of biomolecules, depending on the balance between the electro-osmotic and electrophoretic forces. For instance, the capture frequency of negatively charged DNA was demonstrated to be quite low, since these two forces more or less cancelled each other, whereas that of positively charged MDM2 was much higher, since these two forces were additive. We also identified that the mean translocation time of MDM2 through the polyurea nanopore was 26.1 ± 3.7 μs while that of the SiN nanopore was 14.2 ± 2.0 μs, hence suggesting that the enhanced electrostatic interaction between positively charged MDM2 and the negatively charged pore surface affects the translocation speed.

Solid-state nanopore analysis on conformation change of p53TAD-MDM2 fusion protein induced by protein-protein interaction

Although protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are emerging therapeutic targets for human diseases, development of high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies against PPI targets remains challenging. In this study, we propose a protein complex structure to effectively detect conformational changes of protein resulting from PPI using solid-state nanopore for a novel, widely-applicable drug screening method against various PPI targets. To effectively detect conformational changes resulting from PPI, we designed a fusion protein MLP (MDM2-linker-p53TAD), where p53TAD and MDM2 are connected by a 16 amino acid linker. The globular conformation of MLP exhibited a single-peak translocation event, whereas the dumbbell-like conformation of nutlin-3-bound MLP revealed as a double-peak signal. The proportion of double-peak to single-peak signals increased from 9.3% to 23.0% as nutlin-3 concentration increased. The translocation kinetics of the two different MLP conformations with varied applied voltage were analyzed. Further, the fractional current of the intra-peak of the double-peak signal was analyzed, probing the structure of our designed protein complex. This approach of nanopore sensing may be extendedly employed in screening of PPI inhibitors and protein conformation studies.

Rho GTPases in A549 and Caco-2 cells dominating the endocytic pathways of nanocarbons with different morphologies

Introduction

Endocytosis of nanomaterials is the first step of nano-bio interaction and current regulation is mostly by nanomaterials but seldom by intracellular signaling proteins.

Materials and methods

Herein, we synthesized tubular nanocarbon (oxMWCNT) and lamellar-like nanocarbon (oxGRAPHENE) and formulated their aqueous dispersion. A549 and Caco-2 cells were selected as the models of tumor and intestinal epithelial cells, respectively. After knocking down three members of Rho GTPases (Cdc42, Rac1, RhoA) in these two cell lines, their silencing effects on the uptake pathways of nanomaterials with different morphologies were investigated.

Results

An unexpected finding was that the knock-down led to opposite uptake trends in different types of cells. The endocytosis of carbon nanomaterials increased in Caco-2 cells when Rho GTPases were inactivated, while that in A549 cells decreased. For nanomaterials with different shapes, the involved GTPase member of Rho family, or regulating protein molecule, was different. Concretely, Cdc42 and Rac1 were involved in oxMWCNT endocytosis, while all three GTPases participated in oxGRAPHENE internalization. More interestingly, such difference induced different uptake pathways, namely, the cellular uptake of oxMWCNT was clathrin-mediated and oxGRAPHENE was caveolin-modulated, both with the involvement of dynamin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study provides new insights for the potential intervention in nano-bio interplay.

Expanding One-Pot Cell-Free Protein Synthesis and Immobilization for On-Demand Manufacturing of Biomaterials

Fabrication of protein-based biomaterials is an arduous and time-consuming procedure with multiple steps. In this work, we describe a portable toolkit that integrates both cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) and protein immobilization in one pot just by mixing DNA, solid materials, and a CFPS system. We have constructed a modular set of plasmids that fuse the N-terminus of superfolded green fluorescent protein (sGFP) with different peptide tags (poly(6X)Cys, poly(6X)His, and poly(6X)Lys), which drive the immobilization of the protein on the tailored material (agarose beads with different functionalities, gold nanorods, and silica nanoparticles). This system also enables the incorporation of azide-based amino acids into the nascent protein for its selective immobilization through copper-free click reactions. Finally, this technology has been expanded to the synthesis and immobilization of enzymes and antibody-binding proteins for the fabrication of functional biomaterials. This synthetic biological platform has emerged as a versatile tool for on-demand fabrication of therapeutic, diagnostic, and sensing biomaterials.