Novel Photo- and Thermo-Responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on Functionalized rGO and Modified SIS/Chitosan Polymers for Localized Treatment of Malignant Cutaneous Melanoma

Graphene/carbohydrate polymer composites as emerging hybrid materials in tumor therapy and diagnosis

Despite the introduction of various types of treatments for cancer control, cancer therapy faces several challenges such as aggressive behavior, heterogeneous characteristics, and the development of resistance. In contrast, the methods have depended on the creation and formulation of nanoparticles to impede tumor growth. Carbon nanoparticles have attracted considerable attention for cancer therapy, with graphene nanoparticles emerging as promising vehicles for delivering drugs and genes. Moreover, graphene composites can enhance immunotherapy, phototherapy, and combination therapies. Nonetheless, the biocompatibility and toxicity of graphene composites present difficulties. Consequently, this manuscript assesses the alteration of graphene nanocomposites using carbohydrate polymers. Altering graphene composites with carbohydrate polymers such as chitosan, hyaluronic acid, cellulose, and starch can enhance their efficacy in cancer treatment. Furthermore, graphene composites functionalized with carbohydrate polymers for tumor ablation induced by phototherapy. Graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots have been modified with carbohydrate polymers to enhance their therapeutic and diagnostic uses. These nanoparticles can transport gene therapy techniques like siRNA in the treatment of cancer. Despite the breakdown of these nanoparticles within the body, they maintain excellent biosafety and biocompatibility.

Advancing Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Treatment: Enhanced Biomechanical Support Through Graphene Oxide-Integrated Bioengineered Grafts Tested In Silico

Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity (AAFD) is a progressive orthopedic condition causing the collapse of the foot's medial longitudinal arch, often linked with injuries to the plantar arch's passive stabilizers, such as the spring ligament (SL) and plantar fascia. Conventional treatment typically involves replacing the SL with synthetic material grafts, which, while providing mechanical support, lack the biological compatibility of native ligaments. In response to this shortcoming, our study developed an electrospun, twisted polymeric graft made of polycaprolactone (PCL) and type B gelatin (GT), enhanced with graphene oxide (GO), a two-dimensional nanomaterial, to bolster biomechanical attributes. The addition of GO aimed to match the native ligamentous tissue's mechanical strength, with the PCL-GT-GO 2.0% blend demonstrating an optimal Young's modulus of 240.75 MPa. Furthermore, the graft showcased excellent biocompatibility, evidenced by non-hemolytic reactions, suitable wettability and favorable platelet aggregation-essential features for promoting cell adhesion and proliferation. An MTT assay revealed cell viability exceeding 80% after 48 h of exposure, highlighting the potential of the graft as a regenerative scaffold for affected ligaments. Computational modeling of the human foot across various AAFD stages assessed the graft's in situ performance, with the PCL-GT-OG 2.0% graft efficiently preventing plantar arch collapse and offering hindfoot pronator support. Our study, based on in silico simulations, suggests that this bioengineered graft holds significant promise as an alternative treatment in AAFD surgery, marking a leap forward in the integration of advanced materials science for enhanced patient care.

Chitosan-based hydrogels in cancer therapy: Drug and gene delivery, stimuli-responsive carriers, phototherapy and immunotherapy

Nanotechnology has transformed the oncology sector by particularly targeting cancer cells and enhancing the efficacy of conventional therapies, not only improving efficacy of conventional therapeutics, but also reducing systemic toxicity. Environmentally friendly materials are the top choice for treating cancer. Chitosan, sourced from chitin, is widely used with its derivatives for the extensive synthesis or modification of nanostructures. Chitosan has been deployed to develop hydrogels, as 3D polymeric networks capable of water absorption with wide biomedical application. The chitosan hydrogels are biocompatible and biodegradable structures that can deliver drugs, genes or a combination of them in cancer therapy. Increased tumor ablation, reducing off-targeting feature and protection of genes against degradation are benefits of using chitosan hydrogels in cancer therapy. The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy can be improved by chitosan hydrogels to prevent emergence of immune evasion. In addition, chitosan hydrogels facilitate photothermal and photodynamic therapy for tumor suppression. Chitosan hydrogels can synergistically integrate chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and phototherapy in cancer treatment. Additionally, chitosan hydrogels that respond to stimuli, specifically thermo-sensitive hydrogels, have been developed for inhibiting tumors.

Novel Photothermal Graphene-Based Hydrogels in Biomedical Applications

In the last decade, photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted tremendous attention because it is non-invasive, shows high efficiency and antibacterial activity, and minimizes drug side effects. Previous studies demonstrated that PTT can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria and promotes cell proliferation, accelerating wound healing and tissue regeneration. Among different NIR-responsive biomaterials, graphene-based hydrogels with photothermal properties are considered as the best candidates for biomedical applications, due to their excellent properties. This review summarizes the current advances in the development of innovative graphene-based hydrogels for PTT-based biomedical applications. Also, the information about photothermal properties and the potential applications of graphene-based hydrogels in biomedical therapies are provided. These findings provide a great potential for supporting their applications in photothermal biomedicine.

Advances in NIR-Responsive Natural Macromolecular Hydrogel Assembly Drugs for Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a serious disease with an abnormal proliferation of organ tissues; it is characterized by malignant infiltration and growth that affects human life. Traditional cancer therapies such as resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have a low cure rate and often cause irreversible damage to the body. In recent years, since the traditional treatment of cancer is still very far from perfect, researchers have begun to focus on non-invasive near-infrared (NIR)-responsive natural macromolecular hydrogel assembly drugs (NIR-NMHADs). Due to their unique biocompatibility and extremely high drug encapsulation, coupling with the spatiotemporal controllability of NIR, synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT), photothermal therapy (PDT), chemotherapy (CT) and immunotherapy (IT) has created excellent effects and good prospects for cancer treatment. In addition, some emerging bioengineering technologies can also improve the effectiveness of drug delivery systems. This review will discuss the properties of NIR light, the NIR-functional hydrogels commonly used in current research, the cancer therapy corresponding to the materials encapsulated in them and the bioengineering technology that can assist drug delivery systems. The review provides a constructive reference for the optimization of NIR-NMHAD experimental ideas and its application to human body.

Photocrosslinked methacrylated natural macromolecular hydrogels for tissue engineering: A review

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional (3D) network structure formed through polymer crosslinking, and these have emerged as a popular research topic in recent years. Hydrogel crosslinking can be classified as physical, chemical, or enzymatic, and photocrosslinking is a branch of chemical crosslinking. Compared with other methods, photocrosslinking can control the hydrogel crosslinking initiation, crosslinking time, and crosslinking strength using light. Owing to these properties, photocrosslinked hydrogels have important research prospects in tissue engineering, in situ gel formation, 3D bioprinting, and drug delivery. Methacrylic anhydride modification is a common method for imparting photocrosslinking properties to polymers, and graft-substituted polymers can be photocrosslinked under UV irradiation. In this review, we first introduce the characteristics of common natural polysaccharide- and protein-based hydrogels and the processes used for methacrylate group modification. Next, we discuss the applications of methacrylated natural hydrogels in tissue engineering. Finally, we summarize and discuss existing methacrylated natural hydrogels in terms of limitations and future developments. We expect that this review will help researchers in this field to better understand the synthesis of methacrylate-modified natural hydrogels and their applications in tissue engineering.

Preparation, thermal response mechanisms and biomedical applications of thermosensitive hydrogels for drug delivery

INTRODUCTION

Drug treatment is one of the main ways of coping with disease today. For the disadvantages of drug management, thermosensitive hydrogel is used as a countermeasure, which can realize the simple sustained release of drugs and the controlled release of drugs in complex physiological environments.

AREAS COVERED

This paper talks about thermosensitive hydrogels that can be used as drug carriers. The common preparation materials, material forms, thermal response mechanisms, characteristics of thermosensitive hydrogels for drug release and main disease treatment applications are reviewed.

EXPERT OPINION

When thermosensitive hydrogels are used as drug loading and delivery platforms, desired drug release patterns and release profiles can be tailored by selecting raw materials, thermal response mechanisms, and material forms. The properties of hydrogels prepared from synthetic polymers will be more stable than natural polymers. Integrating multiple thermosensitive mechanisms or different kinds of thermosensitive mechanisms on the same hydrogel is expected to realize the spatiotemporal differential delivery of multiple drugs under temperature stimulation. The industrial transformation of thermosensitive hydrogels as drug delivery platforms needs to meet some important conditions.