Metabolic Modulation of Kynurenine Based on Kynureninase-Loaded Nanoparticle Depot Overcomes Tumor Immune Evasion in Cancer Immunotherapy

Evading recognition of immune cells is a well-known strategy of tumors used for their survival. One of the immune evasion mechanisms is the synthesis of kynurenine (KYN), a metabolite of tryptophan, which suppresses the effector T cells. Therefore, lowering the KYN concentration can be an efficient antitumor therapy by restoring the activity of immune cells. Recently, kynureninase (KYNase), which is an enzyme transforming KYN into anthranilate, was demonstrated to show the potential to decrease KYN concentration and inhibit tumor growth. However, due to the limited bioavailability and instability of proteins in vivo, it has been challenging to maintain the KYNase concentration sufficiently high in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we developed a nanoparticle system loaded with KYNase, which formed a Biodegradable and Implantable Nanoparticle Depot named 'BIND' following subcutaneous injection. The BIND sustainably supplied KYNase around the TME while located around the tumor, until it eventually degraded and disappeared. As a result, the BIND system enhanced the proliferation and cytokine production of effector T cells in the TME, followed by tumor growth inhibition and increased mean survival. Finally, we showed that the BIND carrying KYNase significantly synergized with PD-1 blockade in three mouse models of colon cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma.

Structural atlas of human primary microRNAs generated by SHAPE-MaP

MicroRNA (miRNA) maturation is critically dependent on structural features of primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs). However, the scarcity of determined pri-miRNA structures has limited our understanding of miRNA maturation. Here, we employed selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension and mutational profiling (SHAPE-MaP), a high-throughput RNA structure probing method, to unravel the secondary structures of 476 high-confidence human pri-miRNAs. Our SHAPE-based structures diverge substantially from those inferred solely from computation, particularly in the apical loop and basal segments, underlining the need for experimental data in RNA structure prediction. By comparing the structures with high-throughput processing data, we determined the optimal structural features of pri-miRNAs. The sequence determinants are influenced substantially by their structural contexts. Moreover, we identified an element termed the bulged GWG motif (bGWG) with a 3' bulge in the lower stem, which promotes processing. Our structure-function mapping better annotates the determinants of pri-miRNA processing and offers practical implications for designing small hairpin RNAs and predicting the impacts of miRNA mutations.

Bio-inspired interfacial chemistry for the fabrication of a robust and functional graphene oxide composite film

A strong and functional artificial nacre film is developed by using polyethyleneimine-functionalized GO (PEI-GO) and pyrogallol (PG) inspired by insect exoskeleton sclerotization. PEI-GO is macroscopically assembled into the laminated films and then reacted with PG under the optimized condition for their efficient cross-linking through Schiff-base reactions. The internal structure and physicochemical properties of PG-treated PEI-GO (PG@PEI-GO) films are systematically explored with various analytical tools. The optimized PG@PEI-GO films exhibit excellent tensile strength, modulus, and toughness of 216.0 ± 12.9 MPa, 17.0 ± 1.1 GPa, and 2192 ± 538.5 kJ m-3 which are 2.7, 2.8, and 2.3-fold higher than those of GO films, respectively. Furthermore, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are densely immobilized on the PG@PEI-GO films harnessing their abundant amine groups, and the AgNPs immobilized PG@PEI-GO films exhibit a high catalytic activity in the conversion of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with maintaining structural integrity. Based on the results, we demonstrate that the rational design of interfaces, inspired by natural materials, is an efficient approach to achieving strong and functional GO laminated composite films.

Enhanced Local Delivery of Engineered IL-2 mRNA by Porous Silica Nanoparticles to Promote Effective Antitumor Immunity

Localized expression of immunomodulatory molecules can stimulate immune responses against tumors in the tumor microenvironment while avoiding toxicities associated with systemic administration. In this study, we developed a polyethylenimine-modified porous silica nanoparticle (PPSN)-based delivery platform carrying cytokine mRNA for local immunotherapy in vivo. Our delivery platform was significantly more efficient than FDA-approved lipid nanoparticles for localized mRNA translation. We observed no off-target translation of mRNA in any organs and no evidence of systemic toxicity. Intratumoral injection of cytokine mRNA-loaded PPSNs led to high-level expression of protein within the tumor and stimulated immunogenic cancer cell death. Additionally, combining cytokine mRNA with an immune checkpoint inhibitor enhanced anticancer responses in several murine cancer models and enabled the inhibition of distant metastatic tumors. Our results demonstrate the potential of PPSNs-mediated mRNA delivery as a specific, effective, and safe platform for mRNA-based therapeutics in cancer immunotherapy.

Highly Efficient Messenger RNA Transfection of Hard-to-Transfect Cells using Carbon Nanodots

Although messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutics opened up new avenues for treating various diseases, intracellular delivery of mRNA is still challenging, especially to hard-to-transfect cells. For successful mRNA therapy, the development of a delivery vehicle that can effectively transport mRNA into cells is essential. In this study, we synthesized carbon nanodots (CNDs) as an efficient mRNA delivery vehicle via a one-step microwave-assisted method. CNDs easily formed complexes with mRNA molecules by electrostatic interactions, and the gene delivery performance of CNDs was highly effective in hard-to-transfect cells. Considering their outstanding transfection ability, CNDs are expected to be further applied for mRNA-based cellular engineering.

Rod-to-sphere elemental reconstruction of biocompatible Ag2Te-Ag4.53-Te3 nanoparticles for triple negative breast cancer photo-nano-therapy

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) continue to be applied to agricultural and medical applications because of their antibacterial and antifungal effects. However, AgNPs are vulnerable to poisoning by oxidation or sulfidation, and unintentional toxicity can occur via leaching. Therefore, ensuring the stability of AgNPs for practical applications is considered an important requirement. In this study, we propose the solvothermal galvanic replacement of a Te nanorod (TeNR) template with a Ag precursor to manufacture highly stable and biocompatible Ag-Te nanoparticles (AgTeNPs). In addition to their high stability, AgTeNPs composed of Ag₂Te-Ag_4.53Te₃ were evaluated as a nanotherapeutic agent enabled by their selective toxicity through metabolic degradation in breast cancer cells. It has been demonstrated that combinatorial treatment with hyperthermic cancer-cell ablation through photothermal conversion provides an effective cancer treatment in vitro and in vivo. The discovered new biocompatible Ag nanomaterials with innate anticancer effects are expected to be applied to various application fields.

[Research advances on the prevention and treatment of burn infection in the elderly]

Infection is a common complication after burns and the major cause of death in patients suffering severe burn injury. The infection of the elderly after burns is more serious due to their decreased immune function that is complicated with factors such as multiple chronic diseases and dysfunction of various organs. In addition, the burn infection in the elderly lacks the specific symptoms and signs, which brings great challenges to its diagnosis and treatment. To effectively prevent and control infection is very important for the treatment of elderly burn patients. Combined the clinical characteristics of burn infection in the elderly, this paper summarized the research advances of prevention and treatment for burn infection in the elderly from fluid resuscitation, wound treatment, antibiotic using, organ protection, nutritional support, and infection prevention, aiming to provide reference for clinical practice.

Development of a Cancer Nanovaccine to Induce Antigen-specific Immune Responses Based on Large-Sized Porous Silica Nanoparticles

Cancer vaccine is one of the immunotherapeutic strategies aiming to effectively deliver cancer antigens to professional antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and B cells to elicit a cancer-specific immune response. Despite the advantages of the cancer vaccine that can be applied to various cancer types, the clinical approach is limited due to the non-specific or adverse immune responses, stability, and safety issues. In this study, we report an injectable nanovaccine platform based on large-sized (∼350 nm) porous silica nanoparticles (PSNs). We found that large-sized PSNs, called PS3, facilitated the formation of an antigen supply depot at the site of injection so that a single injection of PSN-based nanovaccine elicited sufficient tumor-specific cell-mediated and humoral immune response. As a result, antigen-loaded PS3 induced successful tumor regression in prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination.

Rhodium-Tellurium Nanorod Synthesis Using Galvanic Replacement-Polyol Regrowth for Thermo-Dynamic Dual-Modal Cancer Phototherapy

Rh is a noble metal introduced in bioapplications, including diagnosis and therapy, in addition to its consolidated utilization in organic catalysis and electrocatalysis. Herein, we designed the synthesis of highly crystalline Rh nanocrystal-decorated Rh-Te nanorods (RhTeNRs) through galvanic replacement of sacrificial Te nanorod (TeNR) templates and subsequent polyol regrowth. The obtained RhTeNRs showed excellent colloidal stability and efficient heat dissipation and photocatalytic activity under various laser irradiation wavelengths. Based on the confirmed biocompatibility, RhTeNRs were introduced into in vitro and in vivo cancer phototherapies. The results confirmed the selective physical death of cancer cells in the local area through laser irradiation. While chemotherapy does not guarantee successful treatment due to side effects and resistance, phototherapy using heat and reactive oxygen species generation of RhTeNRs induces physical death.

Rationally designed nanoparticle delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein for effective gene editing

Programmable endonucleases such as CRISPR/Cas9 system emerge as a promising tool to treat genetic and non-genetic diseases such as hypercholesterolemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and cancer. However, the lack of safe and efficient vehicles that enable intracellular delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 endonuclease is a big hurdle for its therapeutic applications. Here, we employed porous nanoparticle for the Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery and achieved efficient knockout of target genes in vitro and in vivo. The porous nanoparticle, called 'BALL', enabled safe and direct intracellular Cas9 RNP delivery by improving bioavailability and serum stability. The BALL-mediated delivery of Cas9 RNP showed superior indel efficiency of about 40% in vitro and 20% in vivo in a model system employing green fluorescent protein (GFP). More importantly, intramuscular injection of the Cas9 RNP-BALL complex targeting the myostatin (MSTN) gene which is known to suppress muscle growth achieved successful knockout of the MSTN gene, resulting in the increase of muscle and the improved motor functions. Thus, we believe that the BALL is a promising delivery system for CRISPR-based genome editing technology, which can be applied to the treatment of various genetic diseases.

Precursor Heterogeneity Driven Mo-Te Nanoparticle Structural Diversification for Cancer Photo-Theranostics

Chemical reactions between homogeneous precursors are typically used to synthesize monodisperse nanoparticles with well-controlled size and morphology. It is difficult to predict the evolved nanostructures when using two heterogeneous precursors. In this study, three types of Mo-Te nanoparticles shaped like leaves, spindles, and rice grains (denoted respectively as nanoleaf, nanospindle, and nanorice) were obtained from dextrose-mediated proton-coupled electron transfer reaction between the solid polyoxomolybdate (POM) and the ionic tellurite anion as precursors. All produced nanoparticles had excellent optical absorption in the ultraviolet(UV)-visible(Vis)-near-infrared(NIR) regions, with only slight deviations among them. After confirming nanoparticles' photothermal conversion and photocatalytic activity at multiple wavelengths, the Mo-Te nanorice was tested as a potential agent for cancer treatment due to its minimum toxicity, excellent colloidal stability, and intrinsic anticancer effect. Excellent treatment efficacy and clearance were confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Due to their photoacoustic imaging capability, the injection of pristine nanoparticles could also realize phototheranostics without using additional drugs, probes, or photosensitizers.

Synthesis of gold nano-mushrooms via solvent-controlled galvanic replacement to enhance phototherapeutic efficiency

In advanced galvanic replacement, variable factors such as the combination of two elements where actual redox reaction and post-synthetic structural transformation take place. Research on manufacturing distinctive nanostructures has mainly focused on the shape of the sacrificial nanotemplate, the presence or absence of additives, and the reaction temperature. Here, we have attempted to confirm the dependency on the solvent, which was considered to simply serve as a medium for a homogeneous chemical reaction to proceed by aiding the dispersion of the nanotemplate and reactants. Thus, we obtained mushroom-like Au nanoplates (mAuNPs) by comprehensive galvanic replacement reaction between solvents, additives, and adsorbents. The mAuNPs with a porous Au nanoplate head and a hollow nanotube tail structure were formed via an optimization process in a 50 v/v% solvent comprising water and ethylene glycol. As a result of confirming the galvanic replacement in co-solvent conditions, in which various types of water miscible solvents were introduced, it was revealed that the most critical factors for regulating the surface polymeric environment of the nanoplate were the relative polarity index of the co-solvent and the hydrogen bonding type. These depend on the molecular structure of the solvent. The manufactured mAuNPs exhibited excellent absorbance in the near-infrared region, and efficient photothermal (PT) conversion-mediated heat dissipation under local laser irradiation. These results confirm the viability of the gene-thermo dual-modal combinatorial cancer therapy based on the surface loading of oligonucleotides and peptides, and the PT therapeutic approach in vitro and in vivo.

Nanoparticle delivery of recombinant IL-2 (BALLkine-2) achieves durable tumor control with less systemic adverse effects in cancer immunotherapy

Recent strategies in cancer immunotherapy based on interleukin-2 (IL-2) are generally focused on reducing regulatory T cell (Treg) development by modifying IL-2 receptor alpha (IL-2Rα) domain. However, the clinical utility of high-dose IL-2 treatment is mainly limited by severe systemic toxicity. We find that peritumorally injectable 'BALLkine-2', recombinant human IL-2 (rIL-2) loaded porous nanoparticle, dramatically reduces systemic side effects of rIL-2 by minimizing systemic IL-2 exposure. Notably, in cynomolgus monkeys, subcutaneous (SC)-injection of BALLkine-2 not only dramatically reduces systemic circulation of rIL-2 in the blood, but also increases half-life of IL-2 compared to IV- or SC-injection of free rIL-2. Peritumorally-injected BALLkine-2 enhances intratumoral lymphocyte infiltration without inducing Treg development and more effectively synergizes with PD-1 blockade than high-dose rIL-2 administration in B16F10 melanoma model. BALLkine-2 could be a highly potent therapeutic option due to higher anti-tumor efficacy with lower and fewer doses and reduced systemic toxicity compared to systemic rIL-2.

[Fluid resuscitation strategy and efficacy evaluation in shock stage in severely burned children with different burn areas in different age groups]

Objective: To explore the fluid resuscitation strategy in shock stage in severely burned children with different burn areas in different age groups, and to evaluate the curative effect. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. From January 2015 to June 2020, 235 children with severe and above burns who met the inclusion criteria were hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, including 150 males and 85 females, aged 3 months to 12 years. After admission, it was planned to rehydrate the children with electrolyte, colloid, and water according to the domestic rehydration formula for pediatric burn shock, and the rehydration volume and speed were adjusted according to the children's mental state, peripheral circulation, heart rate, blood pressure, and urine output, etc. The actual input volume and planned input volume of electrolyte, colloid, water, and total fluid of all the children were recorded during the 8 hours since fluid replacement and the first and second 24 hours after injury. According to urine output during the 8 hours since fluid replacement, all the children were divided into satisfactory urine output maintenance group (119 cases) with urine output ≥1 mL·kg^-1·h^-1 and unsatisfactory urine output maintenance group (116 cases) with urine output <1 mL·kg^-1·h^-1, and the electrolyte coefficient, colloid coefficient, and water coefficient of the children were calculated during the 8 hours since fluid replacement. According to the total burn area, children aged <3 years (155 cases) and 3-12 years (80 cases) were divided into 15%-25% total body surface area (TBSA) group and >25%TBSA group, respectively. The electrolyte coefficient, colloid coefficient, water coefficient, and urine output of the children were calculated or counted during the first and second 24 hours after injury, and the non-invasive monitoring indicators of body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation and efficacy indicators of hematocrit, platelet count, hemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of the children were recorded 48 hours after injury. The prognosis and outcome indicators of all the children during the treatment were counted, including complications, cure, improvement and discharge, automatic discharge, and death. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample or paired sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact probability test. Results: During the 8 hours since fluid replacement, the actual input volume of electrolyte of all the children was significantly more than the planned input volume, and the actual input volumes of colloid, water, and total fluid were significantly less than the planned input volumes (Z=13.094, 5.096, 13.256, 7.742, P<0.01). During the first and second 24 hours after injury, the actual input volumes of electrolyte of all the children were significantly more than the planned input volumes, and the actual input volumes of water and total fluid were significantly less than the planned input volumes (Z=13.288, -13.252, 3.867, 13.183, -13.191, 10.091, P<0.01), while the actual input volumes of colloid were close to the planned input volumes (P>0.05). During the 8 hours since fluid replacement, compared with those in unsatisfactory urine output maintenance group, there was no significant change in electrolyte coefficient or colloid coefficient of children in satisfactory urine output maintenance group (P>0.05), while the water coefficient was significantly increased (Z=2.574, P<0.05). Among children <3 years old, compared with those in >25%TBSA group, the electrolyte coefficient and water coefficient of children were significantly increased and the urine output of children was significantly decreased in 15%-25%TBSA group during the first and second 24 hours after injury (Z=-3.867, -6.993, -3.417, -5.396, -5.062, 1.503, P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the colloid coefficient did not change significantly (P>0.05); the levels of efficacy indicators of hematocrit, platelet count, and hemoglobin at 48 h after injury were significantly increased, while ALT level was significantly decreased (Z=-2.720, -3.099, -2.063, -2.481, P<0.05 or P<0.01); the levels of the rest of the efficacy indicators and non-invasive monitoring indicators at 48 h after injury did not change significantly (P>0.05). Among children aged 3-12 years, compared with those in >25%TBSA group, the electrolyte coefficient and water coefficient of children in 15%-25%TBSA group were significantly increased during the first and second 24 hours after injury, the colloid coefficient during the second 24 h was significantly decreased (Z=-2.042, -4.884, -2.297, -3.448, -2.480, P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the colloid coefficient during the first 24 hours after injury, urine output during the first and second 24 hours after injury, and the non-invasive monitoring indicators and efficacy indicators at 48 hours after injury did not change significantly (P>0.05). Complications occurred in 17 children during the treatment. Among the 235 children, 211 cases were cured, accounting for 89.79%, 5 cases were improved and discharged, accounting for 2.13%, 16 cases were discharged automatically, accounting for 6.81%, and 3 cases died, accounting for 1.28%. Conclusions: The electrolyte volume in early fluid resuscitation in severely burned children exceeding the volume calculated by the formula can obtain a good therapeutic effect. Among children <3 years old, the volume of fluid resuscitation should be appropriately increased in children with extremely severe burns compared with children with severe burns during fluid resuscitation; among children aged 3-12 years, the colloid volume should be appropriately increased in children with extremely severe burns compared with children with severe burns during fluid resuscitation; non-invasive monitoring indicators can be used to monitor hemodynamics and guide fluid resuscitation in severely burned children.

Graphene oxide-based fluorescent biosensors and their biomedical applications in diagnosis and drug discovery

Graphene oxide (GO), an oxidized derivative of graphene, has received much attention for developing novel fluorescent bioanalytic platforms due to its remarkable optical properties and biocompatibility. The reliable performance and robustness of GO-based biosensors have enabled various applications in the biomedical field including diagnosis and drug discovery. Here, recent advances in the development of GO-based fluorescent biosensors are overviewed, particularly nucleic acid detection and enzyme activity assay. In addition, practical applications in biomarker detection and high-throughput screening are also examined. Lastly, basic design principles and remaining challenges of these types of biosensors are discussed for further progress.

Osmium-Tellurium Nanozymes for Pentamodal Combinatorial Cancer Therapy

Although nanoparticles based on Group 8 elements such as Fe and Ru have been developed, not much is known about Os nanoparticles. However, Os-based nanostructures might have potential in various applications including biomedical fields. Therefore, in this study, we synthesized Os-Te nanorods (OsTeNRs) by solvothermal galvanic replacement with Te nanotemplates. We explored the nanozymatic activity of the synthesized OsTeNRs and found that they exhibited superior photothermal conversion and photocatalytic activity. Along with chemotherapy (regorafenib) and immunotherapy, the nanozymatic, photothermal, and photodynamic activities of OsTeNRs were harnessed to develop a pentamodal treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that the pentamodal therapy could alleviate hypoxia in HCC cells by generating oxygen and reduced unintended drug accumulation in organs. Moreover, bone-marrow toxicity due to regorafenib could be reduced as the drug was released in a sustained manner. Thus, OsTeNRs can be considered as suitable nanotemplates for combinatorial cancer therapy.

Identification of a Direct-Acting Antiviral Agent Targeting RNA Helicase via a Graphene Oxide Nanobiosensor

Dengue virus (DENV), an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes, causes infectious diseases such as dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome. Despite the dangers posed by DENV, there are no approved antiviral drugs for treatment of DENV infection. Considering the potential for a global dengue outbreak, rapid development of antiviral agents against DENV infections is crucial as a preemptive measure; thus, the selection of apparent drug targets, such as the viral enzymes involved in the viral life cycle, is recommended. Helicase, a potential drug target in DENV, is a crucial viral enzyme that unwinds double-stranded viral RNA, releasing single-stranded RNA genomes during viral replication. Therefore, an inhibitor of helicase activity could serve as a direct-acting antiviral agent. Here, we introduce an RNA helicase assay based on graphene oxide, which enables fluorescence-based analysis of RNA substrate-specific helicase enzyme activity. This assay demonstrated high reliability and ability for high-throughput screening, identifying a new helicase inhibitor candidate, micafungin (MCFG), from an FDA-approved drug library. As a direct-acting antiviral agent targeting RNA helicase, MCFG inhibits DENV proliferation in cells and an animal model. Notably, in vivo, MCFG treatment reduced viremia, inflammatory cytokine levels, and viral loads in several tissues and improved survival rates by up to 40% in a lethal mouse model. Therefore, we suggest MCFG as a potential direct-acting antiviral drug candidate.

A graphene oxide-based fluorescent nanosensor to identify antiviral agents via a drug repurposing screen

Currently, there are no approved therapeutics for Dengue virus (DENV) infection, even though it can cause fatal complications. Understanding DENV infection and its propagation process in host cells is necessary to develop specific antiviral therapeutics. Here, we developed a graphene oxide-based fluorescent system (Graphene Oxide-based Viral RNA Analysis system, GOViRA) that enables sensitive and quantitative real-time monitoring of the intracellular viral RNA level in living cells. The GOViRA system consists of a fluorescent dye-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) with a complementary sequence to the DENV genome and a dextran-coated reduced graphene oxide nanocolloid (DRGON). When the dye labeled PNA is adsorbed onto DRGON, the fluorescence of the dye is effectively quenched. The quenched fluorescence signal is recovered when the dye labeled PNA forms interaction with intracellular viral RNA in DENV infected host cells. We demonstrated the successful use of the GOViRA platform for high-throughput screening to discover novel antiviral compounds. Through a cell-based high-throughput screening of FDA-approved small-molecule drugs, we identified ulipristal, a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM), as a potent inhibitor against DENV infection. The anti-DENV activity of ulipristal was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we suggest that the mode of action of ulipristal is mediated by inhibiting viral entry into the host cells.

Fluorometric Viral miRNA Nanosensor for Diagnosis of Productive (Lytic) Human Cytomegalovirus Infection in Living Cells

A human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes a persistent asymptomatic infection in healthy individuals and possesses unexpected dangers to newborn babies, immunocompromised people, and organ transplant recipients because of stealth transmission. Thus, an early and accurate diagnosis of HCMV infection is crucial for prevention of unexpected transmission and progression of the severe diseases. The standard method of HCMV diagnosis depends on serology, antigen test, and polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid detection, which have advantages for each target molecule. However, the serological test for an antibody is an indirect method assuming the past virus infection, and antigen and viral nucleic acid testing demand laborious, complex multistep procedures for direct virus detection. Herein, we present an alternative simple and facile fluorometric biosensor composed of a graphene oxide nanocolloid and fluorescent peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe to detect the HCMV infection by simply monitoring the virally encoded microRNA as a new biomarker of lytic virus infection. We verify the sensing of HCMV-derived microRNA accumulated within 72 h after HCMV infection and examine the diagnosis of HCMV in living cells. We proceed with the time course and concentration-dependent investigation of hcmv-miRNA sensing in living cells as a direct method of HCMV detection at the molecular level on the basis of an intracellular hcmv-miRNA expression profile and graphene oxide nanocolloid-based simple diagnostic platform. The fluorometric biosensor enables the sequence-specific binding to the target HCMV miRNAs in HCMV-infected fibroblasts and shows the quantitative detection capability of HCMV infection to be as low as 4.15 × 10⁵ immunofluorescence focus unit (IFU)/mL of the virus titer at 48 h post-infection with picomolar sensitivity for HCMV miRNA.

3D Microfluidic Platform and Tumor Vascular Mapping for Evaluating Anti-Angiogenic RNAi-Based Nanomedicine

Three-dimensional (3D) visualization of tumor vasculature is a key factor in accurate evaluation of RNA interference (RNAi)-based antiangiogenic nanomedicine, a promising approach for cancer therapeutics. However, this remains challenging because there is not a physiologically relevant in vitro model or precise analytic methodology. To address this limitation, a strategy based on 3D microfluidic angiogenesis-on-a-chip and 3D tumor vascular mapping was developed for evaluating RNAi-based antiangiogenic nanomedicine. We developed a microfluidic model to recapitulate functional 3D angiogenic sprouting when co-cultured with various cancer cell types. This model enabled efficient and rapid assessment of antiangiogenic nanomedicine in treatment of hyper-angiogenic cancer. In addition, tissue-clearing-based whole vascular mapping of tumor xenograft allowed extraction of complex 3D morphological information in diverse quantitative parameters. Using this 3D imaging-based analysis, we observed tumor sub-regional differences in the antiangiogenic effect. Our systematic strategy can help in narrowing down the promising targets of antiangiogenic nanomedicine and then enables deep analysis of complex morphological changes in tumor vasculature, providing a powerful platform for the development of safe and effective nanomedicine for cancer therapeutics.

Non-viral, direct neuronal reprogramming from human fibroblast using a polymer-functionalized nanodot

Among various strategies to treat neurodegenerative disorders, cell replacement therapies have drawn much attention recently. Such a trend led to the increase in demand for the rare and specialized cells, followed by the outburst development of various cell reprogramming strategies. However, several limitations on these conventional methods remain to be solved, including the genetic instability of the viral vectors and the high cytotoxicity or poor performance of the non-viral carriers. Therefore, non-viral methods need to be developed to ensure safe and efficient cell reprogramming. Here, we introduce a polymer-modified nano-reagent (Polymer-functionalized Nanodot, PolyN) for the safe and efficient, non-viral direct cell reprogramming. PolyN facilitated the highly efficient contemporary overexpression of the transgene compared to the conventional reagent. With our nano-reagent, we demonstrated the SOX2-mediated cell reprogramming and successfully generated the neuron-like cell from the human fibroblast.

Intrinsic Peroxidase-Mimicking Ir Nanoplates for Nanozymatic Anticancer and Antibacterial Treatment

The study of inorganic nanozymes to overcome the disadvantages of bio-enzymes, such as the requirement of optimized reaction conditions and lack of durability against environmental factors, is one of the most significant research topics at present. In this work, we comprehensively analyzed the intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of Ir-based nanoparticles, the biological and nanozymatic potentials of which have not yet been explored. These particles were synthesized by the galvanic replacement of Ag nanoplates with Ir. Through the confirmed peroxidase-like activity and hydrogen peroxide decomposition with free radical generation facilitated by these particles, the antibacterial and anticancer effects were successfully verified in vitro. The nanozyme-based therapeutic effect observed at concentrations at which these nanoparticles do not show cytotoxicity suggests that it is possible to achieve more precise and selective local treatment with these particles. The observed highly efficient peroxidase-like activity of these nanoparticles is attributed to the partially mixed composition of Ir-Ag-IrO₂ formed through the galvanic replacement reaction in the synthetic process.

Discovery of direct-acting antiviral agents with a graphene-based fluorescent nanosensor

Direct-acting agents against viral components are considered as the most promising candidates for the successful antiviral therapeutics. To date, no direct-acting drugs exist for the treatment against dengue virus (DV) infection, which can develop into life-threatening diseases. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), an RNA virus-specific enzyme highly conserved among various viral families, has been known as the broad-range antiviral drug target. Here, we developed an RNA-based graphene biosensor system [RNA nano-graphene oxide system (RANGO)] to enable the fluorescence-based quantitative analysis of the RdRp enzyme activity. We used the RANGO system to a high-throughput chemical screening to identify novel direct-acting antiviral drug candidates targeting DV RdRp from the FDA-approved small-molecule library. RANGO accelerated the massive selection of drug candidates. We found that one of the selected hit compounds, montelukast, showed antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo by directly inhibiting replication of DV and thus relieved related symptoms.

A fluorescent nanobiosensor for the facile analysis of m6A RNA demethylase activity

RNA demethylase has recently been known to be associated with cancer development but its selective inhibitors as anti-cancer agents have rarely been investigated to date. Herein, we have developed a fluorescent nanobiosensor which enables efficient quantitative analysis of RNA demethylase ALKBH5 activity and shows a high potential for robust inhibitor screening.

Nonrecurring Circuit Nanozymatic Enhancement of Hypoxic Pancreatic Cancer Phototherapy Using Speckled Ru-Te Hollow Nanorods

Nanozymatic reactions that produce or consume oxygen (O₂) or reactive oxygen species (ROS) consist of oxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase-type activity. Although extensive studies were conducted to overcome hypoxia through nanozymatic reactions, the construction of an ideal system is challenging, given that the reactants and products are arranged in a recurring structure for continuous consumption in a full cycle. In this study, speckled Ru-Te hollow nanorods were prepared through solvothermal galvanic replacement against Te nanorod templates with high yield and robustness. From their multicompositional characteristics, nonrecurring peroxidase-SOD-catalase-type nanozymatic properties were identified with photothermal and photodynamic feasibility over a wide range of laser irradiation wavelengths. Owing to the excellent colloidal stability and biocompatibility, the proposed Ru-Te-based nanozymatic platform was highly effective in hypoxic pancreatic cancer phototherapy in vitro and in vivo by near-infrared laser irradiation mediated photothermal and photodynamic combination treatment.

RNAi nanotherapy for fibrosis: highly durable knockdown of CTGF/CCN-2 using siRNA-DegradaBALL (LEM-S401) to treat skin fibrotic diseases

Skin fibrosis occurs in a variety of human diseases but the current anti-fibrosis treatments are not sufficient. One major cause of fibrotic diseases shared across diverse organ fibrosis is uncontrolled overexpression of the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, also known as CCN2). Here, we examine the anti-fibrotic activity of RNAi therapy utilizing siRNA against CTGF with a new drug delivery system (DDS), 'DegradaBALL', which is based on porous nanoparticles, for durable CTGF gene silencing. DegradaBALL is a modular DDS having many favorable properties for RNA delivery such as effective intracellular uptake, convenient drug loading, biocompatibility, sustained release profile and biodegradability. DegradaBALL loaded with siCTGF, named 'LEM-S401', showed highly durable and effective CTGF gene-silencing in TGF-β induced lung fibrosis and skin fibrosis model cells, A549 and HaCaT, respectively. In addition, LEM-S401 induced knockdown of collagen types I and III, which are excess extracellular matrix components in fibrotic skin in addition to CTGF in the mouse wound healing model. Most importantly, we showed that LEM-S401 effectively inhibited the formation of hypertrophic scars in wound-associated dermal fibrosis mouse models, during both the epidermis recovery and tissue remodeling process. Our findings suggest that LEM-S401 could be a highly potent therapeutic option for skin fibrotic diseases.

Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Au-Te-Clustered Nanoworms via Galvanic Replacement for Wavelength-Selective Combination Cancer Therapy

Au-Te-clustered nanoworms (AuTeNWs) were successfully synthesized under ambient conditions by spontaneous galvanic replacement using Te nanorods as a sacrificial nanotemplate. Along with the gradual replacement and on-surface crystalline Au cluster formation, Te nanotemplates were transformed into a serpentine nanoworm-like morphology. The present strategy was an environmentally friendly method that did not use surfactants to control the surface structure. The synthesized nanoworms exhibited excellent photothermal conversion, photocatalytic efficiencies, and high payloads for thiolated genes and cell-penetrating peptides. According to the visible and near-infrared wavelengths of light, the photodynamic and photothermal therapeutic pathways were dominantly acting, respectively. From this, wavelength-selective combination treatment with gene therapy was successfully accomplished. Taken together, excellent therapeutic effects for in vitro and in vivo mouse models against hepatitis C replicon human hepatocarcinoma were clearly identified by using the present AuTeNWs as a phototherapeutic nanocarrier.

Fucoidan-coated coral-like Pt nanoparticles for computed tomography-guided highly enhanced synergistic anticancer effect against drug-resistant breast cancer cells

Chemotherapy, the most commonly applied cancer treatment, often causes unexpected failure due to multidrug resistance (MDR). To overcome MDR, we have designed a platform to realize a combinational synergistic effect of a natural bioactive product (fucoidan), anticancer small compound (doxorubicin), and photothermal nanocarrier (Pt nanoparticle) to treat drug-resistant breast cancer cells. Especially, fucoidan, a sulfated, polysaccharide-structured, therapeutic biopolymer, has been recently recognized as a potential anticancer compound; however, its cancer-inhibiting efficacy has been regarded as low owing to its insufficient level in serum following its conventional oral ingestion. To enhance its potency, fucoidan was applied as a biocompatible surfactant and surface-coating biopolymer in nanocarrier synthesis to manufacture coral-like, fucoidan-coated Pt nanoparticles with a rough surface morphology by a one-pot method. As a result, the biological-thermo-chemo trimodal combination treatment showed excellent therapeutic efficiency against the MDR breast cancer cell MCF-7 ADR both in vitro and in vivo, and the computed tomography contrast effect was also confirmed from the constituent element Pt. Beyond universal application in drug delivery and photothermal therapy, the present approach of applying a MDR modulating/anticancer natural product from nanoparticle synthesis to theranostics will contribute greatly to maximizing their potential through interdisciplinary convergence in the near future.

Direct Monitoring of Cancer-Associated mRNAs in Living Cells to Evaluate the Therapeutic RNAi Efficiency Using Fluorescent Nanosensor

Cancer-associated mRNA (mRNA) is an important biomarker for early diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of treatment responses. Despite recent developments in fluorescence live cell imaging, reliable detection and quantification of mRNA in living cells still remain challenging due to a complicated intracellular environment. Herein, we present a fluorescent nanosensor for live-cell monitoring of cancer-related mRNAs involved in the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The nanosensor enables rapid and accurate assessment of gene downregulation efficiency in a dose- and time-dependent manner by measuring quantitative fluorescence signal corresponding to β-catenin or its target mRNA levels in living cells. It is expected that the fluorescent nanosensor will be applicable to high-throughput screening for the efficient drug discovery and insightful understanding of the molecular mechanisms of potential drug candidate for cancer treatment.

Hydrothermal Galvanic-Replacement-Tethered Synthesis of Ir-Ag-IrO2 Nanoplates for Computed Tomography-Guided Multiwavelength Potent Thermodynamic Cancer Therapy

Beyond the synthesis of typical nanocrystals, various breakthrough approaches have been developed to provide more useful structural features and functionalities. Among them, galvanic replacement, a structural transformation reaction accompanied by constituent element substitution, has been applied to various areas. However, the innovative improvement for galvanic replacement needs to be considered because of the limitation of applicable element pairs to maintain structural stability. To expand the boundary of galvanic-replacement-mediated synthesis, we have become interested in the Group 9 metallic element Ir, which is considered a fascinating element in the field of catalysis, but whose size and shape regulation has been conventionally regarded as difficult. To overcome the current limitations, we developed a hydrothermal galvanic-replacement-tethered synthetic route to prepare Ir-Ag-IrO₂ nanoplates (IrNPs) with a transverse length of tens of nanometers and a rough surface morphology. A very interesting photoreactivity was observed from the prepared IrNPs, with Ag and IrO₂ coexisting partially, which showed photothermal conversion and photocatalytic activity at different ratios against extinction wavelengths of 473, 660, and 808 nm. The present IrNP platform showed excellent photothermal conversion efficiency under near-infrared laser irradiation at 808 nm and also represented an effective cancer treatment in vitro and in vivo through a synergistic effect with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In addition, computed tomography (CT) imaging contrast effects from Ir and IrO₂ composition were also clearly observed.

[Analysis of differential gene expressions of inflammatory and repair-related factors in chronic refractory wounds in clinic]

Objective: To compare the tissue morphology and gene expressions of inflammatory and repair-related factors in chronic refractory wound tissue including pressure ulcers and diabetic feet. Methods: During August 2016 to September 2017, 10 samples of prepuce were collected after circumcision of 10 urological patients [all male, aged (38±4) years old] admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University and included in normal skin group, samples of tissue around the edge of wounds with blood supply were collected from 9 heat or electric burn patients [6 male patients, 3 female patients, aged (51±8) years old], 13 pressure ulcer patients [9 male patients, 4 female patients, aged (51±14) years old] and 10 diabetic foot patients [8 male patients, 2 female patients, aged (61±10) years old] during the operations. The samples were divided into burn wound group (9 samples), pressure ulcer group (13 samples), and diabetic foot group (10 samples). Ten slices were taken from pressure ulcer group and diabetic foot group respectively, and 5 slices in each group were used to observe the tissue morphology and expressions of Ki67 and CD31 of wounds respectively with immunofluorescence method. Ten samples from normal skin group, 9 samples from burn wound group, 13 samples from pressure ulcer group, and 10 samples from diabetic foot group were collected for analysis of mRNA expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor 192 (VEGF192), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) , interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) by real time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Data were processed with Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. Results: (1) The expression level of Ki67 in diabetic foot group (390±100) was higher than that of pressure ulcer group (182±14, Z=-2.611, P<0.01). (2) Although there were a large number of vascular endothelial cells (CD31 positive cells) in wounds of diabetic foot group, their distribution was disordered and failed to form intact lumen. There were less vascular endothelial cells in wounds of pressure ulcer group than those of diabetic foot group, but the complete lumen was formed. (3) The mRNA expression levels of VEGF192 in wounds of burn wound group, pressure ulcer group, and diabetic foot group were significantly lower than the level in normal skin group (H=13.72, 30.50, 15.20, P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the level was the lowest in pressure ulcer group. The mRNA expression level of VEGF192 in wounds of pressure ulcer group was significantly lower than that of diabetic foot group (H=15.30, P<0.01). Compared with that of normal skin group, the mRNA expression level of TGF-β in wounds of burn wound group showed no significant difference (H=-9.50, P>0.05), while the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β in wounds of pressure ulcer group and diabetic foot group were significantly decreased (H=18.04, 14.50, P<0.01). The mRNA expression level of TGF-β in wounds of pressure ulcer group was similar to that of diabetic foot group (H=3.54, P>0.05). (4) Compared with those of normal skin group, the mRNA expression levels of VCAM-1 in wounds of burn wound group and pressure ulcer group were significantly increased (H=-22.50, -11.50, P<0.05 or P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in the mRNA expression level of VCAM-1 in wounds of diabetic foot group (H=10.00, P>0.05); the mRNA expression level of ICAM-1 in wounds of burn wound group showed no significant difference (H=-9.50, P>0.05), and the levels of ICAM-1 in wounds of pressure ulcer group and diabetic foot group were significantly decreased (H=16.50, 16.50, P<0.01). The mRNA expression level of VCAM-1 in wounds of pressure ulcer group was significantly higher than that of diabetic foot group (H=-21.50, P<0.01), the mRNA expression level of ICAM-1 in wounds of pressure ulcer group was similar to that of diabetic foot group (H=0, P>0.05). (5) Compared with those of normal skin group, except for the mRNA expression level of IL-1β in wounds of diabetic foot group showed no significant difference (H=-10.00, P>0.05), the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β in wounds of burn wound group and pressure ulcer group were significantly increased (H=-32.50, -21.50, P<0.01); the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 were significantly increased in wounds of burn wound group, pressure ulcer group, and diabetic foot group (H=-17.50, -30.50, -11.80, P<0.05 or P<0.01); except for the mRNA expression level of TNF-α in wounds of burn wound group showed no significant difference (H=-9.50, P>0.05), the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α in wounds of pressure ulcer group and diabetic foot group were significantly decreased (H=18.04, 14.50, P<0.01). The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in wounds of pressure ulcer group were significantly lower than those of burn wound group (H=11.00, 27.54, P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the mRNA expression level of IL-6 was significantly higher (H=-13.00, P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in wounds of diabetic foot group were significantly lower than those of burn wound group (H=22.50, 24.00, P<0.01), while the mRNA expression level of IL-6 showed no significant difference (H=5.70, P>0.05). Conclusions: The phenotypes of diabetic foot and pressure ulcer vary from the expressions levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and blood vessels forming ability to the expression levels of growth factors, cell adhesion factors, and inflammatory cytokines.

Synthesis of biologically-active reduced graphene oxide by using fucoidan as a multifunctional agent for combination cancer therapy

A therapeutic reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is synthesized by using fucoidan (Fu) as the reducing and surface functionalizing agent. The synthesized Fu-RGO exhibits promising characteristics for therapeutic applications such as high dispersity in aqueous media, biocompatibility, selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells, high loading capacity of the anticancer drug, and photothermal conversion effect. Therefore, Fu-GO is successfully harnessed as a combinatorial cancer treatment platform through bio-functional (Fu), chemo (doxorubicin (Dox)) and photothermal (RGO with near-infrared irradiation) modalities.

Synthesis of porous Pd nanoparticles by therapeutic chaga extract for highly efficient tri-modal cancer treatment

Porous palladium nanoparticles were designed and synthesized to maximize the pharmacological activity of the chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) extract, which has anticancer and antibacterial activities. In the present study, we synthesized anisotropic porous Pd nanostructures with ultraviolet-visible-near infrared whole wavelength region absorption using chaga extract concentration-dependent reductant-mediated synthesis. The porous Pd nanoparticles exhibited a surface chaga extract-derived anticancer effect, controlled delivery of doxorubicin through electrostatic interaction, and a photothermal conversion effect under 808 nm laser irradiation. The combined application of the three cancer treatment approaches clearly demonstrated the feasibility of synergistic tri-modal therapy. The present platform using Pd, which is a key constituent element of nanocatalysts but is not commonly used in biological applications, suggests numerous applications utilizing Pd nanostructures, as well as the potential development of new cancer therapies.

Design rules for a tunable merged-tip microneedle

This publication proposes the use of an elasto-capillarity-driven self-assembly for fabricating a microscale merged-tip structure out of a variety of biocompatible UV-curable polymers for use as a microneedle platform. In addition, the novel merged-tip microstructure constitutes a new class of microneedles, which incorporates the convergence of biocompatible polymer micropillars, leading to the formation of a sharp tip and an open cavity capable of both liquid trapping and volume control. When combined with biocompatible photopolymer micropillar arrays fabricated with photolithography, elasto-capillarity-driven self-assembly provides a means for producing a complex microneedle-like structure without the use of micromolding or micromachining. This publication also explores and defines the design rules by which several fabrication aspects, such as micropillar dimensions, shapes, pattern array configurations, and materials, can be manipulated to produce a customizable microneedle array with controllable cavity volumes, fracture points, and merge profiles. In addition, the incorporation of a modular through-hole micropore membrane base was also investigated as a method for constitutive payload delivery and fluid-sampling functionalities. The flexibility and fabrication simplicity of the merged-tip microneedle platform holds promise in transdermal drug delivery applications.

Investigation on vascular cytotoxicity and extravascular transport of cationic polymer nanoparticles using perfusable 3D microvessel model

Vascular networks are the first sites exposed to cationic polymer nanoparticles (NPs) administered intravenously, and thus function as a barrier for NPs reaching the target organ. While cationic polymer NPs have been intensively studied as non-viral delivery systems, their biological effects in human microvessels have been poorly investigated due to a lack of appropriate in vitro systems. Here, we employed a three-dimensional microvessel on a chip, which accurately models in vivo conditions. An open and perfused microvessel surrounded by pericytes was shown to reproduce the important features of living vasculature, including barrier function and biomarkers. Using this microvessel chip, we observed contraction of the microvascular lumen induced by perfused polyethylenimine (PEI)/DNA NPs. We demonstrated that the oxidative stress present when microvessels were exposed to PEI NPs led to rearrangement of microtubules resulting in microvessel contraction. Furthermore, the transcytotic behavior of PEI NPs was analyzed in the microvessel by monitoring the escape of PEI NPs from the microvascular lumen into the perivascular region, which was not possible in two-dimensional culture systems. With our new understanding of the different behaviors of cationic polymer NPs depending on their transcytotic route, we suggest that caveolae-mediated transcytosis is a powerful route for efficient extravascular transport.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Microvascular networks are not only biological system constituting largest surface area in the body and but also first site exposed to nanoparticle in vivo. While cationic polymer NPs have been intensively studied as non-viral delivery systems, its biological effects in human microvessel have been poorly investigated due to lack of appropriate in vitro systems. Here, we microengineered an open and perfused 3D pericyte incorporated microvessel model which possesses same morphological characteristic of in vivo. Using the microengineered model, this study represents the first report of transcytotic behavior of NPs in 3D microvessel, and its effect on extravasation efficiency. Our study lays the groundwork for the integration of innovative technologies to examine blood vessel-nanoparticle interaction, which a critical but ill-defined phenomenon.

Morphology-Controlled Synthesis of Rhodium Nanoparticles for Cancer Phototherapy

Rhodium nanoparticles are promising transition metal nanocatalysts for electrochemical and synthetic organic chemistry applications. However, notwithstanding their potential, to date, Rh nanoparticles have not been utilized for biological applications; there has been no cytotoxicity study of Rh reported in the literature. In this regard, the absence of a facile and controllable synthetic strategy of Rh nanostructures with various sizes and morphologies might be responsible for the lack of progress in this field. Herein, we have developed a synthetic strategy for Rh nanostructures with controllable morphology through an inverse-directional galvanic replacement reaction. Three types of Rh-based nanostructures-nanoshells, nanoframes, and porous nanoplates-were successfully synthesized. A plausible synthetic mechanism based on thermodynamic considerations has also been proposed. The cytotoxicity, surface functionalization, and photothermal therapeutic effect of manufactured Rh nanostructures were systematically investigated to reveal their potential for in vitro and in vivo biological applications. Considering the comparable behavior of porous Rh nanoplates to that of gold nanostructures that are widely used in nanomedicine, the present study introduces Rh-based nanostructures into the field of biological research.

Revisiting of Pd Nanoparticles in Cancer Treatment: All-Round Excellence of Porous Pd Nanoplates in Gene-Thermo Combinational Therapy

Gold nanomaterials are commonly used in biomedical applications owing to their excellent biocompatibility and unique physicochemical and optical properties, whereas Pd nanomaterials are mainly used as catalysts. Here, we re-examined the possible applications of Pd nanomaterials. Reducing agent-assisted excessive galvanic replacement-mediated porous Au nanoplates, porous Pt nanoplates, and porous Pd nanoplate synthesis enabled us to compare the properties and efficiency of nanoplates composed of three metal elements (Au, Pt, and Pd). According to our analytical results, porous Pd nanoplates exhibited exceptional all-round excellence in photothermal conversion, therapeutic gene loading/releasing, cytotoxicity, and in vitro combination cancer treatment. We believe that this discovery broadens the potential applications of metal nanomaterials, with an emphasis on more efficient biomedical applications in limited conventional fields.

Productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay as the sole forage

Groundwater depletion is one of the most pressing issues facing the dairy industry in arid regions. One strategy to improve the industry's drought resilience involves feeding drought-tolerant forage crops in place of traditional forage crops such as alfalfa and corn silage. The objective of this study was to assess the productivity of lactating dairy cows fed diets with teff hay (Eragrostis tef) as the sole forage. Teff is a warm-season annual grass native to Ethiopia that is well adapted to drought conditions. Nine multiparous Holstein cows (185 ± 31 d in milk; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 18-d periods (14 d acclimation and 4 d sampling). Diets were either control, where dietary forage consisted of a combination of corn silage, alfalfa hay, and native grass hay, or 1 of 2 teff diets (teff-A and teff-B), where teff hay [13.97 ± 0.32% crude protein, dry matter (DM) basis] was the sole forage. All 3 diets were formulated for similar DM, crude protein, and nonfiber carbohydrate concentrations. Control and teff-A were matched for concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from forage (18.2 ± 0.15% of DM), and teff-B included slightly less, providing 16.6% NDF from forage. Dry matter intake, milk and component production, body weight, body condition score, as well as DM and NDF digestibility were monitored and assessed using mixed model analysis, with significance declared at P < 0.05. Treatment had no effect on dry matter intake (28.1 ± 0.75 kg/d). Similarly, treatment had no effect on milk production (40.7 ± 1.8 kg/d). Concentrations of milk fat (3.90 ± 0.16%) and lactose (4.68 ± 0.07%) were also unaffected by treatment. Teff-A and teff-B increased milk protein concentration compared with the control (3.07 vs. 3.16 ± 0.09%). Treatment had no effect on energy-corrected milk yield (43.4 ± 1.3 kg/d), body weight, or body condition score change. Additionally, treatment had no effect on total-tract DM or NDF digestibility. Results from this study indicate that teff hay has potential to replace alfalfa and corn silage in the diets of lactating dairy cattle without loss of productivity.

Barrier to autointegration factor 1, procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 3, and splicing factor 3b subunit 4 as early-stage cancer decision markers and drivers of hepatocellular carcinoma

An accurate tool enabling early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is clinically important, given that early detection of HCC markedly improves survival. We aimed to investigate the molecular markers underlying early progression of HCC that can be detected in precancerous lesions. We designed a gene selection strategy to identify potential driver genes by integrative analysis of transcriptome and clinicopathological data of human multistage HCC tissues, including precancerous lesions, low- and high-grade dysplastic nodules. The gene selection process was guided by detecting the selected molecules in both HCC and precancerous lesion. Using various computational approaches, we selected 10 gene elements as a candidate and, through immunohistochemical staining, showed that barrier to autointegration factor 1 (BANF1), procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 3 (PLOD3), and splicing factor 3b subunit 4 (SF3B4) are HCC decision markers with superior capability to diagnose early-stage HCC in a large cohort of HCC patients, as compared to the currently popular trio of HCC diagnostic markers: glypican 3, glutamine synthetase, and heat-shock protein 70. Targeted inactivation of BANF1, PLOD3, and SF3B4 inhibits in vitro and in vivo liver tumorigenesis by selectively modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell-cycle proteins. Treatment of nanoparticles containing small-interfering RNAs of the three genes suppressed liver tumor incidence as well as tumor growth rates in a spontaneous mouse HCC model. We also demonstrated that SF3B4 overexpression triggers SF3b complex to splice tumor suppressor KLF4 transcript to nonfunctional skipped exon transcripts. This contributes to malignant transformation and growth of hepatocyte through transcriptional inactivation of p27^Kip1 and simultaneously activation of Slug genes.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest molecular markers of BANF1, PLOD3, and SF3B4 indicating early-stage HCC in precancerous lesion, and also suggest drivers for understanding the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. (Hepatology 2018;67:1360-1377).

Development of Dual-Pore Coexisting Branched Silica Nanoparticles for Efficient Gene-Chemo Cancer Therapy

Various strategies for combination therapy to overcome current limitations in cancer therapy have been actively investigated. Among them, simultaneous delivery of multiple drugs is a subject of high interest due to anticipated synergistic effect, but there have been difficulties in designing and developing effective nanomaterials for this purpose. In this work, dual-pore coexisting hybrid porous silica nanoparticles are developed through Volmer-Weber growth pathway for efficient co-delivery of gene and anticancer drug. Based on the different pore sizes (2-3 and 40-45 nm) and surface modifications of the core and branch domains, loading and controlled release of gene and drug are achieved by appropriate strategies for each environment. With excellent loading capacity and low cytotoxicity of the present platform, the combinational cancer therapy is successfully demonstrated against human cervical cancer cell line. Through a series of quantitative analyses, the excellent gene-chemo combinational therapeutic efficiency is successfully demonstrated. It is expected that the present nanoparticle will be applicable to various biomedical fields that require co-delivery of small molecule and nucleic acid.

Development of Dual-Pore Coexisting Branched Silica Nanoparticles for Efficient Gene-Chemo Cancer Therapy

Various strategies for combination therapy to overcome current limitations in cancer therapy have been actively investigated. Among them, simultaneous delivery of multiple drugs is a subject of high interest due to anticipated synergistic effect, but there have been difficulties in designing and developing effective nanomaterials for this purpose. In this work, dual-pore coexisting hybrid porous silica nanoparticles are developed through Volmer-Weber growth pathway for efficient co-delivery of gene and anticancer drug. Based on the different pore sizes (2-3 and 40-45 nm) and surface modifications of the core and branch domains, loading and controlled release of gene and drug are achieved by appropriate strategies for each environment. With excellent loading capacity and low cytotoxicity of the present platform, the combinational cancer therapy is successfully demonstrated against human cervical cancer cell line. Through a series of quantitative analyses, the excellent gene-chemo combinational therapeutic efficiency is successfully demonstrated. It is expected that the present nanoparticle will be applicable to various biomedical fields that require co-delivery of small molecule and nucleic acid.

Synthesis of Fluorescent Au Nanocrystals-Silica Hybrid Nanocomposite (FLASH) with Enhanced Optical Features for Bioimaging and Photodynamic Activity

Fluorescent Au nanocrystals (AuNCs)-silica hybrid nanocomposite (FLASH) was synthesized by co-condensation of surface-modified AuNCs. Present FLASH nanocomposite exhibited four times the enhanced photoluminescence and photocatalytic activity compared to single nanocrystals. On the basis of these enhanced optical features, we successfully demonstrated in vitro fluorescence bioimaging of introduced FLASH to human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). Beyond the confirmation of photocatalytic activity from the photodegradation of methylene blue as a model compound, the regional selective photodynamic therapy of HeLa cells under UV irradiation was also presented. Taken together the enhanced optical features and further potential in theranostic applications, we expect that the present FLASH can be a promising tool for nanobiotechnology field.

Liposomal co-delivery-based quantitative evaluation of chemosensitivity enhancement in breast cancer stem cells by knockdown of GRP78/CLU

Resistance to chemotherapy is a key factor in the inefficacy of various forms of treatments for cancer. In the present study, chemo-resistant proteins, including glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78)/clusterin (CLU) targeted 1,2-dioleoyloxy-3-trimethylammoniumpropane (DOTAP) liposomes, were developed as a delivery system for co-delivery of camptothecin (CPT) and GRP78 siRNA/CLU siRNA. Their drug/gene co-deliveries were quantitatively assessed in cancer stem cells (CSC) and MCF-7 cells. DOTAP-CPT/siRNA were prepared via electrostatic interaction on GRP78 siRNA or CLU siRNA. The size and ζ-potential of liposomes and lipoplexes were measured by dynamic light scattering techniques and electrophoretic light scattering spectrophotometry. The lipoplexes formation was tested by using gel electrophoresis. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the expression level of CLU and GRP78 were significantly elevated in CSC compared to MCF-7 cells. Transfection and drug-delivery efficiency of DOTAP-CPT/siRNA were quantitatively compared with Lipofectamine 2000. Compared to free CPT, DOTAP-CPT-siCLU delivery in CSC and MCF-7 cells increased transfection efficiency and chemo-sensitivity by 4.1- and 5.9-fold, respectively. On the other hand, DOTAP-CPT-siGRP78 delivery increased transfection efficiency and chemo sensitivity by 4.4- and 6.2-fold in CSC and MCF-7 cells, respectively, compared to free CPT. It is significant that 3 ± 1.2-fold increase in transfection efficiency was achieved by lipofectamine. Consequently, an increase in anti-cancer/gene silencing efficacy was quantitatively observed as an effect of DOTAP-CPT/siRNA treatment, which was relatively higher than lipofectamine treatment. Conclusively, our experimental data quantitatively demonstrate that using DOTAP-CPT-siRNA specifically targeting (CSCs) chemo-resistant protein in vitro offers substantial potential for synergistic anti-cancer therapy.

Highly Efficient and Rapid Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Based on Retinoic Acid Encapsulated Porous Nanoparticle

An improved cell conversion strategy for neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells is developed by incorporating functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) as an efficient delivery carrier of retinoic acid (RA), which is a pleiotropic factor required for initiation of neural differentiation. Traditional RA-mediated neural differentiation methods required either preactivation of the cells to the differentiating state by embryoid body (EB) formation or repetitive treatment of the differentiation factor. Our modified cell conversion system involves only singular treatment of the RA/MSN complex, which simplified the whole process and accelerated neural induction to be finished within 6 days with high quality. With our new method, neural cells were successfully derived from mES cells with stable expression of neurite marker gene.

Reducing Agent-Assisted Excessive Galvanic Replacement Mediated Seed-Mediated Synthesis of Porous Gold Nanoplates and Highly Efficient Gene-Thermo Cancer Therapy

Porous Au nanoplates (pAuNPs) were manufactured by a reducing agent-assisted galvanic replacement reaction on Ag nanoplates using a seed-mediated synthetic approach. Two core additives, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and l-ascorbic acid, prevented fragmentation and proceeded secondary growth. By controlling the concentration of the additives and the amount of replacing ion AuCl₄^-, various nanostructures including nanoplates with holes, nanoframes, porous nanoplates, and bumpy nanoparticles with unity and homogeneity were synthesized. The present synthetic method is advantageous, because it can be used to manufacture pAuNPs with ease, robustness, and convenience. The prepared pAuNPs exhibited a highly efficient photothermal conversion effect and cargo loading capacity on exposed surfaces by Au-thiol linkage. By using dual cargo mixed loading of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) targeting gene drug DNAzyme and cell-penetrating peptide TAT onto the surface of the pAuNPs and photothermal conversion-mediated hyperthermic treatment, successful gene-thermo therapy against HCV genomic human hepatocarcinoma cells were demonstrated.

Quantum-dot nanoprobes and AOTF based cross talk eliminated six color imaging of biomolecules in cellular system

Primary cell cultures mimic the physiology and genetic makeup of in-vivo tissue of origin, nonetheless, a complication in the derivation and propagation of primary cell culture limits its use in biological research. However, in-vitro models using primary cells might be a complement model to mimic in vivo response. But, conventional techniques such as western blot and PCR employed to study the expression and activation of proteins requires a large number of cells, hence repeated establishment and maintenance of primary culture are unavoidable. Quantum dot (Q-dot) and acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) based multiplex imaging system is a viable alternative choice to evaluate multiple signaling molecules by using a small number of cells. Q-dots have broad excitation and narrow emission spectra, which allows to simultaneously excite multiple Q-dots by using single excitation wavelength. The use of AOTF in the fluorescence detection system enables to scan the fluorescence emission intensity of a Q-dot at their central wavelength, this phenomenon effectively avoids spectral overlap among the neighboring Q-dots. When Q-dots are conjugated with antibodies it acts as effective sensing probes. To validate this, the expression pattern of p-JNK-1, p-GSK3β, p-IRS1ser, p-IRS1tyr, p-FOXO1, and PPAR-γ, involved in the insulin resistance were concurrently monitored in adipocyte and HepG2 co-cell culture model. The observed results clearly indicate that PPAR-γ is the critical component in the development of insulin resistance. Moreover, the results proved that developed Q-dot based AOTF imaging methodology is a sensible choice to concurrently monitor multiple signaling molecules with limited cell population.