Dual Effects of NV-CoV-2 Biomimetic Polymer: An Antiviral regimen against COVID-19

Remdesivir (RDV) is the only antiviral drug so far approved for COVID-19 therapy by the FDA. However its efficacy is limited in vivo due to its low stability in presence of plasma. This paper compared the stability of RDV encapsulated with our platform technology based polymer NV-387 (NV-CoV-2), in presence of plasma in vitro and in vivo . Furthermore, a non-clinical pharmacology studies of NV-CoV-2 (Polymer) and NV-CoV-2-R (Polymer encapsulated Remdesivir ) in both NL-63 infected and uninfected rats were done. In an in vitro cell culture model experiment, antiviral activity of NV-CoV-2 and NV-CoV-2-R are also compared with RDV.

Biomimetic Cascade Polymer Nanoreactors for Starvation and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

The selective disruption of nutritional supplements and the metabolic routes of cancer cells offer a promising opportunity for more efficient cancer therapeutics. Herein, a biomimetic cascade polymer nanoreactor (GOx/CAT-NC) was fabricated by encapsulating glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT) in a porphyrin polymer nanocapsule for combined starvation and photodynamic anticancer therapy. Internalized by cancer cells, the GOx/CAT-NCs facilitate microenvironmental oxidation by catalyzing endogenous H2O2 to form O2, thereby accelerating intracellular glucose catabolism and enhancing cytotoxic singlet oxygen (1O2) production with infrared irradiation. The GOx/CAT-NCs have demonstrated synergistic advantages in long-term starvation therapy and powerful photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment, which inhibits tumor cells at more than twice the rate of starvation therapy alone. The biomimetic polymer nanoreactor will further contribute to the advancement of complementary modes of spatiotemporal control of cancer therapy.

Liquid–Solid Core-Shell Microcapsules of Calcium Carbonate Coated Emulsions and Liposomes

Micron-sized core-shell particles consisting of a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral shell and a fluidic core were generated using a biomimetic approach, for the purpose of use as biodegradable microcapsules for release of active agents. Dinoflagellate cysts, unicellular organisms which deposit a protective hard mineral shell around their soft and fluidic cellular interior, served as our inspiration. Using the biomimetic polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) mineralization process, calcium carbonate coatings were deposited on charged emulsion droplets and liposomes. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and confocal fluorescence microscopy were used to demonstrate that smooth CaCO3 mineral coatings can be deposited onto the high curvature surfaces of emulsions and liposomes to yield micron-sized microcapsules for the effective entrapment of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic active agents. These biodegradable and biocompatible CaCO3 microcapsules are novel systems for producing a powdered form of fluid-containing capsules for storage and transport of pharma/chemical agents. They may be used in lieu of, or in conjunction with, existing microcapsule delivery approaches, as well as providing a convenient foundation for which polymeric coatings could be further applied, allowing for more complex targeting and/or chemical-release control.

Comprehensive O-glycosylation analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious public health threat. Most vaccines being developed against SARS-CoV-2 target the highly glycosylated spike protein (S). A good knowledge of the glycosylation profile of this protein is key for successful vaccine development. Unlike the 22 confirmed N-glycosylation sites (NGSs) on the SARS-CoV-2 S, only a few O-glycosylation sites (OGSs) on this protein have been reported. This difference is mainly ascribed to an extremely low O-glycosylation stoichiometry. Herein, we comprehensively analyzed the O-glycosylation profile of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S employing biomimetic polymer consisting of Trp-Arg monomer. Twenty-six OGSs and 33 O-linked glycans (OLGs) in the SARS-CoV-2 S were unambiguously identified, among which 24 OGSs and 25 OLGs are novel to the SARS-CoV-2 S. Our study reveals the comprehensive O-glycosylation profile of the SARS-CoV-2 S, which might shed light on viral pathobiology and assist in vaccine development.

Change the Laminin, Change the Cardiomyocyte: Improve Untreatable Heart Failure

No effective medical treatment exists for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), accounting for approximately half of all heart failure cases. The elevated passive myocardial stiffness in HFpEF is attributed to a combination of alterations in the extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen content and modifications in the sarcomeric protein titin. Here, we propose polylaminin, a biomimetic polymer of laminin, as a promising approach for manipulating the titin isoform shift and phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes. Exploring the pleiotropic effects of polylaminin may be a novel strategy for alleviating symptoms in HFpEF’s multifactorial pathophysiology.