The Application of Nanozymes in the Diagnosis and Treatment of TUMOR: A Review

Nanozyme is a kind of nanomaterial with simulated enzyme activity. Due to its high catalytic efficiency, better stability and modifiability, the role of nanozymes in medicine, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, is receiving more and more attention. Nanozymes usually contain metals and are often used in combination with drugs or antigens/antibodies to become multifunctional materials for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. At present, the detailed synthesis, classification and function of nanozymes need to be supplemented. In our review, we introduce the research status, synthesis and classification of nanozymes roundly. Then we summarized and introduced some characteristic nanozymes according to their functions, mainly including tumor diagnosis, tumor therapy, tumor surgical adjuvant therapy and multifunctional complexes. We believe that many breakthroughs have been made in the research of nanozymes, and more and more multifunctional nanozymes have been studied. However, there are still some shortcomings in the current research on nanozymes such as the lack of solutions to some of the insufficient properties of nanoparticles, like spontaneous aggregation, nonspecific phagocytosis, etc. At the same time, the catalytic reaction is relatively simple, which limits the further application of nanozyme. In our review, we made our own comments and prospects on the diagnostic, therapeutic and application of nanozymes. In the future, nanozymes will play an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors due to their potential modifiability and versatility as well as their increasingly perfect physicochemical properties.

Cell-Incorporated Bioactive Tissue Engineering Scaffolds made by Concurrent Cell Electrospinning and Emulsion Electrospinning

Electrospun fibrous scaffolds attract great attention in tissue engineering owing to their high similarity in architecture to the extracellular matrix (ECM) that support cell attachment and growth in human bodies. Although they have shown superiority in promoting cell attachment and proliferation on their surfaces and hence, hold great promise for the regeneration of body tissues, the research still faces a great challenge of three-dimensional (3D) cell incorporation in electrospun scaffolds to form thick and cell-dense constructs because deep cell infiltration is hard to achieve in conventional electrospun scaffolds that normally have very small diameters of interconnected pores. Such hindrance has severely limited the clinical application of electrospun fibrous scaffolds to repair/regenerate various body tissues, particularly those with complex anatomies. To address this challenge, we have developed a concurrent cell electrospinning and emulsion electrospinning technique for fabricating bioactive bio-hybrid scaffolds with 3D and high-density cell incorporation. Through concurrent electrospinning, cell-encapsulated hydrogel fibers (“cell fibers”) and growth factor-containing ultrafine fibers are simultaneously deposited to form two-component scaffolds (i.e., scaffolds composed of two types of fibers) according to the design. With the breakup of cell fibers, live cells with well-preserved cell viability are released in situ inside the scaffolds, resulting in the creation of cell-incorporated bioactive scaffolds with ECM-mimicking fibrous architectures and 3D and high-density incorporation of cells. The growth and functions of incorporated cells in the scaffolds can be enhanced by the released growth factor from the emulsion electrospun fibrous component. The bioactive bio-hybrid scaffolds fabricated via concurrent electrospinning mimic the cell-matrix organization of body tissues and therefore have great potential for regenerating body tissues such as tendon and ligament.

Predictive Modeling and Correlated Response Optimization of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-Based Bio-Nano-Composite Material Using a Hybrid Module

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is commonly known as bone cement, having good biocompatibility, mechanical qualities. It is extensively used in the biomedical sector as a synthetic bone material, orthopedic surgery and dental applications. However, some primary machining is required to achieve the tailored shape, size and finish before application in the human body. This study focuses on the machining (drilling) behavior of the developed PMMA-based Hydroxyapatite (PMMA-HA) bio-nano- composites. The machining efficiency and parametric control were estimated using a combined principal component analysis (PCA) module and evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS). The Hydroxyapatite (HA) weight percentage (wt.%), spindle speed (SPEED) and tool material (TOOL) viz. HSS, Carbide and TiAlN are chosen according to the Taguchi-based experimental array. The objective is to get the best possible machining responses, such as the material removal rate (MRR), mean surface roughness (Ra) and circularity error ([Formula: see text] using the PCA-EDAS hybrid module. The optimal condition is found as the HSS drilling bit, 10%[Formula: see text]wt.%, SPEED-1428[Formula: see text]rpm with an improvement of 30.53%, 21.15% and 41.9% in MRR, Ra and [Formula: see text]-ERROR, respectively. The microstructural investigation scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows the excellent morphology and quality of the drilled hole in the proposed composites. Also, an X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the prepared sample was done to ensure the proper reinforcement. The flexural test shows a significant expansion in the mechanical property due to the presence of HA in PMMA

Ultrasound-Induced Microbubble Cavitation Combined with Paclitaxel-Loaded Nanoparticles for the Elimination of PC-3 Cells in vitro

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and its metastases are the main reasons for the high mortality of prostate cancer. Currently, paclitaxel (PTX)-based chemotherapeutics are used as first-line drugs to treat CRPC, but this treatment does not show good effects and is accompanied by serious side effects, which may be because intravenously injected chemotherapeutic drugs have difficulties gathering at the tumor site. Therefore, a safe and effective drug delivery carrier is urgently needed to enhance the therapeutic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs against CRPC. Methoxy polyethylene glycol-polylacticco-glycolic acid-polylysine (mPEG-PLGA-PLL) nanoparticles (NPs) have shown high drug encapsulation efficiency and good therapeutic effects against ovarian cancer and pancreatic cancer, but there are few studies on their treatment against CRPC. To expand the applications of mPEG-PLGA-PLL NPs, in this study, mPEG-PLGA-PLL NPs loaded with PTX (PTX-NPs) were synthesized. The synthesized PTX-NPs had a uniform particle size and no obvious aggregation. PTX-NPs can be uptaked by PC-3 cells, which significantly promotes the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis effects of PTX on cells and reduces the expression levels of CDK6, Cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 (cyclins and an apoptosis inhibitor), and these effects can be further enhanced by ultrasound-induced microbubble cavitation (UIMC). Our research provides a new nanocarrier for the treatment of CRPC, laying the foundation for further research in the future.

Core-Shell Structured Theranotics

Cancer threatens the life and well-being of human beings. Millions of newly diagnosed cancer cases and a large number of deaths caused by cancer are reported each year in the world. Early detection and effective treatment are key to reduce cancer mortality, which can be potentially realized by using “theranostics”. Theranostics are a group of hybrid nanoparticles that perform in cancer patients to provide both diagnostic and therapeutic functions through a single nano-sized structure. In particular, core-shell structured theranostics have shown unique physicochemical properties, allowing them to facilitate molecular/cell targeting, bio-imaging, and drug delivery functions. This review, therefore, aims to present and discuss the recent development of research on core-shell structured theranostics. Specifically, it focuses on core-shell structured theranostics made of metals, silica and polymers. Different aspects, such as synthesis and structure, of core-shell structured theranostics are discussed in this review. This review helps readers to have a good understanding of the design and fabrication of core-shell structured theranostics.

Electrospinning and Electrospraying with Cells for Applications in Biomanufacturing

Biomanufacturing of cell-laden scaffolds with biomimetic cell-scaffold organizations resembling the structures and anatomy of human body tissues and organs holds great promise in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In human body tissues and organs, specific types of cells are supported by nanofibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) in well-defined three-dimensional (3D) manners. Electrospinning is a facile and effective technique for producing nanofibrous scaffolds, which exhibit high similarities in the structure compared to ECM that offers structural and mechanical supports to cells in the human body. The incorporation within the electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds has therefore been considered as a promising approach for biomanufacturing of cell-laden scaffolds with tissue-mimicking structures. However, limited by low controllability of conventional cell seeding strategies and small sizes of interconnected pores of normal electrospun scaffolds, it is highly difficult to incorporate living cells within electrospun scaffolds on demand and results in cell-laden scaffolds with desirable 3D cell-scaffold organization. With recent advances in electrospinning and electrospraying with cells, it is visible to directly incorporate living cells within scaffolds via cell microencapsulation approaches and therefore offer promising alternatives for biomanufacturing of cell-laden scaffolds with tissue-mimicking structures. In this review, we will summarize the applications and challenges of cell seeding strategies and cell microencapsulation technologies for incorporating cells within electrospun scaffolds. Some techniques with high potentials to be integrated with electrospinning for forming the cell-laden scaffolds in continuous and noncontact manners, including aerodynamic-assisted cell microencapsulation, hydrodynamic-assisted cell microencapsulation and electrohydrodynamic-assisted cell microencapsulation (i.e., cell electrospinning and cell electrospraying), are highlighted. In particular, the cell microencapsulation and the subsequent formation of cell-laden scaffolds directly by electrospinning and electrospraying with living cells are overviewed in a detailed manner. Finally, the perspective and challenges of electrospinning and electrospraying with cells for biomanufacturing of cell-laden scaffolds with tissue-mimicking structures are discussed.

Research Advances in COPD Drugs and Novel Targets

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third-most deadly disease in the world and will be a major healthcare problem for decades to come. Its etiology is mainly related to the exposure to cigarette smoke and poisonous gases, and the infections of viruses including COVID-19 induce acute exacerbation of COPD, which may cause death in patients. Few advances have been made in COPD pathological mechanism, and the current clinical treatment strategies focus on both bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory interventions; but with limited clinical therapeutic agents, COPD therapies still lack more drugs especially those that antagonize COPD-specific inflammatory responses. We review the COPD clinically applied drugs, and the progress of research on new drugs and related novel targets, including [Formula: see text] agonists and anti-muscarinic drugs for airway diastole, glucocorticoids and phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors for anti-inflammatory, protease inhibitors, emerging antioxidants, adhesion factor inhibitors, growth factor antagonists, adenylate cyclase agonists, chemokine antagonists, etc. We thus provide insights on the COPD new drugs research and development.