ACS Applied Bio Materials最新文献

Cyanide (CN^–) is a highly toxic anion with significant environmental and biological implications, necessitating the development of sensitive and selective detection platforms. In this work, we reported the design and synthesis of a novel excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)-based chemosensor (TSB) derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole. Computational studies, including time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), reduced density gradient scatter plots, and simulated infrared spectra, reveal the prevalence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds that facilitate the ESIPT phenomenon. The chemosensor elicits a naked-eye response against CN^– ions in CH₃CN:H₂O (4:1, v/v), exhibiting a color change from colorless to yellow. Meanwhile, “turn-on” behavior was observed in fluorescence spectroscopy with a change in color to teal, after the introduction of CN^– ions, allowing real-time monitoring of the ion. The designed chemosensor demonstrates high selectivity for CN^– over other common anions, with a low detection limit of 0.41 μM. Mechanistic investigations using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared analysis, along with DFT analysis, confirm a deprotonation-driven interaction and enhanced hydrogen bonding in the excited state. A binding constant of 1.98 × 10⁵ M^–1 and 1:1 stoichiometry were determined. Additionally, the chemosensor-coated paper strips exhibit significant changes on the introduction of CN^– at different concentrations under ultraviolet light, revealing its utility for test strip development. Also, its application was found in the development of a molecular keypad lock. This study presents a powerful ESIPT-based sensor platform with theoretical and practical relevance for CN^– detection in semiaqueous environments.

Liquid metal is considered an intelligent material capable of responding to environmental changes, and its applications in the biomedical field have been widely explored. In this work, we have developed a gallium–indium alloy nanomaterial (EGaIn-PEG NPs) as an intelligent platform for precise tumor photothermal therapy. Our research demonstrates that EGaIn-PEG NPs exhibit excellent computed tomography (CT) imaging contrast performance. Furthermore, under 1064 nm laser irradiation, EGaIn-PEG NPs show efficient heating effects, high photothermal conversion efficiency, and stability, enabling CT-guided tumor NIR-II photothermal therapy. This work promises to offer insights into the application of liquid metals for NIR-II tumor photothermal therapy.

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality among women worldwide, emphasizing the need for early, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic tools. In this study, we report a low-cost, paper-based electrochemical aptasensor for the specific detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), a critical biomarker associated with breast cancer progression. The sensor was fabricated on a carbon screen-printed paper electrode (CSPPE) modified with Ti₃C₂T_x MXene, a two-dimensional transition metal carbide providing excellent conductivity and abundant surface sites for aptamer immobilization. The HER-2-specific aptamer was covalently attached onto the MXene surface via EDC-NHS coupling, and methylene blue (MB) served as a redox mediator to monitor binding events. The developed biosensor exhibited excellent analytical performance, achieving a wide linear detection range from 10 fg/mL to 100 μg/mL, a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.3 fg/mL, a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 28.4 fg/mL and a sensitivity of 10.05 μA/fg/mL/mm². Furthermore, the aptasensor demonstrated high selectivity, reproducibility, and operational stability, maintaining its sensing performance for up to one month under ambient storage conditions. The integration of MXene’s superior electrical conductivity with a disposable paper-based platform presents a highly promising approach for point-of-care HER-2 detection, contributing toward accessible, rapid, and cost-effective breast cancer diagnostics.

Chronic inflammation plays a critical role in breast cancer progression by promoting immune suppression, angiogenesis, and metastasis. However, conventional therapies often fail to address this inflammatory microenvironment and may even intensify it, limiting treatment efficacy. This study aims to develop stable liquid-metal eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) nanoparticles modified with 4-nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate (4NT) which was then further modified with gold nanoparticles (Au) and folic acid (FA) to achieve EGaIn-4NT@Au-FA nanoparticles. With anti-inflammatory property, EGaIn-4NT@Au-FA demonstrated synergistic breast cancer treatment through Au-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) and folate-targeted delivery. These nanoparticles exhibited approximately 50% uptake by MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and reduced their viability to below 30% under 808 nm laser irradiation. A single intravenous injection of EGaIn-4NT@Au-FA followed by laser exposure elevated tumor temperatures to ∼85 °C in BALB/c nude mice, resulting in significant tumor growth inhibition in vivo. Tumor growth in treated mice was inhibited by around 50% by day 12 compared to controls, and PCNA-positive proliferative cell rates dropped from 91.86% to 10.65% by day 3. Serum analysis also showed marked reductions in inflammatory cytokines shortly after treatment, indicating systemic immunomodulation. FA modification enhanced nanoparticle accumulation in tumors via receptor-mediated endocytosis, improving therapeutic precision and minimizing off-target effects. In this design, 4NT functions as a multifunctional surface modifier that refines the particle size, hydrophilicity, and colloidal stability of EGaIn nanoparticles. After nitro-to-amine conversion, the 4NT layer also provides reactive anchors for dense Au deposition and subsequent FA conjugation. An EGaIn-4NT@Au-FA-based multifunctional nanoplatform, as an effective nanomedicine, enables efficient integration of targeting, photothermal, and anti-inflammatory functions within a single nanoplatform.

Due to its hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, PEGylated graphene oxide (GO-PEG) has been reported as a potential nanocarrier for anticancer therapeutic agents. Alpha lipoic acid (α-LA), a cofactor in multienzyme complexes, plays a central role in mitochondrial energy metabolism. In this study, we first observed that GO-PEG could rapidly enter rat cardiomyocyte H9C2 cells and colocalize with mitochondria by confocal laser microscopy using Rhodamine B (RhB) as a probe. Next, α-LA was loaded onto GO-PEG-RhB through π–π stacking and hydrophobic interactions, forming a GO-PEG-RhB/α-LA complex with a 21.4% loading rate and 42.8% encapsulation efficiency. In vitro assays showed that GO-PEG-RhB/α-LA significantly mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction compared with free α-LA in a hypoxia-induced H9C2 cell model treated with CoCl₂ via the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and biogenesis signaling pathways. GO-PEG-RhB/α-LA clearly showed better mitochondrial targeting and α-LA release in mitochondria than free α-LA. After oral administration in a hypoxia-induced mouse model, GO-PEG-RhB/α-LA again showed a better recovery effect on hypoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction than free α-LA. Taken together, our data demonstrate the feasibility of GO-PEG as a nanocarrier for mitochondrial-targeted drugs. This work broadens the application of graphene-based nanocarriers in biomedical fields.

3D bioprinting has revolutionized wound management by addressing the clinical challenges posed by chronic wounds and acute skin defects. While traditional skin substitutes serve critical roles in wound healing, current research focuses on optimizing bioprinting techniques, bioink formulations, and functional biological dressings to enhance tissue regeneration. The field is rapidly advancing through integration with nanotechnology, organoid technology, and microfluidics, while emerging approaches such as AI-assisted, in situ, and 4D bioprinting offer new therapeutic dimensions. This technological evolution necessitates continued innovation to overcome the existing limitations in clinical translation.

The reduced graphene oxide quantum dots developed using a biobased reducing agent from pristine graphene oxide exhibit a broad-spectrum fluorescence emission, attributed to the incorporation of multiple active functional moieties derived from the bioextract of Lawsonia inermis. These surface functional groups serve as key binding sites for selective analyte interaction. In this work, we have synthesized bioreduced graphene quantum dots for the sensing of the epinephrine hormone, which is important for regulating respiratory function, physiological stress response function, and blood redistribution function of the human body. In their zero-dimensional form, graphene-based materials exhibit both fluorescence and electrical conductivity arising from surface plasmon resonance and a high surface-to-volume ratio. We have harnessed both of these properties to develop a multimodal sensor system that demonstrates a ratiometric fluorescence response due to the inner filter effect alongside an enhanced electrical conductivity driven by ionic motion. A flexible cellulose filter-paper strip has been used as a platform for efficient charge transport through facile adsorption fluorescence color detection. For stable and reliable current conduction, the paper strip is coated with a biopolymer composite of optimized proportions. For practical application, we have fabricated a mobile-phone-assisted portable sensor system employing cost-effective materials and common electrical components. This smart sensor can visually distinguish variations in the RGB color intensity of the sensing solution at different epinephrine concentrations. The system exhibits consistent and high-sensitivity performance across various biological fluids, including blood serum, urine, and sweat with limits of detection of 0.23, 0.17, and 44.6 nM for fluorescence, electrical, and smart sensing methods, respectively. Overall, this study introduces a novel, multifunctional biosensing platform that integrates eco-friendly materials, portability, and real-time biomonitoring, paving the way for next-generation, accessible healthcare diagnostics.

Deep muscle wound healing presents significant clinical challenges due to the complex architecture of tissues, high susceptibility to infection, and often prolonged regenerative processes, particularly following trauma or surgical interventions. To overcome limitations associated with conventional dressings such as poor adherence, mechanical weakness, and frequent replacements, we developed a self-adhering multifunctional composite hydrogel system integrating amyloidogenic bovine serum albumin (BSA) fibrils with fenugreek seed extract (FE). The hydrogel was engineered in two topical formulations: a mechanically robust patch and a spreadable ointment. This multifunctional platform combines the structural integrity and biocompatibility of amyloid fibrils with the bioactive antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties of fenugreek phytochemicals. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization confirmed successful hydrogelation with porous microstructures (50–200 μm) conducive to cellular infiltration and moisture retention. FTIR and rheological analyses revealed significant intermolecular interactions and tunable viscoelastic solid-like behavior. The patch demonstrated superior mechanical strength and adhesion, whereas the ointment offered facile application to irregular wound contours. Both formulations exhibited approximately 87% free radical scavenging capacity, potent antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and excellent biocompatibility with >95% viability of human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. In a rabbit full-thickness muscle wound model, both treatments accelerated wound closure, achieving complete epithelialization by day 21, with minimal fibrosis and well-organized collagen regeneration. Importantly, the patch’s self-adhering property obviated the need for secondary dressings. This study introduces a promising therapeutic hydrogel system with potential for clinical translation in managing complex musculoskeletal wounds.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a prevalent form of hair loss primarily affecting younger individuals, remains a significant therapeutic challenge due to the lack of effective treatments. The pathogenesis of AGA is driven by the interaction between androgen receptors (AR) and androgens, as well as by dysregulation of the follicular ecological niche resulting from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and insufficient vascularization in the perifollicular microenvironment. Given the multifactorial nature of AGA, a multi-target therapeutic strategy, rather than a single-target approach, has emerged as a promising method to enhance treatment efficacy. In this study, we developed nanoliposomes (NLPs) formulation by self-assembling AR-PROTAC (ARV110) and NFKBIZ siRNA (siNFKBIZ) into nanoparticles, followed by surface modification with liposomes. This design simultaneously targets AR degradation and alleviates oxidative stress, thereby improving the follicular microenvironment and promoting hair regrowth. The NLPs formulation effectively addresses the challenge of delivering payloads to keratinocytes (HaCaT), facilitates efficient skin penetration, scavenges excess ROS, and inhibits the inflammatory response in hair follicles. Additionally, NLPs downregulate AR protein expression to modulate hair growth-associated signaling pathways, achieving a multimodal synergistic therapeutic effect for AGA. Our design offers an effective multi-target strategy for AGA, resulting in enhanced therapeutic effects for hair loss treatment.

Controlled assembly of nanoparticles into higher-order structures is of great interest, because such materials have the potential to exhibit collective properties distinct from those of individual particles. Introducing the capability for reversible assembly and disassembly behavior in response to an environmental stimulus further enables the development of stimulus-responsive smart array materials. In this study, we demonstrate the reversible assembly of protein building blocks into higher-order structures mediated by the oxidation and reduction of thiol groups incorporated into a linker protein. As the building block, we utilized the P22 virus-like particle (VLP), a 60 nm cage-like protein derived from bacteriophage P22 that can encapsulate a variety of cargo molecules. The linker was derived from the decoration (Dec) protein, a homotrimeric protein that binds to symmetry-specific sites on the exterior surface of the matured form of the P22 capsid. We engineered a Dec mutant, DecS134C, by replacing the C-terminal amino acid of Dec with cysteine, enabling the formation of a “back-to-back” dimer (Dec–S–S–Dec) through disulfide bond formation that functions as a ditopic linker. Because each P22 VLP presents 80 Dec binding sites, Dec–S–S–Dec dimers cross-link P22 VLPs to form higher-order three-dimensional arrays. The disulfide bonds in the linkers are cleaved and reformed upon reduction and oxidation, respectively, leading to the reversible disassembly and reassembly of higher-order VLP arrays controlled by redox conditions. Under optimal conditions, disassembly and reassembly were completed within 30 and 5 min, respectively. This study demonstrates a redox-controlled strategy for the reversible assembly and disassembly of VLP-based materials and provides a versatile platform for constructing stimulus-responsive protein array materials.