Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine最新文献

Combining decellularized biological scaffolds with PRP can prevent the rapid inactivation of growth factors and achieve their controlled and sustained release during tissue regeneration. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of decellularized bovine pericardium (dBP) and leukocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma (LR-PRP) on the bone repair in a rabbit femoral defect model. Bovine pericardium was decellularized using the Trypsin-Triton X-SDS protocol and histologically assessed. Unicortical bone defects were surgically created in the femur of rabbits (n = 6) and randomly assigned to three treatment allocations: (1) untreated control, (2) LR-PRP, and (3) LR-PRP + dBP-treated defects. Bone defect healing was evaluated using quantitative computed tomography (CT) and histopathological analyses. The dBP achieved 99.2% nucleus removal, retained about 34.3% of the sulfated glycosaminoglycan, and maintained a collagen content similar to the native pericardia. The CT voxel values of the defects treated with the LR-PRP + dBP increased by +33.2% and +56.2% at 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, respectively, compared to the control defects. As well, a significant rise in the CT values was observed in the LR-PRP + dBP treatment compared to the LR-PRP treatment alone at 2 weeks (p = 0.03) and 4 weeks (p = 0.02). Histopathologically, the LR-PRP + dBP treatment achieved higher bone repair scores with a significantly higher nascent bone area fraction (87.8%) compared to the LR-PRP (54%). These findings highlight the synergistic effect of dBP and LR-PRP, offering promising prospects in developing biocompatible scaffolds for enhancing bone repair.

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Chitosan (CS)-based hydrogel films have attracted intense and increasing interest for healing burn wounds owing to their strong biocompatibility and hemostatic potential. However, conventional CS hydrogels suffer from poor mechanical strength and structural instability under exudate exposure, limiting their clinical efficacy. Herein, a floccule self-deposition/redissolution strategy is implemented to develop a flexible and transparent CS-based hydrogel film with enhanced hemostasis and wound healing properties. Acetic acid is used to redissolve CS floccules, expanding intermolecular distances to reduce intramolecular hydrogen bonds and expose more bioactive amino groups. Glycerin is incorporated as a plasticizer to enhance the mechanical properties. The as-prepared CS-based hydrogel film exhibits higher mechanical flexibility (~72% elongation at break) in dry conditions and maintains its structural integrity for 24 h in wet environments. It also exhibits a higher hemostatic ability (~122 s) than a traditional unprocessed CS-based hydrogel film (~315 s). A second-degree partial thickness burn wound model confirms that the CS-based hydrogel film can significantly regulate the inflammatory response and accelerate the collagen deposition, thus promoting wound closure and healing. Overall, this study provides a facile approach to prepare CS-based hydrogel films with promising potential as dressings for burn wound healing.

The major loss of cardiomyocytes caused by several cardiovascular diseases as myocardial infarction, increases the incidence of heart failure. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapies that can enhance angiogenesis and decrease the rate of cardiac cell apoptosis. The use of nanoparticles that can passively target infarcted myocardium can be appealing. Icariin is a natural product with various cardioprotective properties that can be encapsulated within nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) to enhance its therapeutic effect. Incorporating bioactive excipients such as omega-3 oils and bromelain into the NLC formulation can potentiate its cardioreparative effects. Therefore, the use of such nanoformulation can be an attractive option to minimize cardiac damage. Optimized bromelain-coated and uncoated NLCs loaded with icariin were successfully developed, demonstrating efficient bromelain surface modification, high drug entrapment, and a favorable release profile. In vitro experiments using doxorubicin (DOX)-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes highlighted the superior cellular uptake of NLCs compared to the free solution. Notably, pretreatment with optimized bromelain-coated and uncoated icariin-loaded NLCs significantly improved cell viability and reduced apoptotic rates, indicating their potential role in cardioprotection. The therapeutic effect of NLCs was markedly enhanced relative to free icariin, demonstrating the added value of nano-formulation. Combination index (CI) analysis using Compusyn further verified the synergistic interaction between nano-formulated icariin and bioactive excipients, enabling improved therapeutic outcomes with lower effective doses. These findings highlight the potential of NLC-based delivery systems in counteracting doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, supporting further preclinical studies for clinical translation.

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This study investigated the impact of particle size refinement on the hydration rate, permeability, and antimicrobial properties of tricalcium silicate (C₃S) in root canal applications. Four C₃S pastes with varying particle sizes were prepared and evaluated. Hydration experiments indicated that finer particles accelerated the early hydration rate, though agglomeration effects influenced the long-term behavior. Permeability assessments using simulated body fluid and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that smaller particles achieved significantly greater penetration depth and area into dentinal tubules. Antimicrobial tests against Enterococcus faecalis demonstrated that the 0.4 μm C₃S group exhibited superior bactericidal efficacy, with a notable improvement in penetration and antibacterial activity compared to the 12.8 μm group. These findings suggest that particle size reduction enhances the functional performance of C₃S-based sealers in endodontic therapy.

Melanoma is an aggressive malignancy that requires novel treatment strategies. Herein, we developed a multi-walled carbon nanotube-based nanoplatform (MWCNTs/HSA-DOX) co-loaded with human serum albumin and doxorubicin for combinatorial therapy. The nanocomplexes served as highly effective photothermal agents, elevating the temperature to 52.8 °C upon NIR irradiation, and also displayed pH-sensitive drug release. In vitro studies against B16F10 melanoma cells demonstrated potent synergistic effects: the system achieved significant cell killing (viability <50% at 50 μg/mL) and promoted marked apoptosis, as evidenced by the profound upregulation of key pro-apoptotic proteins (caspase-3: 1.85-fold; Bax: 2.26-fold) and downregulation of Bcl-2 (0.44-fold). Our work highlights MWCNTs/HSA-DOX as a promising nanomedicine that successfully integrates photothermal ablation with controlled chemotherapy to trigger enhanced apoptotic death in melanoma cells.

Biomaterials based on carbohydrate polymers, particularly modified polysaccharides, are gaining attention for cancer treatment due to their diverse properties and performance in clinical applications. While research on polysaccharides like chitosan and alginate is abundant, studies on chemically functionalized derivatives are limited. These derivatives, such as fucoidan, sulfated polysaccharides from brown seaweeds, offer minimal side effects and suitable drug release profiles. Fucoidan exhibits various biological activities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, making it a promising candidate for cancer diagnosis and therapy. This review is the first to comprehensively explore the applications of fucoidan in combating cancer, focusing on its ability to inhibit tumor growth, induce cell death, and modify the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, the review discusses nanostructured chemically modified fucoidan-based biomaterials, which show potential for hydrogel engineering and enhanced drug delivery systems. These advancements highlight the significance of chemical modifications and mechanistic insights into targeted drug delivery and controlled release rates. Incorporating fucoidan into nanocarriers improves its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and structural stability, facilitating surface modifications that enhance targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy. This integrated approach of combining fucoidan’s natural properties with nanotechnology presents innovative therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes while minimizing side effects.

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Chronic osteomyelitis remains a major challenge in orthopedic therapy. Developing a biodegradable, non-toxic material capable of providing sustained antibiotic release has emerged as a promising approach for localized antibiotic delivery in managing this condition. In this study, copper-tannic acid (CuTA) nanosheets were synthesized and employed as a coating material for vancomycin, resulting in the formation of vancomycin@CuTA (Van@CuTA) nanocomposites. The morphological and structural characterization of CuTA and Van@CuTA was performed using various techniques. The sustained release behavior of vancomycin, and in vitro effects of Van@CuTA on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) viability, osteogenesis, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) angiogenesis were systematically investigated. A rabbit model of chronic osteomyelitis was established to assess the therapeutic effect of Van@CuTA, in combination with fibrin gel, in controlling infection, preventing bone destruction, and inhibiting the progression of chronic osteomyelitis. The characterization results confirmed the formation of Van@CuTA nanocomposites. In vitro experiments revealed that Van@CuTA enabled gradual vancomycin release, effectively suppressed MRSA growth, and demonstrated no toxicity to BMSCs. Furthermore, Van@CuTA significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and improved angiogenesis in HUVEC. The in vivo studies demonstrated that Van@CuTA coated with fibrin gel ameliorated the appearance of local infection, reduced bone structural damage, and diminished inflammatory infiltration within the bone marrow in the rabbit model of chronic osteomyelitis. Current findings indicated that CuTA nanosheets served as a promising in-situ antibiotic carrier for sustained release in chronic osteomyelitis treatment. Van@CuTA demonstrated improved antibacterial properties, enabled sustained vancomycin release, and promoted both osteogenesis and angiogenesis, leading to its preliminary therapeutic efficacy in rabbit models of chronic osteomyelitis and strong potential for clinical application in osteomyelitis treatment.

The aim of this study was to systematically compare standard detergents for the generation of Decellularization Vascular Grafts (DVG) in terms of their influence on vascular key characteristics. The most common enzymatic and chemical detergents for decellularization were identified from literature, standardized and included: i) Trypsin, ii) Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS)- and iii) Triton X-100. All protocols were applied to porcine vessels and the manufactured DVG were analyzed for histological, ultrastructural morphology and biomechanical characteristics. Further, DVG were seeded with Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) and cultured in a bioreactor to investigate biocompatibility after decellularization. Anti-Coagulation properties were assessed by the Chandler Loop model and a platelet-activation–assay. The Trypsin and SDS treatment were the most effective protocols in terms of tissue clearance but both impaired the ultrastructural integrity of the vessel wall in contrast to the Triton X-100 treatment. Moreover, biomechanical characteristics in the test stand did not differ significantly across the applied protocols but treatment of DVG with Trypsin was associated with a reduced Young’s modulus and injuries in the vessel wall in a pulsatil flow model after 30 d. Moreover, coagulation was decreased in the Trypsin-treated group and was slightly increased in the SDS group but no significant difference towards the control group was noted. DVG after Triton X-100 treatment were the only ones capable for successful cell seeding. The here presented experimental data emphasized the main advantages and disadvantages of the most common enzymatic and chemical detergents for the manufacturing of DVG.

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Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a natural polyphenol, has garnered significant attention in oncology for its multifaceted antitumor mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, angiogenesis suppression, and immunomodulation. Despite its therapeutic potential, clinical translation remains constrained by pharmacokinetic limitations such as rapid metabolism, poor aqueous solubility, and low bioavailability. Recent advancements in biomaterial-based co-delivery systems have emerged as a transformative strategy to circumvent these challenges while amplifying tumor-specific cytotoxicity. By integrating resveratrol with chemotherapeutics, photothermal agents, metal complexes, or covalent organic frameworks (COFs), these systems synergistically enhance therapeutic efficacy through improved drug stability, targeted delivery, and stimuli-responsive release. Furthermore, multifunctional platforms combining photothermal ablation, ROS modulation, and immunotherapy exhibit promise in overcoming multidrug resistance and reprogramming immunosuppressive microenvironments. However, critical gaps persist in understanding structure-activity relationships, long-term biosafety profiles, and clinical scalability. This review comprehensively summarizes the current progress in resveratrol co-delivery systems, emphasizing their mechanisms, preclinical outcomes, and technological innovations. Future directions should prioritize interdisciplinary approaches, including AI-driven nanomaterial design, pharmacogenomic stratification, and biomarker-driven clinical trials, to bridge the gap between preclinical promise and therapeutic reality. By harmonizing resveratrol’s phytochemical efficacy with advanced biomaterial engineering, these co-delivery systems hold transformative potential for precision oncology.

The development of durable and biocompatible implant materials remains a critical challenge in the field of biomedical engineering, particularly for dental and orthopedic applications. In this study, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings with varying molar percentages were deposited on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates using the plasma spraying technique. Structural analysis via X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the presence of both transformable and non-transformable phases, with the latter offering enhanced phase stability advantageous for biomedical use. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the cross-sectional morphology revealed that the 5 M% YSZ coating exhibited uniform thickness, low porosity, and absence of cracks, indicating good coating integrity. In vitro hemocompatibility tests with human blood demonstrated a hemolytic ratio below 5%, meeting the threshold for non-hemolytic biomaterials. Antibacterial assays showed notable inhibition against Escherichia coli, with moderate activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Cytocompatibility was evaluated using MG-63 osteoblast-like cells, where the 5 M% YSZ composite exhibited non-toxic behavior up to 250 µg/mL after 24 h of exposure. Mechanical testing further confirmed the coating’s properties under simulated physiological conditions. These findings suggest that 5 M% YSZ plasma-sprayed coatings present a promising candidate for long-term dental and orthopedic implant applications, owing to their favorable mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties.