Bioengineered最新文献

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are responsible for elevated rates of morbidity and mortality, causing around of 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide. One of the main causative agents of IFIs is Candida albicans, and non-albicans Candida species have emerged as a spreading global public health concernment. Furthermore, COVID-19 has contributed to a boost in the incidence of IFIs, such as mucormycosis, in which Rhizopus oryzae is the most prevalent causative agent. The effector host immune response against IFIs depends on the activity of T cells, which are susceptible to the regulatory effects triggered by fungal virulence factors. The fungal cell wall plays a crucial role as a virulence factor, and its remodeling compromises the development of a specific T-cell response. The redirection of Jurkat T cells to target Candida spp. by recognizing targets expressed on the fungal cell wall can be facilitated using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology. This study generated an M-CAR that contains an scFv with specificity to α-1,6 mannose backbone of fungal mannan, and the expression of M-CAR on the surface of modified Jurkat cells triggered a strong activation against Candida albicans (hyphae form), Candida tropicalis (hyphae form), Candida parapsilosis (pseudohyphal form), and Candida glabrata (yeast form). Moreover, M-CAR Jurkat cells recognized Rhizopus oryzae spores, which induced high expression of cell activation markers. Thus, a novel Mannan-specific CAR enabled strong signal transduction in modified Jurkat cells in the presence of Candida spp. or R. oryzae.

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone alterations, leading to chronic pain and joint dysfunction. Conventional treatments provide symptomatic relief but fail to halt disease progression. Recent advancements in biomaterials, molecular signaling modulation, and gene-editing technologies offer promising therapeutic strategies. This review explores key molecular pathways implicated in osteoarthritis, including fibroblast growth factor, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, and bone morphogenetic protein signaling, highlighting their roles in chondrocyte survival, extracellular matrix remodeling, and inflammation. Biomaterial-based interventions such as hydrogels, nanoparticles, and chitosan-based scaffolds have demonstrated potential in enhancing cartilage regeneration and targeted drug delivery. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing holds promise in modifying osteoarthritis-related genes to restore cartilage integrity. The integration of regenerative biomaterials with precision medicine and molecular therapies represents a novel approach for mitigating osteoarthritis progression. Future research should focus on optimizing biomaterial properties, refining gene-editing efficiency, and developing personalized therapeutic strategies. The convergence of bioengineering and molecular science offers new hope for improving joint function and patient quality of life in osteoarthritis management.

Fiberbanks are organic-rich sediment deposits in aquatic environments, primarily formed through historical pulp and paper mill activities. These deposits consist of wood-derived fibrous materials and are contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) such as vanadium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. The leaching of these contaminants into surrounding waters poses significant environmental and health risks, impacting aquatic ecosystems and potentially entering the food chain. Effective remediation of fiberbanks is crucial, particularly in Sweden and other regions with extensive wood-pulping industries. This study aims to evaluate the bioaccumulation capacities of 26 native Swedish white-rot fungi (WRF) species for the remediation of PTEs in fiberbank material. Fiberbank samples were collected from Sundsvall's Bay in the Baltic Sea, while the fungal species were isolated from boreal forests in Västernorrland, Sweden. The fungi were cultured on Hagem agar medium with sterilized fiberbank material as the substrate. After two months, fungal biomass was analyzed for PTE uptake using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results revealed significant variability (p < 0.001) in PTE uptake among fungal species. Phlebia tremellosa consistently demonstrated the highest bioconcentration factors for analyzed elements, with values for V (0.39), Cr (0.10), Co (1.81), Cu (1.54), Pb (1.65), Ni (1.28), As (0.83), Zn (3.61), and Cd (5.56). Other species, including Laetiporus sulphureus (0.09-4.78), Hymenochaete tabacina (0.08-4.52), and Diplomitoporus crustulinus (0.08-4.48), also exhibited significant bioremediation potential. These findings highlight the potential of native WRF species for PTEs remediation in fiberbanks and provide a foundation for mycoremediation strategies in contaminated environments.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a sustainable technology that converts organic waste into renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies suggest that adding CO₂ to the AD process can improve methane production through different mechanisms. This review examines four key ways CO₂ supplementation can enhance methane yield: (1) direct conversion of CO₂ into acetate by homoacetogens, (2) direct methanation of CO₂ by hydrogenotrophic methanogens, (3) improved breakdown of organic material due to higher enzyme activity, and (4) better digester conditions through pH regulation and reduced ammonia toxicity. By analyzing microbial interactions and process improvements, this paper highlights knowledge gaps and the need for further research to optimize CO₂ addition in different operational settings. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of cost-effective and efficient AD systems that support energy recovery and environmental sustainability.

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), the main by-product of mushroom cultivation, is a source of sugars that can be released by saccharification. This work aimed at investigating the enzymatic saccharification of the polysaccharides of the SMS of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) and exploring the lignin extraction from the saccharification residues. First, analytical enzymatic saccharification (AES) with a cellulase cocktail and an experimental hemicellulase-rich preparation was applied. AES revealed higher digestibility of both polysaccharides for shiitake SMS than for oyster mushroom SMS. Using the cellulase cocktail, shiitake SMS resulted in a digestibility above 80% and 70% (w/w) for cellulose and xylan, respectively, while the maximum values for oyster mushroom SMS were 52% and 32% (w/w). The experimental enzyme preparation resulted in lower cellulose digestibility and higher xylan digestibility. Still, the saccharification trend between the two SMS types remained unchanged. To enhance the enzymatic saccharification of oyster mushroom SMS, hydrothermal treatment was applied. The treatment improved the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose by up to 84%. A validation experiment at larger scale showed that hydrothermally treated oyster mushroom SMS had a comparable overall conversion with non-treated shiitake SMS. Following a biorefinery strategy, lignin was extracted from the residues of the preparative enzymatic saccharification using the green solvent γ-valerolactone under different temperatures and holding times. The extracted product contained 98.8% lignin and did not contain cellulose or xylan. The results of this study provide the grounds for biorefinery processes enabling recovery of bioactive compounds, fermentable sugars, and high-quality lignin from SMS.

Conventional treatment for esophageal defects involves surgical removal of the defect area and implant conduit tissues. There exist morbidities and mortalities associated with the treatment including fistula and leakage leading to compromise in quality of life. The aim of this study was to optimize a method for complete decellularization of rat esophagus and to solubilize the decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) proteins to evaluate in vitro properties for scaffold fabrication. For decellularization, rat esophagi were decellularized using 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) buffers for 6 h and overnight, respectively. Post decellularization, the tissue was characterized for DNA, glycosaminoglycans, and elastin quantification; H&E and Masson's trichrome staining; scanning electron microscopy; and SDS-PAGE to evaluate the quantity and quality of the obtained dECM. DNA quantification and histological analysis revealed complete decellularization, while the retention of sGAGs and elastin showed the presence of extracellular proteins in the tissue. The SEM analysis revealed proper orientation of the extracellular matrix and significant proteins were retained in the dECM, which will enhance the regenerative potential. The decellularized tissues were biocompatible, exhibited no toxicity and were also soluble, which can be adapted for scaffold fabrication.

Anaerobic fermentation (AF) processes are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, which can influence the microbial activity and overall metabolic performances. Anaerobic reactors can face unforeseen temperature control failures, leading to instabilities in the process. The present study investigated the effect of two short-term temperature perturbations (down to 20°C and 15°C) on AF of food wastes (FWs). While 20°C did not exhibit a negative impact on AF performance maintaining the bioconversion yields over 40%, the reactor subjected to 15°C presented an acidogenic limitation, which decreased the bioconversion yields (36.4 ± 1.8%). As a result, 2.2 ± 0.5 g/L of succinic acid was accumulated in the reactor, being identified as a temperature failure indicator. Once the conditions were reestablished (operation temperature of 25ºC), the metabolic redundancies identified in the reactors allowed the AFs recovery to initial fermentation yields. 20°C was further tested as operational temperature resulting in stable bioconversion yield similar to the Control Reactor (43.2 ± 0.3%). These results showed the feasibility of conducting AF under low temperatures, indicating the potential of this technology to increase the cost-effectiveness of AF at psychrophilic conditions.

Taylor & Francis journal Bioengineered has been targeted by paper mills. Our goal is to identify problematic articles published in Bioengineered during the period 2010 to 2024. Dimensions was used to search for articles that contained the terms 'mouse' OR 'mice' OR 'rat' OR 'rats' in title or abstract, published in Bioengineered between January 1st 2010 to December 31st 2024. All articles were assessed by eye and by using software to detect inappropriate image duplication and manipulation. An article was classified as problematic if it contained inappropriate image duplication or manipulation or had been previously retracted. Problematic articles were reported on PubPeer by the authors if they had not been reported previously. All included articles were assessed for post-publication editorial decisions. We have excluded all articles published in 2024 from further analysis, as these were all retraction notices. We assessed the remaining 878 articles, of which 226 (25.7%) were identified as problematic, of which 35 had been previously retracted. One retracted article was later de-retracted. One article received a correction. None of the included articles received an expression of concern or the Taylor & Francis 'under investigation' pop-up. Taylor & Francis' lack of visible editorial action has left the scientific community vulnerable to reading and citing hundreds of problematic articles published in Bioengineered. To uphold scientific integrity, Taylor & Francis should use the findings of this study as a starting point to systematically identify all compromised articles in Bioengineered and take appropriate editorial action.