Gold nanoparticles with high biocompatibility and immunomodulatory properties have potential applications in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for nanomedicine. Nanoparticles targeting macrophages can manipulate or control immunological diseases. This study assessed the activity of dendrimer-encapsulated gold nanodots (AuNDs) with three surface modifications [ie, outfacing groups with primary amine (AuNDs-NH2), hydroxyl (AuNDs-OH), and quaternary ammonium ions (AuNDs-CH3)] regulated macrophage function and antioxidant response through Nrf2-dependent pathway.

AuNDs were prepared and characterized. Intracellular distribution of AuNDs in human macrophages was observed through confocal microscopy. The activity of AuNDs was evaluated using macrophage functions and antioxidant response in the human macrophage cell line THP-1.

AuNDs-NH2 and AuNDs-CH3, but not AuNDs-OH, drove the obvious Nrf2-antioxidant response element pathway in THP-1 cells. selleck Of the three, AuNDs-NH2 considerably increased mRNA levels and antioxidant activities of heme oxygenase 1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 in THP-1 cells. IL-6 mRNA and protein expression was mediated through Nrf2 activation in AuNDs-NH2-treated macrophages. Furthermore, Nrf2 activation by AuNDs-NH2 increased the phagocytic ability of THP-1 macrophages.

AuNDs-NH2 had immunomodulatory activities in macrophages. The findings of the present work suggested that AuNDs have potential effects against chronic inflammatory diseases via the Nrf2 pathway.

AuNDs-NH2 had immunomodulatory activities in macrophages. The findings of the present work suggested that AuNDs have potential effects against chronic inflammatory diseases via the Nrf2 pathway.

The uptake pathway of liposomes into cells is mainly via endocytosis or membrane fusion; however, the relationship between the uptake pathway and the intracellular pharmacokinetics of the liposome components remains unclear. This study aimed at revealing the relationship by using cationic liposomes having similar physical properties and different uptake pathways.

We prepared cationic liposomes composed of amino acid-type lipids, K3C14 and K3C16, which have different uptake pathways by a hydration method, and fluorescently modified them by encapsulating FITC-dextran and surface conjugation with Alexa Fluor

488 (AF488). Then, we investigated their intracellular distribution in HeLa cells over time.

The liposomes had similar physical properties and did not cause significant cell mortality after treatment for 180 min. The delivery rate and efficiency of encapsulated FITC-dextran with the fusogenic K3C16 liposomes were 3 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, than with the endocytic K3C14 liposomes. FITC-dextran molecules delivered with K3C16 liposomes were observed throughout the cytosolic space after 10 min, while those delivered with K3C14 liposomes were mainly observed as foci and took 60 min to diffuse into the cytosolic space. K3C14 lipids modified with AF488 were distributed mostly in the cytosolic space. In contrast, fluorescently labeled K3C16 lipids were colocalized with the plasma membrane of 50% of the HeLa cells after 10 min and were gradually internalized intracellularly.

Fusogenic K3C16 liposomes internalized into HeLa cells faster than endocytic K3C14 liposomes, and their components differently distributed in the cells.

Fusogenic K3C16 liposomes internalized into HeLa cells faster than endocytic K3C14 liposomes, and their components differently distributed in the cells.

Cancer tissue-specific and nuclei-targeted drug delivery is ideal for the delivery of chemotherapy. However, it has only been achieved in in vitro studies mainly due to low efficiency in vivo. In this study, we aimed to establish an efficient dual-targeted system that targets liver cancer tissue as well as the nuclei of cancer cells in vivo.

We first synthesized TAT peptide (TATp)-mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) complex (TATp-MSN) and generated liposomes that carried liver cancer-specific aptamer TLS11a (TLS11a-LB). We then generated the drug TLS11a-LB@TATp-MSN/doxorubicin (DOX) by mixing TLS11a-LB and DOX-loaded TATp-MSN. After physical and chemical characterization of the nanoparticles, DOX release from these formulations was evaluated at pH 5.0 and 7.4. Furthermore, we also evaluated nuclear localization and cytotoxicity of the drug in H22 cells in vitro and investigated the liver cancer targeting and antitumor activities of the nano-drug in vivo using a H22 tumor-bearing mice model.

TLS11a-LB@TLS11a-LB@TATp-MSN/DOX can efficiently deliver DOX to the nuclei of liver cancer cells by dual targeting liver cancer tissue and the nuclei of the cancer cells in mice. link2 Thus, it is a promising nano-drug for the treatment of liver cancer.

Auraptene (AUR), a natural bioactive prenyloxy coumarin, is a highly pleiotropic molecule that can bind to the MT1 receptor and can effectively reduce the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Cisplatin (CDDP), as the first synthetic platinum-based anticancer drug, is widely used in the clinic due to its definite mechanism and therapeutic effect on diverse tumors. However, both of AUR and CDDP exhibit some disadvantages when used alone, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, lack of selectivity and systemic toxicity when they are used singly.

Therefore, the biodegradable materials hyaluronic acid (HA) and β-cyclodextrin derivative (mono-(6-amino-mono-6-deoxy)-β-CD, CD) were employed as carriers to load AUR and CDDP to form nanogel (

HA-CD@AUR) capable of dual-targeted delivery and synergistic therapy for breast cancer and cell imaging.

With the help of the CDDP-crosslinked CD-loaded structure, the newly synthesized nanogel exhibited excellent physiological stability and fluorescence effects. The release of AUR and CDDP was affected by the pH value, which was beneficial to the selective release in the tumor microenvironment. Cell experiments in vitro demonstrated that the nanogel could be selectively internalized by MCF-7 cells and exhibited low cytotoxicity to HK-2 cells. Antitumor experiments in vivo showed that the nanogel have better antitumor effects and lower systemic toxicity.

Based on these, the nanogel loaded with AUR and CDDP have the potential for targeted delivery against breast cancer.

Based on these, the nanogel loaded with AUR and CDDP have the potential for targeted delivery against breast cancer.

Water contamination from dye effluents from various industrial sources has become a major challenge of the scientific community that is difficult to remediate using orthodox chemical and biological procedures. As such, there is a need for more suitable and cost-effective ways to treat such effluents. The present work describes a green-synthesis approach for preparation of three types of Ni-based oxides as effective catalytic materials to remove environmental pollutants. Metal oxide nanomaterials are cheap, abundant, and ecofriendly earth metals, and thus are promising materials for catalytic applications for environmental detoxification.

An aqueous leaf extract of

was used as a reducing agent for the synthesis of NiO, NiO-PdO, and NiO-ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The leaf extract was treated with each metal-salt precursor based on sol-gel synthesis, and then the final procured NPs were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques for structural and morphological makeup. The pure NPs were further explored for catalnent degradation percentage, and can be considered as an efficient catalytic material. Thus, we conclude that

.

-inspired catalytic material could pave the path toward environmental remediation, alternative clean energy, and other biological applications.

Although all three materials depicted the degradation potential with good stability, but the NiO-ZnO catalyst was the best catalytic material in the present investigation, with prominent degradation percentage, and can be considered as an efficient catalytic material. Thus, we conclude that P. persica-inspired catalytic material could pave the path toward environmental remediation, alternative clean energy, and other biological applications.

Malignant glioma is a fatal brain cancer. Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that exosomes can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), suggesting their potential use as drug delivery vehicles to glioma. Therefore, various loading methods of anticancer agents into exosomes have been developed. However, the loading efficiency of anticancer drugs, such as doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX), into exosomes is relatively low, thus challenging to improve the drug delivery efficiency to glioma cells (GMs) via exosomes.

To improve the loading efficiency of doxorubicin into exosomes, a microfluidic device (Exo-Load) was developed. Next, to increase the exosomal delivery of doxorubicin to GMs, autologous exosomes were used for its loading via Exo-Load. Briefly, exosomes from SF7761 stem cells-like- and U251-GMs were isolated and characterized by nano-tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and immunogold EM. Finally, doxorubicin was successfully loaded into exosomes with saponin by Exo-Lld be better for glioma drug targeting.

This study revealed that DOX and PTX could be loaded in exosomes via Exo-Load, demonstrating that Exo-Load could be a potential drug-loading device into exosomes with further optimization. This study also demonstrated that the delivery of DOX to SF7761 GMs via their daughter exosomes was much more efficient rather than U251 GMs-derived exosomes, supporting that the use of autologous exosomes could be better for glioma drug targeting.

In the current literature, there are ongoing debates on the toxicity of graphene oxide (GO) that demonstrate contradictory findings regarding its toxicity profile. As a potential drug carrier, these findings are very concerning due to the safety concerns in humans, as well as the dramatic rise of GO being excreted into the environment. Therefore, there is an imperative need to mitigate the potential toxicity of GO to allow for a safer application in the future.

The present study aims to address this issue by functionalizing GO with Pluronic F127 (PF) as a means to mitigate toxicity and resolve the biocompatibility of GO. Although results from previous studies generally indicated that Pluronic functionalized GO exhibits relatively low toxicity to living organisms, reports that emphasize on its toxicity, particularly during embryonic developmental stage, are still scarce.

In the present study, two different sizes of native GO samples, GO and NanoGO, as well as PF-functionalized GO, GO-PF and NanoGO-PF, wet toxicity is dependent on the concentration, size, and exposure period of GO. Functionalization of GO with PF through surface coating could potentially mitigate the toxicity effects of GO in embryonic developmental stages, but further investigation is warranted for broader future applications.

In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized using culture supernatant of strain

sp. ARY1, characterized and their antibacterial activity was investigated against Gram-negative bacteria

and

The strain

sp. ARY1 was isolated from river Yamuna, Delhi and used for biosynthesis of AgNPs via extracellular approach. Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). link3 Antibacterial activity of AgNPs was determined by well diffusion, broth microdilution and streaking plate assay to determine the zone of inhibition (ZOI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), respectively. The effect of AgNPs on treated bacteria was investigated by electron microscopy analysis. Further, the biocompatibility of AgNPs was tested against mice erythrocytes (RBC) by hemolytic assay.