{"title":"Mechanical Interactions Impact the Functions of Immune Cells and Their Application in Immunoengineering","authors":"Yu-Chang Chen, Nghi M. Tran, Kyle H. Vining","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500067","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500067","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Immune cells experience a wide range of modes and magnitudes of mechanical forces as they infiltrate tissues and physically interact with other cells. Biophysical forces influence cell phenotypes through mechanosensing of the cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, catch and slip bonds, and mechanically gated ion channels. As a result, different mechanical environments impact the function and expression of immune cell receptors, which subsequently affects local and systemic immune responses. Mechanical coupling of immune cell receptors can be exploited in immunoengineering applications such as adoptive cell transfer and artificial antigen-presenting cells through biomaterial systems with tunable mechanical properties that regulate receptor expression and cell activation. This review covers immune cell receptors in the adaptive and innate immune system that respond to mechanical forces and their potential to be applied for advancing current immunotherapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12381685/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saira Nujoom Muhammad, Zahara T Zakariya, Sherin Shaji, Anjali K Sunilkumar, Amal George, Sreedevi P Radhakrishnan, Shantikumar V Nair, Manzoor Koyakutty
{"title":"Injectable Immune-Engineered Hydrogel Niche Remote from the Immune Suppressed Tumor Microenvironment for Cancer Immunotherapy","authors":"Saira Nujoom Muhammad, Zahara T Zakariya, Sherin Shaji, Anjali K Sunilkumar, Amal George, Sreedevi P Radhakrishnan, Shantikumar V Nair, Manzoor Koyakutty","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500120","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500120","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Immunocompromise is a hallmark of cancer, affecting both the peripheral immune system and local tumor microenvironment (TME). Current immunotherapies like checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, and neo-antigen vaccines show limited efficacy due to severe immunosuppression in most patients. Here, an immunologically engineered injectable immunehydrogel (iHG) is reported that can: i) recruit the desired set of immune cells away from the suppressed TME and peripheral organs, ii) activate them within a protective ambit of engineered immune-stimulatory hydrogel niche, and iii) release them to target cancer even in distant locations. Biodegradable and injectable iHG compositions are tested and optimized for their ability to attract and activate dendritic cells (DC), macrophages, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, B cells, and T cells via stimulator of interferon genes (STING), TLR, CD86, and Th1-polarized cytokine pathway without requiring exogenously introduced neo-antigens as vaccines. In a mouse melanoma model, optimized iHGs elicit a robust antitumor immune response through innate and adaptive arms. Most importantly, iHGs as a single agent immunomodulator exhibit better tumor control than when combined with anti-PD1 immune checkpoint antibody. These findings highlight the potential of engineering immunologically functional and injectable hydrogel niches as a new type of immunotherapeutics to reprogram immune cells to overcome both local and systemic immunosuppression and combat cancer effectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Candela Zorzo, Lucía Rodríguez-Fernández, Emily Gabriela Castillo-Escalona, Juan A. Martínez, Laura Mañas, Natalia Arias, Jorge L. Arias
{"title":"Automated Transcranial Photobiomodulation in Healthy Rats: Effects on Working Memory and Brain Markers","authors":"Candela Zorzo, Lucía Rodríguez-Fernández, Emily Gabriela Castillo-Escalona, Juan A. Martínez, Laura Mañas, Natalia Arias, Jorge L. Arias","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500002","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500002","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses red and near-infrared light to stimulate biological processes through cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activation, enhancing ATP synthesis and neuroprotection. This study evaluates the PBM effects on spatial working memory (WM) and cellular mechanisms in healthy adult male rats, focusing on CCO activity, c-Fos, and synaptogenesis-related proteins. PBM (810 nm, 40 Hz, 20 J cm<sup>−2</sup>) is applied for five consecutive days (PBM-C) or five alternating days (PBM-A). PBM improves spatial WM in both groups compared to controls. CCO activity decreases in the prefrontal and retrosplenial cortex, as well as in the hippocampus, suggesting more efficient energy use during cognitive tasks. PBM increases c-Fos expression in the prefrontal and parietal cortex, reflecting heightened neuronal activity. Synapsin-I levels rise in the prefrontal cortex for both protocols, while PBM-C increases PSD-95 in the hippocampus. GFAP expression decreases in cortical regions with both protocols, while PBM-C increases it in the prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that PBM PBM-C enhances prefrontal and hippocampal synapses, potentially underlying observed WM improvements. This study highlights the PBM potential in modulating CCO activity and synaptic plasticity, providing a basis for identifying effective schedules and targets for WM preservation and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/adtp.202500002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mimicking Biochemical Traits with a Synthetic Lipid Nanoparticles SARS-COV-2 Model (Adv. Therap. 6/2025)","authors":"Ignasia Handipta Mahardika, Hyun Park, Eunjin Huh, Changyoon Baek, Shin-Gyu Cho, Kwang-Hwan Jung, Junhong Min, Kwanwoo Shin","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202570013","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202570013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In article 2400401, Junhong Min, Kwanwoo Shin, and co-workers present a synthetic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) virus model that mimics SARS-CoV-2 by encapsulating mRNA and nucleocapsid (N) protein, with spike (S) protein on its surface. This model replicates the virus's key biochemical traits, offering a safe, scalable platform for evaluating diagnostic tools through RT-qPCR and commercial rapid antigen kits.\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/adtp.202570013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144308898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leveraging Activatable Janus Nanoprobes for NIR-II Imaging and Enzyme-Like Activity in Monitoring Liver Fibrosis","authors":"Zhouyu Yu, Lijia Zou, Ruiqi Liu, Xiaoyan Zhang, Zhen Cheng, Si Chen, Baisong Chang","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500142","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500142","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Liver fibrosis presents a significant global health challenge due to its potential progression to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma, highlighting the necessity for precise imaging of fibrosis progression. Here, a straightforward synthesis method is proposed to design bioresponsive nanoprobes capable of achieving high-resolution bioimaging of liver fibrosis. Janus MnO<sub>2</sub>-coated Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>S nanoparticles modified by polyethylene glycol (denoted as jMAP) can inherit both the activatable properties from Ag/Ag<sub>2</sub>S and MnO<sub>2</sub> components in the pathological microenvironment. Multiple lines of evidence supported that overexpressed levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in liver fibrosis efficiently transformed jMAP nanoprobes to Ag<sub>2</sub>S products, activating bright fluorescence in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm). In addition, the catalase-like and superoxide dismutase-like activities of jMAP probes reduce hypoxia and oxidative stress with a clearance rate of about 73.3% toward ROS, thereby downregulating hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1<i>α</i>) and NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX-4) by 49.5% and 47.9%, respectively. Overall, the developed jMAP probes demonstrate impressive diagnostic accuracy, offering transformative prospects for liver fibrosis diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144833016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tumor Cell-Derived Antigens for Cancer Immunotherapy","authors":"Lishang Xu, Yanfei Liu, Fei Liu, Qiwen Chen, Mingfeng Li, Nian Liao, Nanjiang Zheng, Xiangyu Fang, Yihao Qiu, Zhenbao Liu","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500113","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500113","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Tumor vaccines have emerged as a transformative strategy in cancer immunotherapy, demonstrating substantial clinical potential. However, the genetic heterogeneity of tumor cells often leads to immune escape, limiting the effectiveness of traditional therapies that rely on a single antigen. Tumor cell-derived antigens offer a significant advantage in this regard, as they represent the unique molecular profile of the tumor, allowing for a broader and more diverse activation of the immune system. This diversity enhances the ability to overcome immune escape mechanisms, increasing the effective tumor eradication and reducing the risk of relapse. This review systematically examines two major sources of antigens: exogenous antigens, including tumor cells, tumor lysates, tumor exosomes, and tumor cell membranes, and endogenous antigens, which arise from immunogenic cell death (ICD) and possess unique advantages in eliciting strong immune activation. This work investigates synergistic therapies aimed at boosting tumor immunogenicity and counteracting the immunosuppressive microenvironment. This work reviews recent advances and challenges in tumor cell-derived antigen strategies for immune activation, emphasizing their potential to overcome limitations and facilitate the clinical translation of tumor vaccines.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elif Naz Gürsoy, Kubra Sener, M. Burcu Külahci, K. Barbaros Balabanli, Şule Coşkun Cevher
{"title":"Modern Strategies in Wound Healing: The Rise of Bacterial Cellulose Dressings","authors":"Elif Naz Gürsoy, Kubra Sener, M. Burcu Külahci, K. Barbaros Balabanli, Şule Coşkun Cevher","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500072","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500072","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Advancements in wound care have necessitated the development of innovative dressings that address the limitations of traditional options while enhancing the healing process. Bacterial cellulose (BC) stands out due to its exceptional properties, including high water retention, biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and modification adaptability. This review critically compares BC-based wound dressings with traditional and next-generation alternatives, highlighting their unique advantages and potential as ideal wound coverings. BC's ability to maintain a moist environment, promote tissue regeneration, and minimize secondary injuries during dressing changes positions it as a superior option in wound care. BC's nanoporous structure also supports its functionalization with bioactive agents, antimicrobial compounds, and advanced fabrication techniques such as 3D printing and electrospinning. These modifications allow for tailored solutions that meet specific wound care requirements. Despite high production costs and the absence of intrinsic antimicrobial properties, BC surpasses many traditional dressings by addressing key areas such as moisture retention, biocompatibility, and ease of use. This study emphasizes BC's potential to transform wound care by combining its inherent properties with innovative modifications. BC-based dressings offer promising avenues for developing more effective, tailored, and sustainable wound management strategies by bridging the gap between traditional and next-generation solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/adtp.202500072","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mücahit Varlı, Songjin Oh, Eunae Kim, Barış Gökalsın, Nüzhet Cenk Sesal, Kyung Keun Kim, Man Jeong Paik, Hangun Kim
{"title":"Disintegration of the KITENIN/ErbB4 Functional Complex by the Flavonoid Hispidulin Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Progression","authors":"Mücahit Varlı, Songjin Oh, Eunae Kim, Barış Gökalsın, Nüzhet Cenk Sesal, Kyung Keun Kim, Man Jeong Paik, Hangun Kim","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202400227","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202400227","url":null,"abstract":"<p>KITENIN (KAI1 C-terminal interacting tetraspanin, VANGL1) has oncogenic functions and plays a role in the progression of colorectal cancer by interacting with many proteins, including ErbB4, DVL2, RACK1, and KSRP. The receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4 forms a complex with KITENIN to activate the downstream AP-1 signaling axis. Therefore, disrupting this oncogenic complex is a promising therapeutic strategy. In this study, the potential therapeutic effects of the flavonoid hispidulin on the KITENIN/ErbB4 oncogenic complex and its signaling are examined. The effects of hispidulin on the KITENIN/ErbB4 oncogenic complex and colorectal cancer progression are evaluated by in vitro and in silico studies, including the investigation of oncometabolite levels. The results show that hispidulin binds to ErbB4 and blocks the interaction between KITENIN and ErbB4, thereby reducing KITENIN-mediated cell motility, AP-1 signaling, transcriptional regulator expression, aerobic glycolysis, and levels of metabolites associated with energy metabolism in colorectal cancer. In addition, hispidulin causes the lysosomal degradation of ErbB4 and KITENIN. Hispidulin has a promising therapeutic effect on signaling mediated by the KITENIN/ErbB4 oncogenic complex.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/adtp.202400227","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zakieh Sadat Hoseini, Zahra Rezaee, Atefe Derakhshani, Sai-Yang Zhang, Sahar SH Tehrani, Mohammad Taleb, Hossein Ghanbari
{"title":"Nanoparticles and Their Impact on Epigenetic Mechanisms: Insights and Implications","authors":"Zakieh Sadat Hoseini, Zahra Rezaee, Atefe Derakhshani, Sai-Yang Zhang, Sahar SH Tehrani, Mohammad Taleb, Hossein Ghanbari","doi":"10.1002/adtp.202500006","DOIUrl":"10.1002/adtp.202500006","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nanoparticles have been investigated for extensive applications across scientific disciplines, including the medical field. Despite extensive research aimed at enhancing the understanding of their intracellular behavior and the potential genomic side effects of nanoparticles, scientists have paid relatively little attention to nanoparticle-induced epigenetic changes. This oversight is surprising given the critical role of epigenetic mechanisms in shaping cellular function and destiny. Epigenetic mechanisms include the procedures that modulate DNA or RNA and influence the production of proteins as well as the extent to which they are produced. Each cell type demonstrates unique epigenetic profiles. Epigenetic changes can disrupt normal cellular functions, potentially leading to devastating outcomes. Investigating how nanoparticles impact these epigenetic mechanisms provides valuable insights into their safe and effective use in medical applications. This review provides a detailed overview of how nanoparticles enter cells and the impact of nanoparticles on epigenetic mechanisms, focusing on current related studies on different types of cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":7284,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Therapeutics","volume":"8 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144309183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}