{"title":"Ferrocene–Cystamine Conjugate Encapsulated Hyaluronic Acid Nanomicelles with Sequential pH/GSH Responsiveness for Synergistic Chemodynamic-Immunotherapy","authors":"Zheng Cheng, Yibo Huo, Chunyu Qu, Xu Zhu, Rui Yan, Zhiqiang Wang, Xiaodan Wu, Hui Zhang, Yingxue Jin","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01030","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01030","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Metastasis and postoperative recurrence of malignant tumors remain critical obstacles that undermine clinical therapeutic efficacy. Traditional chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is plagued by three inherent, hard-to-resolve drawbacks: abundant intratumoral glutathione (GSH) quenches reactive oxygen species; robust systemic antitumor immunity fails to be activated; and unbound iron catalysts initiate off-target Fenton cascades within healthy tissues, inducing systemic oxidative injury and toxic side effects. To address these critical barriers, we rationally designed a bifunctional ferrocene–cystamine conjugate (FD) and encapsulated this payload within amphiphilic hyaluronic acid–cinnamaldehyde (HA-CA) Schiff-base nanomicelles, thereby fabricating a nanoplatform designed to target HA receptors (presumably CD44) with sequential pH/GSH responsiveness. The resultant HA-CA@FD nanomicelles attain a high FD loading efficiency of 36 ± 2% and display excellent colloidal stability under physiological environments. Once exposed to the acidic, reductive tumor microenvironment, the nanocarrier undergoes structural dissociation to liberate loaded FD. The released FD depletes intracellular GSH through two cooperative redox routes—disulfide bond cleavage and reversible Fe<sup>2+</sup>/Fe<sup>3+</sup> cycling—while simultaneously generating massive cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) to elicit potent immunogenic cell death. In vitro biological characterizations validate that the nanomedicine raises the proportion of mature dendritic cells to 66.7% and elevates the percentage of anti-tumor M1-type macrophages from 3.9 to 48.2%. In vivo assays using bilateral 4T1 tumor-bearing mice reveal that intratumoral injection of HA-CA@FD diminishes primary tumor weight by 67% and abscopal contralateral tumor weight by 52%. This therapeutic regimen substantially augments intratumoral infiltration of CD4<sup>+</sup>/CD8<sup>+</sup> effector T cells and diminishes immunosuppressive regulatory T cell (Treg) populations, accompanied by elevated memory T-cell signatures that suggest potential for establishing durable antitumor immune responses. This modular, biocompatible biopolymer nanosystem surmounts the core limitations of classic CDT agents, furnishing a straightforward, translation-ready nanoengineering paradigm for precision combinatorial chemo-dynamic-immunotherapy against solid tumors.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6190–6212"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yibin Huang, Jun Zhu, Yize Zhang, Xiaoli Li, Bin Chu, Boning Li
{"title":"Tailoring the Wound Microenvironment: Programmable Hydrogel Fibers for Adaptive Tissue Repair","authors":"Yibin Huang, Jun Zhu, Yize Zhang, Xiaoli Li, Bin Chu, Boning Li","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00899","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00899","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wound healing and tissue reconstruction following a skin defect, particularly the restoration of full skin function and appearance, remain a major clinical challenge. Traditional hydrogel dressings face limitations in mechanical strength, poor permeability, and a lack of multifunctionality, making them inadequate for meeting the dynamic demands of the wound healing process. Fibrous hydrogels offer a compelling alternative by combining the high-water content and biocompatibility of hydrogels with the anisotropic structure and design flexibility of fibers, allowing them to closely mimic native tissue architecture. In this review, we introduce a three-tier framework based on structural, functional, and responsive programmability to systematically classify and evaluate programmable hydrogel fibers for wound healing. Recent advances in structural design strategies, functionalization approaches, and biomedical applications are summarized. Notably, this review uniquely integrates structural design, functional strategies, and translational potential within a unified programmability framework, while critically examining current limitations and challenges in clinical translation. Despite these obstacles, hydrogel fibers hold considerable promise for personalized tissue engineering and functional regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"5802–5821"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Precursor-Encoded Metal-Free Carbon Dots Reshape the Bone-Regenerative Microenvironment: Materials Chemistry, Multiscale Mechanisms, and a Translational Roadmap","authors":"Yang Wang, Nai Liang, Baisheng Cai, Su Jiang","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01439","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01439","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bone-defect healing is a spatiotemporally coordinated continuum involving inflammatory initiation and resolution, redox re-equilibration, immune-cell state transitions, angiogenesis, osteogenic commitment of mesenchymal stromal/progenitor cells, and osteoblast−osteoclast coupling. Although metal-containing nanomaterials can enhance regeneration through ion release, catalysis, or photothermal effects, their performance is often constrained by local dose, oxidation state, release kinetics, and long-term accumulation. Metal-free carbon dots (CDs) combine nanoscale interfacial activity, programmable surface chemistry, electron-transfer capacity, intrinsic fluorescence, and scaffold compatibility and are consequently evolving from imaging probes into bioactive regulators of the bone-repair microenvironment. Following the sequence of precursor chemistry−carbonization reconstruction−surface state−protein corona/organelle response−tissue regeneration, this review compares CDs derived from citric acid, ascorbic acid, amino acids, curcumin, artesunate, yam, clove, ginger, and other natural or medicinal-food precursors. We critically examine context-dependent redox regulation, macrophage-state remodeling, osteogenic and epigenetic control, suppression of pathological osteoclastogenesis, infection control, and angiogenesis−osteogenesis coupling. Current evidence is limited by ambiguous structural identity, confounded activity attribution, correlation-dominant mechanisms, overextension from simplified models, and insufficient long-term safety assessment. Translation will require fractionation-based identity definition, multi-batch potency assays, target-protein capture, organelle tracking, genetic rescue, spatial omics, and quantitative integration of chemistry, local exposure, degradation/clearance, and regenerative efficacy. Particular attention is given to how CD surface states interact with collagen, fibrin, and glycosaminoglycan matrices to govern protein adsorption, local retention, matrix organization, and growth-factor presentation. A two-tier evidence roadmap is proposed, prioritizing fraction-resolved activity attribution, compartment-specific redox assays, post-formulation identity testing, and context-matched progression from screening defects to load-bearing and comorbidity models.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6018–6032"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149242147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of High-Performance Chitosan-Silk Fibroin Hydrogels in Bone Repair: Mechanical and Biological Enhancements","authors":"Ying Huang, Yang Chen, Zuwei Luo, Renchuan You, Shuqin Yan, Qiang Zhang","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01379","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01379","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bone tissue engineering has attracted increasing interest, with natural polymers being explored for bone repair. However, most natural polymers lack sufficient mechanical strength for clinical application. In this study, methacrylated chitosan (CSMA) and silk fibroin (SF) were utilized as matrix components to develop an interpenetrating polymer network. To enhance the stability of the composite hydrogel, silk nanofibrils (SNFs) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) were added as reinforcing phases. Using this system, bone screws and plates were fabricated. Results showed that the incorporation of SNF significantly improved the mechanical properties of the hydrogel, increasing its fracture strength from 86 kPa to 212 kPa, representing a 146% enhancement. Additionally, the stiffness and toughness of the material were improved to approximately 386% and 65%, respectively. Moreover, the incorporation of ACP enhanced the structural stability of the hydrogel and promoted the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts. The manufactured bone screws and plates displayed fracture strengths of 38.1 MPa and 57.8 MPa, with moduli of 805.9 MPa and 3.15 GPa, respectively. <em>In vitro</em> degradation studies of the bone screws revealed moderate degradation rate and favorable structure stability. The composite material demonstrated high effectiveness in promoting osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and exhibited good osteoblast compatibility. The developed CSMA/SF/SNF/ACP composite material exhibits considerable mechanical and bioactive properties, providing new insights for the design of bone repair materials and presenting significant potential for biomedical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6431–6446"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149259569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"DNA Scavenging Biomaterials for Treatment of Autoimmune Disease: A Review","authors":"Menglin Li, Haocheng Yang, Jiapu Wang, Feng Ze, Chunhong Yu, Ying Wang, Jin Zhou","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00572","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00572","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as an important mediator of autoimmune inflammation and a promising therapeutic target for restoring immune homeostasis. Excessive cfDNA activates nucleic acid-sensing pathways such as Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and stimulator of interferon genes (STING), which drive proinflammatory responses and worsen tissue injury. Researchers have developed various biomaterial-based cfDNA scavengers to neutralize or eliminate pathogenic cfDNA. This review summarizes recent advances in the design, functional mechanisms, and therapeutic potential of cfDNA-clearing materials for autoimmune diseases. Representative systems—including cationic polymers, enzyme-based platforms, and metal–organic framework—are discussed in terms of their structural features, cfDNA-binding, and immunomodulatory effects. Particular attention is given to how these materials suppress cfDNA-triggered inflammatory signaling and alleviate disease manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disease models. Finally, we discuss challenges for clinical translation, including biosafety, target specificity, in vivo stability, and the lack of evaluation standards. Overall, cfDNA-scavenging biomaterials offer a promising platform for modulating aberrant inflammation in autoimmune diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"5739–5768"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149177840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seiya Kanno, Masayuki Yamashita, Kota Sato, Toru Nakazawa
{"title":"Construction of Highly Viable, Excitable, Aligned Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Ganglion Cell Sheets on Poly-ε-caprolactone Nanofibers by Targeting Integrin β1-Mediated Adhesion Pathways","authors":"Seiya Kanno, Masayuki Yamashita, Kota Sato, Toru Nakazawa","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00694","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c00694","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a promising strategy for optic nerve regeneration and vision restoration in glaucoma. However, injections of conventional single-cell suspensions have low engraftment rates, hindering the formation of the complex neural circuits essential for functional recovery. This study addresses this challenge by investigating an in vitro biomimetic tissue engineering approach designed for future translational objectives, such as RGC transplantation therapy. We systematically evaluated coating materials and culture supplements critical for the survival and morphological development of RGCs on biocompatible, aligned poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofiber membranes. Notably, we identified the xeno-free extracellular matrix (ECM) conditions that promote RGC neurite extension at levels comparable to animal-derived ECM, thereby overcoming a major barrier to clinical translation of this technique. Furthermore, while RGCs typically have compromised viability and limited outgrowth on nanofibers, enhancing cell-scaffold adhesion signaling via the integrin β1/focal adhesion kinase pathway significantly improved both survival and neurite development. Crucially, RGCs on aligned PCL nanofibers extended neurites along the longitudinal axes of the nanofibers, with both somata and neurites exhibiting functional calcium responses to depolarization. These findings represent a significant advancement in biomimetic in vitro tissue engineering aimed at recapitulating retinal neurite orientation, providing a scalable platform for future nanofiber-based neural regeneration therapies, with the ultimate goal of clinical applicability.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6290–6302"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149360594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Veronica Raggi, Rita Gelli, Neslihan D. Salar, Assumpta Widak, Mark C. Behrens, Claudia Pigliacelli, Paola Luciani, Simone Aleandri
{"title":"Dual Delivery from a Multilayer Buccal Film: Rational Design of a Combination Product for Localized Treatment of Oral Fibrosis","authors":"Veronica Raggi, Rita Gelli, Neslihan D. Salar, Assumpta Widak, Mark C. Behrens, Claudia Pigliacelli, Paola Luciani, Simone Aleandri","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01109","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01109","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially malignant disorder characterized by severe oral cavity remodeling. The condition is driven by a painful burning sensation and a pathognomonic restriction of mouth opening (trismus), severely diminishing patients’ quality of life. Current clinical management represents a critical bottleneck in patient care, as conventional strategies rely heavily on painful intralesional injections or systemic regimens plagued by localized toxicity and poor compliance. Consequently, there is an urgent demand for localized, noninvasive, and patient-compliant delivery systems capable of sustaining therapeutic drug levels directly at the fibrotic site. To address this challenge, we developed, optimized, and characterized a multilayered buccal film (“sandwich” architecture) combining bupivacaine (Bupi) and pirfenidone (PFD) to achieve an immediate anesthetic effect followed by sustained antifibrotic action. A Design of Experiments (DoE) approach optimized both formulation composition and the critical process parameter (drying rate), yielding a fast-dissolving (FD) layer engineered for rapid Bupi release alongside a slow-dissolving (SD) layer tailored for prolonged PFD dissolution. The resulting monolithic system successfully immobilizes both therapeutics in a stable amorphous state, leveraging macromolecular free volume and modulated surface microtopography to regulate biphasic release kinetics. This work demonstrates the feasibility of engineering kinetically distinct, multilayered buccal films through rational design, providing a translationally viable therapeutic platform for localized management of oral fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6213–6225"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149190234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anastasia Tavakina, Feras Kasabji, Anastasia Rakow, Behnaz Alsadat Hosseini, Matthias Sendler, Katrin Huesker, Uwe Völker, Georgi I. Wassilew, Barbara Bröker, Sabine Ameling, Janosch Schoon
{"title":"Linking Circulating Metal Levels to Cytokine Signatures in Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients","authors":"Anastasia Tavakina, Feras Kasabji, Anastasia Rakow, Behnaz Alsadat Hosseini, Matthias Sendler, Katrin Huesker, Uwe Völker, Georgi I. Wassilew, Barbara Bröker, Sabine Ameling, Janosch Schoon","doi":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01420","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6c01420","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Arthroplasty may significantly improve the quality of life; however, wear and corrosion of metallic biomaterials can lead to the release of metal ions and particles, contributing to immune responses. Circulating metals may influence cytokine production, but systemic biomarkers of implant-related inflammation remain elusive. This study aimed to quantify systemic metal levels and cytokines to identify potential immunological signatures in patients exposed to arthroplasty metals. Peripheral blood samples from 150 patients scheduled for either primary or revision arthroplasty were analyzed. Whole blood multi-metal levels were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Plasma levels of 47 cytokines were quantified using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay. Cytokine patterns were examined via clustering and correlated with metal levels, adjusting for age, sex, prosthetic joint infection, lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein levels, and season. Blood levels of cobalt, chromium, titanium, niobium, and zirconium were significantly elevated in patients with arthroplasty implants, compared to arthroplasty-naïve controls. Selective correlations were observed, notably cobalt with IL-8 and multiple metals with IL-15. Cytokine clustering identified four distinct modules representing systemic immune activity. Multivariable linear regression modeling revealed associations of metal exposure with IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-15, and the proinflammatory cluster after adjusting for age, sex, periprosthetic joint infection status, inflammation markers, and season. This study shows that arthroprosthetic metal exposure is associated with systemic elevation of selective cytokines. Blood-based cytokine profiles may serve as biomarkers for monitoring implant-related immune activation, providing insights into mechanisms of systemic inflammation, yet must be interpreted within the context of multifactorial influences.</p>","PeriodicalId":8,"journal":{"name":"ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering","volume":"12 11","pages":"6144–6153"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149284227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}