Biomaterials research最新文献

{"title":"Sono-Gas-Mediated Precise Stiffness Remodeling for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Mechanical Immunotherapy.","authors":"Yaqin Hu, Long Cheng, Xun Guo, Min Zheng, Wei Zhang, Xingyue Wang, Rui Tang, Qiaoqi Chen, Yuan Guo, Yang Cao, Zhigang Wang, Haitao Ran","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly invasive cancer, and its poor therapeutic outcomes are often associated with the mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by altered extracellular matrix (ECM) flexibility and increased stiffness. Herein, a mechanical immunomodulator, namely, red blood cell membrane-IR780-L-arginine nanoparticles (R-I-LA NPs), was designed to precisely regulate the stiffness of the ECM for mechanical immunotherapy of TNBC. In tumor cells, the low-intensity focused ultrasound activates R-I-LA NPs to produce reactive nitrogen species, which damages tumor cells and remodels the stiffness of ECM. Meanwhile, the softened ECM can normalize the tumor vasculature to alleviate hypoxia and increase the production of reactive oxygen species, thereby enhancing the efficacy of sonodynamic therapy and stimulating immunogenic cell death. Additionally, R-I-LA NPs stimulate the immune system and suppress pulmonary metastasis. Overall, this study offers a distinctive \"sono-gas-mediated mechanical immunity\" strategy for ECM regulation, potentially overcoming current TNBC therapy limitations.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0207"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12078941/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breaking the Chains of Therapeutic Blockade: Pyroptosis-Induced Photothermal-Chemotherapy with Targeted Nanoprobes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.","authors":"Zuying Li, Kexiao Yu, Youde Cao, Hui Yuan, Lingcheng Wu, Linyan Xiong, Yi Tang, Bing Liang","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is an important clinical need and social significance, especially for young patients, to explore a new breast-conserving strategy that is not dependent on biomarkers for anti-triple-negative breast cancer. Disulfiram, historically employed for the treatment of chronic alcoholism, has recently emerged as a promising antitumor agent in combination with Cu²⁺. However, reported disulfiram-Cu²⁺ codelivery regimens often suffer from instability as well as inadequate drug metabolism, which is detrimental to the production and action of the antitumor active ingredient copper(II) bis(diethyldithiocarbamate). To address this obstacle, this study tested nanosystems ICG-CuET@PLGA-CS-HA (IC@PCH) nanoparticles (NPs) carrying the chemotherapeutic agent copper(II) bis(diethyldithiocarbamate) and photosensitizer indocyanine green for the efficient delivery of antitumor drugs. Benefiting from the involvement of hyaluronic acid, the prepared IC@PCH NPs not only targeted CD44 on the surface of tumor cells but also showed a longer in vivo circulation time. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that IC@PCH NP-mediated photothermal-chemotherapy treatment led to pyroptosis via the NLRP3/caspase-1 classical pathway, which had a significant therapeutic effect on triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, targeting IC@PCH NPs allows photoacoustic-magnetic resonance-fluorescence trimodal imaging, which is capable of detecting more insidious cancer foci and opens up new avenues for precise cancer diagnosis and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0200"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12079191/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Manganese Dioxide-Based pH-Responsive Multifunctional Nanoparticles Deliver Methotrexate for Targeted Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment.","authors":"Jingwen Jia, Min Liu, Han Yang, XiaoFang Li, Siyi Liu, Kexin Li, Jiulong Zhang, Xiuli Zhao","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0187","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by hypoxia and reactive oxygen species (ROS) overexpression, which cause inflammatory cascade and cartilage erosion. As representative inflammatory cells, macrophages produce many inflammatory factors, and intracellular ROS is abnormally elevated. Therefore, improving hypoxia and scavenging ROS are essential to inhibit the inflammatory response of synovial macrophages and cartilage destruction. Due to the complex microenvironment of RA and the single action of most anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drugs, as well as the difficulty in reversing the microenvironment with current formulations developed for ROS clearance, it is necessary to develop multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) to achieve better therapeutic effects. In this work, we constructed a delivery system called PCM@MnO₂ NPs, which could reduce inflammatory factors and improve the RA environment through multifunctional synergistic effects such as eliminating ROS and generating oxygen. Specifically, chondroitin sulfate was used to form NPs with methotrexate (MTX) through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding and further loaded with MnO₂ to form CM@MnO₂ NPs. Furthermore, modification of polydopamine on the surface of CM@MnO₂ NPs improved the stability of the formulation and extended the cycle time. Under the acidic (pH 6.5) microenvironment of RA, polydopamine shells were dissociated. Chondroitin sulfate could target inflammatory macrophages via the CD44 receptor and subsequently release MTX and MnO₂ under low-intracellular-pH (pH 5.2) conditions. MnO₂ could decompose and consume ROS and further produce oxygen in the process of decomposing H₂O₂, alleviating the hypoxic microenvironment of RA. In addition, MTX could also inhibit the secretion of cytokines. Overall, by regulating the RA microenvironment through the various synergistic effects mentioned above, it could promote macrophage polarization and alleviate RA progression. The experimental results in vitro and in vivo indicated that pH-responsive PCM@MnO₂ NPs could accumulate in inflammatory joints by the extravasation through leaky vasculature and subsequent inflammatory cell-mediated sequestration (ELVIS) effect, enhance the precise delivery of MTX by targeting RA macrophages, and effectively alleviate the progression of disease and reduce the symptoms of collagen-induced arthritis mouse models. In general, using multifunctional synergistic therapy for RA is an effective potential strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0187"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12076153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifunctional Mesoporous Titanium Dioxide Nanodrug for Corneal Haze Treatment and Its Mechanism.","authors":"Tao Li, Xiaoli Wu, Yi Huang, Juan Tang, Yu Zhang, Yangrui Du, Zhiyu Du","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Preventing and treating corneal haze is essential after corneal surface refractive surgery. However, the high intraocular pressure that results after applying traditional anti-inflammatory corticosteroids has attracted great attention. Therefore, we synthesized a multifunctional nanomedicine (Tet@TiO₂) with controlled drug release, inflammation targeting, and good biocompatibility for corneal haze treatment. In this study, we discovered that Tet@TiO₂ and tetrandrine (Tet), but not TiO₂, displayed a characteristic absorption peak at 282 nm. Three weeks after transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy surgery, the Tet@TiO₂ group displayed significant decreases in nuclear volume, corneal cell edema, type I and III collagen fiber expression, normal organelle morphology, and collagen fiber arrangement. Compared with those in the control and TiO₂ groups, the α-smooth muscle actin, connective tissue growth factor, and type III collagen fibers in the Tet@TiO₂ group decreased more significantly after fluorometholone eye drop and Tet treatment, indicating that Tet@TiO₂ can effectively inhibit the expression of these inflammatory factors during corneal haze formation. Moreover, Tet@TiO₂ showed good, sustained antibacterial properties. More importantly, we found that Tet@TiO₂ could effectively down-regulate the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) by modulating the inflammatory PI3K-AKT-Bax/Bcl-2 signaling pathway after corneal surface refractive surgery to effectively prevent and treat corneal haze by reducing the expression of inflammatory factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0202"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12076154/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exosome-Based Therapeutics in Dermatology.","authors":"Lanjie Lei, Shaoyu Zhou, Lingyao Zeng, Qiancheng Gu, Huaqian Xue, Fangyan Wang, Jiayin Feng, Shumao Cui, Liyun Shi","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exosomes (Exos) are tiny extracellular vesicles containing a variety of active biomolecules that play important parts in intercellular communication and influence the functions of target cells. The potential of Exos in the treatment of dermatological diseases has recently been well appreciated. This review highlights the constituents, function, and delivery of Exos, with a particular focus on their applications in skin therapy. Firstly, we offer a concise overview of the biochemical properties of Exos, including their sources, structures, and internal constituents. Subsequently, the biomedical functions of Exos and the latest advances in the extraction and purification of Exos are summarized. We further discuss the modes of delivery of Exos and underscore the potential of biomaterials in this regard. Finally, we summarize the application of Exo-aided therapy in dermatology. Overall, the objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive perspective on the applications and recent advancements of Exo-based approaches in treating skin diseases, with the intention of guiding future research efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0148"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12062580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144002211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spontaneous Induced Cascade Targeting Biomimetic Nanoparticles to Inhibit Dendritic Cell Maturation for Ameliorating Atherosclerosis and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.","authors":"Danyan Li, Pengzhao Chang, Shuang Bian, Bangbang Li, Yangang Zhu, Yanchen Wang, Pingfu Hou, Jingjing Li","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The major fatal factor of cardiovascular disease is atherosclerosis, which is a chronic inflammatory disease featured by immune cell infiltration within arterial plaques. Dendritic cells (DCs) are central stimulators of atherosclerotic inflammation, with mature DCs generating pro-inflammatory signals within plaque lesions and tolerogenic DCs promoting anti-inflammatory cytokine production and regulatory T cell (T_reg) activation. In this work, spontaneous induced cascade targeting biomimetic nanoparticles (MM@HGPBRD) were constructed to target DCs in atherosclerosis plaques to inhibit DC maturation. In vitro and in vivo experiment results showed that the MM@HGPBRD effectively slowed atherosclerosis progression by the synergistic effect of multiple components. The coating macrophage membrane helped the nanoparticles to evade immune clearance and home to the atherosclerotic site. Then, the nanozyme activity of hollow mesoporous Prussian blue (HGPB) produced oxygen to break the membrane and expose DC-SIGN aptamer to realize cascade targeting to DCs and enhance the targeted release of rapamycin (RAPA) to inhibit DC maturation. The whole process regulated the inflammatory and immune microenvironment of atherosclerosis. At the same time, the excellent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ability of HGPB favored the MRI of DCs in atherosclerosis plaque. This study provides new avenue for spontaneous induced cascade targeting and modulating DC maturation to improve atherosclerosis inflammation and immune microenvironment.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0204"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12062579/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144033863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Hepatic Progenitor and Hepatocyte-Like Cell Differentiation Using Machine Learning Analysis-Assisted Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.","authors":"Sanghwa Lee, Eunyoung Tak, Jiwan Choi, Seoon Kang, Kwanhee Lee, Jung-Man Namgoong, Jun Ki Kim","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0190","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Technology has been developed to monitor the differentiation process of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) and hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs). These cell lineages, differentiated from MSCs, are ethically unproblematic and are gaining attention as promising cell-based therapies for treating various liver injuries. High-sensitivity, label-free, real-time monitoring technologies integrated with artificial intelligence have been used to evaluate and optimize cell differentiation for enhancing the efficiency of cell therapy delivery. Using an Au-ZnO nanorod array-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing chip, cell differentiation from hMSCs to HPCs and HLCs was nondestructively monitored through spectral analysis of cell secretions. Principal component extraction was employed to reduce variables, followed by discriminant analysis (DA). The application of principal component-linear discriminant analysis (PC-LDA), an artificial intelligence algorithm, to spectral data enabled clear grouping of hMSCs, HPCs, and HLCs, with monitoring accuracies of 96.3%, 98.8%, and 98.8%, respectively. Spectral changes observed during the differentiation from hMSCs to HPCs and from HPCs to HLCs over several days demonstrated the effectiveness of SERS combined with machine learning algorithm analysis for differentiation monitoring. This approach enabled real-time, nondestructive observation of cell differentiation with minimal sample labeling and preprocessing, making it useful for sensing differentiation validation and stability. The machine learning- and nanostructure-based SERS evaluation system was applied to the differentiation of ethically sourced MSCs and demonstrated substantial potential for clinical applicability through the use of patient-derived samples.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0190"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12056312/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144062948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Culture Duration on the Properties and Functionality of Yeast-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.","authors":"Gyeongchan Jeon, Yang-Hoon Kim, Jiho Min","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extracellular vesicles (EVs), lipid bilayer nanovesicles secreted by cells, carry nucleic acids, proteins, and other bioactive molecules that influence recipient cells and modulate various biological processes. This study investigated how energy depletion and fermentation processes influence the characteristics and physiological functions of EVs secreted by <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>. Specifically, we analyzed EVs derived from 24-h cultures, representing the glucose utilization phase, and 72-h cultures, representing the starvation stage. Under energy-depleted conditions (72-h cultures), yeast secreted a higher number of EV particles, albeit with a smaller average particle size. In contrast, EVs from yeast cultured for 24 h, during the glucose utilization phase, were enriched in Pep12-rich endosome-derived vesicles and exhibited 71% higher cellular internalization efficiency. Proteomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct protein and microRNA profiles between EVs from 24- and 72-h cultures, highlighting their potential roles in tissue regeneration, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis. As a result, EVs derived from 24-h cultures exhibited a 15% greater effect in promoting collagen synthesis. The differential effects on collagen production may be attributed to the efficiency of endocytosis and the specific protein and microRNA cargo of the EVs. This study emphasizes the functional potential and unique properties of yeast-derived EVs while proposing strategies to modulate EV composition by adjusting the yeast culture duration and the energy source in the medium. Further research is needed to control yeast-produced EV components and to understand their mechanisms of action for effective therapeutic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0201"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12053258/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144060850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Derivation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Sequential Presentation of Growth Factors via Gelatin Microparticles in Pluripotent Stem Cell Spheroids.","authors":"Nityanand Prakash, Young Cha, Won-Gun Koh, Hansoo Park, Alvin Bacero Bello, Soo-Hong Lee","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0184","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in regenerative medicine has gained considerable attention in recent years with the development of clinically relevant MSCs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and embryonic stem cells. Through sequential presentations of appropriate growth factors (GFs), iPSCs can be differentiated into mesodermal cells and then into MSCs. Furthermore, the formation of 3-dimensional cell spheroids, known as embryoid bodies, can be used to mimic in vivo conditions. However, the compact nature of embryoid bodies restricts the efficient and uniform delivery of GFs, leading to the formation of necrotic zones and hindered differentiation. To address this, we developed 2 types of gelatin microparticles (GelMPs) with distinct degradation rates for sequential delivery of GFs to enhance differentiation while preventing necrotic zones. In 2-dimensional culture, bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) were identified as key proteins inducing iPSC differentiation into mesodermal cells and MSCs. The sequential presentation of these GFs was optimized for a 3-dimensional culture system by engineering fast-degrading GelMPs conjugated with BMP4 and slow-degrading GelMPs conjugated with FGF2. Our approach facilitated efficient iPSC differentiation into induced mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs), as demonstrated by enhanced expression of mesodermal markers during the early stages of differentiation and MSC-specific markers at later stages. The resulting iMSCs exhibited characteristic surface markers (e.g., CD73, CD90, CD105, and CD44) and trilineage differentiation capability and were genetically stable. Compared to adult-derived MSCs, iMSCs showed superior proliferative capacity and reduced senescence, making them advantageous for cell therapy and regenerative medicine. This innovative approach of generating iMSCs has vast potential for therapeutic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0184"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12038162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143994268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zein and Trimethyl Chitosan-Based Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Quercetin Oral Delivery to Enhance Absorption by Paracellular Pathway in Obesity Mice.","authors":"Zijian Dai, Wanting Yin, Jiahao Li, Lingjun Ma, Fang Chen, Qun Shen, Xiaosong Hu, Yong Xue, Junfu Ji","doi":"10.34133/bmr.0193","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34133/bmr.0193","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quercetin as a flavonoid polyphenol in nature has shown great anti-obesity effects. Due to its poor stability in chemical structure and low intestinal absorption, the in vivo bioavailability of quercetin is considered to be the main challenge for applications. To achieve the oral quercetin administration, chitosan was successfully trimethylated (TMC) to coat the quercetin-loaded zein nanoparticles (Zein-Q), which were designed as the core-shell structure for enhancing the intestinal absorption in this study. TMC-Zein-Q was demonstrated to protect quercetin from degradation and showed the sustained-release effect in an in vitro drug release experiment. The nanoparticles were found to reversibly open tight junctions between intestinal epithelial cells and help to increase quercetin uptake via the paracellular pathway in Caco-2 cells. In addition, the delivery system also showed stronger intestinal permeability and mucoadhesion in vivo, which improved the bioavailability of quercetin in cellular and animal experiments. After 10 weeks of intervention, TMC-Zein-Q could effectively suppress weight gain, improve serum lipid levels, and ameliorate hepatic steatosis and glucose tolerance in high-fat diet (HFD) mice by mediating the AMPK pathway. Consequently, this work successfully constructed TMC-Zein-Q for oral quercetin delivery, providing a novel and feasible strategy for the treatment of obesity via the oral route.</p>","PeriodicalId":93902,"journal":{"name":"Biomaterials research","volume":"29 ","pages":"0193"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12034925/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144038179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}