{"title":"Topology-dependent <i>T</i><sub>2</sub> relaxivity in Fe<sub>3</sub>O cluster-based MOFs for enhanced tumor monitoring <i>via</i> MRI.","authors":"Qiao Wang, Yimin Gong, Jianing Li, Dan Luo, Xin Zeng, Yun Ling, Yaming Zhou, Zhenxia Chen","doi":"10.1039/d4tb02858a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tb02858a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials with tunable structures, where metal ions or clusters serve as magnetic centers and organic ligands offer spatial separation. These characteristics, combined with their diverse topologies, make MOFs promising candidates for contrast agents (CAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Herein we synthesized four MOFs based on the same triangular Fe<sub>3</sub>O clusters with different topologies: MIL-101(Fe) (moo net), MIL-100(Fe) (mtn net), MIL-59(Fe) (pcu net), and MIL-88B(Fe) (acs net). To clarify the relationship between topologies and <i>T</i><sub>2</sub> relaxivities, the MOFs were tailored into uniform, nanoscale spherical morphologies. Notably, the value of <i>T</i><sub>2</sub> relaxivity for MIL-88B(Fe) with acs topology is nearly three times that for MIL-101(Fe) with moo topology at 7.0 T. By comparing the magnetic properties of Fe<sub>3</sub>O molecular clusters and Ga-doped MIL-88B(Fe), our analysis demonstrated the significant advantage of MOFs with fixed arrays, adjustable components and diverse topologies in enhancing magnetic relaxation. Cellular MRI experiments further revealed that MIL-88B(Fe) could differentiate between M1 and M2 macrophages, highlighting its potential for monitoring tumor progression. These findings offer valuable insights into how MOF topology can be strategically utilized to enhance <i>T</i><sub>2</sub> relaxivities for MRI applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143756893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"NO-producing Arg-sCNDs for combined photothermal and gas effects in cancer cell ablation.","authors":"Qianqian Duan, Haixuan Han, Qi Zhang, Qingxia Guo, Yangming Zhou, Zixian Liu, Xing Guo, Shengbo Sang, Juanjuan Xue","doi":"10.1039/d5tb00107b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb00107b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photothermal therapy (PTT) and gas therapy (GT) were used in combination to enhance the antitumor effect by leveraging the dual cytotoxic mechanisms of nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO<sup>-</sup>), along with the localized heating capability of photothermal materials. Arginine-supra-carbon nanodots (Arg-sCNDs) were obtained through a one-pot hydrothermal method without subsequent modification, allowing them to produce endogenous NO and photothermal effects on a single platform. The photothermal conversion efficiency of Arg-sCNDs reaches 77.09% and 58.01% under 730 nm and 808 nm irradiation, respectively. Arg-sCNDs demonstrated good killing and ablation effects on cancer cells and had minimal side effects on normal cells. The photothermal and NO effects reinforce each other. The cell apoptosis mechanism was demonstrated through measurements of cell temperature, NO levels, ONOO<sup>-</sup> levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Therefore, the <i>in vitro</i> study demonstrated that Arg-sCNDs with dual functions present broad application prospects in tumor cell ablation.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143756872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ying Zhu, Siwei Li, Zhemeng Wang, Jiayue Zhou, Jin Zhou, Changyong Wang
{"title":"On-demand electrically controlled perampanel delivery from a PEDOT/SNP composite for seizure control.","authors":"Ying Zhu, Siwei Li, Zhemeng Wang, Jiayue Zhou, Jin Zhou, Changyong Wang","doi":"10.1039/d4tb02647k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tb02647k","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Deep brain stimulation and closed-loop electrical stimulation are considered among the most effective techniques for treating pharmacoresistant epilepsy. However, various neuromodulation techniques and corresponding stimulation parameters have different effects on controlling epileptic seizures. To enhance the ability of stimulating electrodes to regulate nerve activity, sulfonated silica nanoparticles (SNPs) loaded with the anti-seizure medication perampanel were used as dopants in the conductive polymer PEDOT to modify the implanted neural electrode. After electrochemical deposition of PEDOT/SNP-perampanel on nickel-chromium alloy electrodes, the charge storage capacity was significantly increased, and the electrochemical impedance at 1 kHz was significantly reduced. In addition, perampanel could be released on demand by applying electrical stimulation, allowing for precise drug delivery to the brain area to reduce seizure frequency. We anticipate that this modification method will enable broader applications in neural interfaces and the treatment of neurological diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spray-drying-engineered CS/HA-bilayer microneedles enable sequential drug release for wound healing.","authors":"Haowen Zhong, Zongyou Chen, Jiahao Huang, Xiao Yu, Chengyong Wang, Yue Zheng, Mengran Peng, Zhishan Yuan","doi":"10.1039/d5tb00121h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb00121h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High incidence and mortality rates of chronic wounds place a heavy burden on global healthcare systems. Achieving phased delivery of antimicrobial and regenerative drugs is crucial for promoting chronic wound healing. Herein, a microneedle (MN) patch with a biphasic release system was developed using a combination of solvent casting and spraying methods. Additionally, a copper/PDMS mold was introduced to address the issue of deformation in the chitosan material during drying on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The MNs have a bilayer structure, with a hyaluronic acid (HA) coating loaded with doxycycline (DOX) for antibacterial action and a chitosan (CS) core loaded with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for promoting cell migration and proliferation. Notably, <i>in vitro</i> drug release studies showed that the coating drug was released by 98.8% within 10 hours, while the release of the core drug could be sustained for up to 70 hours. <i>In vivo</i> studies showed that chronic wounds on C57 mice treated with CS/HA-bilayer MNs achieved nearly complete healing by day 9. These wounds exhibited reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, increased epithelial tissue regeneration, and enhanced collagen deposition. This work integrates the staged management of bacterial infection and angiogenesis and offers promising prospects for enhancing chronic wound healing.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular insights into adhesive mechanisms of phosphate-based dental adhesives on zirconia surfaces: effects of zirconia crystal structure.","authors":"Yosuke Sumiya, Takahiro Uwabe","doi":"10.1039/d5tb00004a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb00004a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper analyses the adhesion mechanisms of phosphate-based dental adhesives to zirconia materials based on density functional theory (DFT). Zirconia can be a mixture of three crystal structures: monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic. We investigated how these crystal surfaces influence adhesion. On all crystal surfaces, proton transfer occurs from the phosphate group in the adhesive to the zirconia surface. Among the surfaces, the monoclinic surface exhibits the highest adhesive strength. Interfacial interactions involving charge transfer are observed at all adhesive interfaces, which are particularly significant on the monoclinic surface. This is attributed to the low-coordination number of zirconium atoms specific to the monoclinic surface. Moreover, the strong Lewis basicity of these low-coordination zirconium atoms induces structural changes in the methacryloyl group, which acts as polymerization sites in the adhesive. These findings provide valuable insights for guiding the design of zirconia-based dental materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The design principle of natural polysaccharide hydrogels for promoting wound healing: a prospective review.","authors":"Ruyue Wang, Maohu Chen, Yonghua Chu, Wensheng Pan, Feng Chen","doi":"10.1039/d4tb02576h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tb02576h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute skin injuries and chronic non-healing wounds are common in daily life, posing significant physical trauma to patients and creating substantial social and economic burdens. Polysaccharide-based hydrogels not only maintain optimal moisture levels for wound recovery but also act as effective barriers against bacterial infection. Polysaccharides, with their unique properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, are promising materials for constructing hydrogels designed for wound healing. This review discusses wound physiology, key design factors for wound-healing hydrogels, and the fundamental principles of hydrogel gelation. It also provides an overview of the current applications of polysaccharide-based hydrogels-including those derived from hyaluronic acid, chitosan, sodium alginate, cellulose, glucose, and starch-as advanced wound dressings. Finally, the review outlines current challenges and future research directions for polysaccharide-based hydrogels in wound healing, aiming to inspire further exploration and innovation in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143723016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hamna Hassan, Mansoor Khan, Luqman Ali Shah, Hyeong-Min Yoo
{"title":"CNC-mediated functionalized MWCNT-reinforced double-network conductive hydrogels as smart, flexible strain and epidermic sensors for human motion monitoring.","authors":"Hamna Hassan, Mansoor Khan, Luqman Ali Shah, Hyeong-Min Yoo","doi":"10.1039/d4tb02709d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tb02709d","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Soft, stretchable, and smart strain-sensing hydrogels have attracted significant attention due to their broad applicability in emerging fields. However, developing hydrogel-based strain-sensing materials with finely tuned mechanical and sensing properties remains challenging, primarily due to the inherent brittleness of traditionally fabricated hydrogels. In this study, a novel flexible strain- and epidermis-sensitive sensor was designed using a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-mediated acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (A-MWCNT)-reinforced double-network conductive hydrogel. This dual-network hydrogel system was fabricated by integrating a covalently crosslinked acrylamide (Amm) and [2-(acryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethyl-ammonium chloride (AETAC) with a physically crosslinked network of A-MWCNTs, which were uniformly dispersed <i>via</i> CNCs. Incorporating hydrogen bonding and strong electrostatic interactions within the physical network introduced reversible sacrificial bonds, significantly enhancing the hydrogel's mechanical strength. The hydrogel exhibited mechanical and sensing performance, including sufficient stretchability (431.6%), remarkable sensitivity, a gauge factor (GF) of 4.32 at 400% strain, toughness of 65.6 kJ m<sup>-3</sup>, Young's modulus of 1.5 kPa, and rapid response and recovery times of 100 msec. Furthermore, it demonstrated excellent cycling stability over 100 cycles and effective sensing capabilities across a broad strain range, from small deformations (5%) to large strains (400%). The conductivity of 0.09 S m<sup>-1</sup>, facilitated by the formation of conduction pathways through the AETAC and A-MWCNTs, further enhanced its performance. Moreover, the hydrogel exhibited practical applicability in detecting various large-scale and physiological human movements. Functioning as a wearable electronic skin, it represents a highly flexible and adaptable material suitable for applications in soft robotics, flexible sensors, and health monitoring devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143722971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hanadi M Alqosiri, Hadeel M Alqasiri, Sara E Alqasire, Victor E Nava, Bidhan C Bandyopadhyay, Christopher B Raub
{"title":"Breast cancer extracellular matrix invasion depends on local mechanical loading of the collagen network.","authors":"Hanadi M Alqosiri, Hadeel M Alqasiri, Sara E Alqasire, Victor E Nava, Bidhan C Bandyopadhyay, Christopher B Raub","doi":"10.1039/d4tb01474j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4tb01474j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Active mechanical stresses in and around tumors affect cancer cell behavior and independently regulate cancer progression. To investigate the role of mechanical stress in breast cancer cell invasion, magnetic alginate beads loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles were coated with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and embedded in a three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) model subjected to an external magnetic field during culture. Bead displacement, cell shape and patterns of invasion of the collagen gel, and cell proliferation were assessed over 7 days of culture. The alginate beads swelled over the first 24 h in culture, creating circumferential stress akin to that created by tumor growth, while bead magnetic properties enabled local mechanical loading (compression, tension, and relaxation) and motion within the <i>in vitro</i> tissue constructs upon exposure to an external magnetic field. Beads displaced 0.2-1.6 mm through the collagen gels, depending on magnet size and distance, compressing the collagen network microstructure without gel mechanical failure. Invading cells formed a spatulate pattern as they moved into the compressed ECM region, with individual cells aligned parallel to the bead surface. During the first 24 hours of compressive magnetic force loading, invading cancer cells became round, losing elongation and ability to invade out from the bead surface, while still actively dividing. In contrast, cell invasion in unloaded constructs and in loaded constructs away from the compression region invaded as single cells, transversely outward from the bead surface. Finally, cell proliferation was 1.3× higher only after external magnet removal, which caused relaxation of mechanical stress in the collagen network. These findings indicate effects on breast cancer invasion of mechanical loading of ECM, both from compressive loading and from load relaxation. Findings point to the influence of mechanical stress on cancer cell behavior and suggest that relaxing mechanical stress in and around a tumor may promote cancer progression through higher proliferation and invasion.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiwoo Shin, Sung Min Cho, Youseong Kim, Geonwoo Kang, Tobias Braun, Hermann Tenor, Christian Ludin, Reto Naef, Hyungil Jung
{"title":"Patient-convenient long-term alopecia treatment <i>via</i> PLGA microsphere-loaded candlelit microneedles.","authors":"Jiwoo Shin, Sung Min Cho, Youseong Kim, Geonwoo Kang, Tobias Braun, Hermann Tenor, Christian Ludin, Reto Naef, Hyungil Jung","doi":"10.1039/d5tb00118h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb00118h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by chronic and progressive hair loss, with associated psychological factors intensifying the impact on patients. Current treatments, such as oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, have low bioavailability and numerous side effects. Dissolvable microneedles (DMNs) provide a promising alternative for drug delivery. However, the presence of hair on the scalp often hinders their insertions and adhesion. Thus, candlelit microneedles (CMNs) have been developed to improve insertion and drug delivery without the use of adhesive patches. In this study, CMNs were combined with poly lactic-<i>co</i>-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres encapsulating the NO-releasing PDE5 inhibitor TOP-M119 (M119), a potent vasodilator promoting hair growth, for sustained drug release. When delivered <i>via</i> the CMN, it bypasses the challenges posed by hair on the scalp. The CMN system with PLGA microspheres resulted in substantial hair growth and reduced application frequency <i>in vivo</i>. This indicates that it may be a more effective treatment for alopecia than conventional methods. Furthermore, the reduced application frequency may result in better patient compliance.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143712541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Injection site-retained lipid nanoparticles for targeted intramuscular delivery of mRNA RSV prefusion-F vaccine.","authors":"Xichao Chen, Honglei Zhang, Dongyang Liu, Jingxuan Ma, Lijie Jin, Yuqing Ma, Jing Li, Gengshen Song, Juxian Wang","doi":"10.1039/d5tb00117j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5tb00117j","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>mRNA therapeutics, particularly mRNA vaccines, hold significant promise for a wide range of medical applications. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the most clinically advanced delivery vehicles for mRNA, but issues such as off-target effects and liver accumulation hinder their broader clinical adoption. In this study, we designed and synthesized a library of 26 novel ionizable lipids to screen for better delivery efficiency and tissue specificity. After formulating into LNPs, these ionizable lipids exhibited favorable physicochemical properties. <i>In vitro</i> transfection and cytotoxicity assays revealed that LNPs formulated with YK-201, YK-202, and YK-209 showed superior transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. In a mouse model, intramuscular injection of Fluc mRNA-LNPs resulted in sustained and localized protein expression at the injection site. When applied to prepare RSV preF-mRNA vaccines, these novel LNPs elicited robust humoral immune responses and reduced lung damage, outperforming the clinically used SM-102. The safety of the LNP formulations was subsequently demonstrated in a mouse model. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of these novel ionizable lipids as effective injection site-retained mRNA vaccine delivery vehicles.</p>","PeriodicalId":94089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of materials chemistry. B","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143694922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}