Fabrication of nanoparticles with precisely controllable plasmonic properties as tools for biomedical applications.

Metal nanoparticles are established tools for biomedical applications due to their unique optical properties, primarily attributed to localized surface plasmon resonances. They show distinct optical characteristics, such as high extinction cross-sections and resonances at specific wavelengths, which are tunable across the wavelength spectrum by modifying the nanoparticle geometry. These attributes make metal nanoparticles highly valuable for sensing and imaging in biology and medicine.

Ultrafast synthesis of zirconium-porphyrin framework nanocrystals from alkoxide precursors.

Porphyrinic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer high surface areas and tunable catalytic and optoelectronic properties, making them versatile candidates for applications in phototherapy, drug delivery, photocatalysis, electronics, and energy storage. However, a key challenge for industrial integration is the rapid, cost-effective production of suitable sizes. This study introduces Zr(IV) alkoxides as metal precursors, achieving ultrafast (∼minutes) and high-yield (>90%) synthesis of three well-known Zr-based porphyrinic MOF nanocrystals: MOF-525, PCN-224, and PCN-222, each with distinct topologies.

Engineered cell membrane-cloaked metal-organic framework nanocrystals for intracellular cargo delivery.

This investigation demonstrates the development and functionality of cell membrane-cloaked UiO-67 nanosized metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs), which are engineered for precise intracellular delivery of encapsulated cargoes. Utilizing the robust and porous nature of UiO-67, we enveloped these NMOFs with fusogenic cell membrane-derived nanovesicles (FCSMs) sourced from adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial (A549) cells. This biomimetic coating enhances biocompatibility and leverages the homotypic targeting capabilities of the cell-derived coatings, facilitating direct cytoplasmic delivery and avoiding endolysosomal entrapment.

Preclinical validation of human recombinant glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

The blood enzyme glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) has been postulated as an effective therapeutic to protect the brain during stroke. To demonstrate its potential clinical utility, a new human recombinant form of GOT (rGOT) was produced for medical use. We tested the pharmacokinetics and evaluated the protective efficacy of rGOT in rodent and non-human primate models that reflected clinical stroke conditions.

Modulation of Abundance and Location of High-Mobility Group Box 1 in Human Microglia and Macrophages under Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation.

While stroke represents one of the main causes of death worldwide, available effective drug treatment options remain limited to classic thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) for arterial-clot occlusion. Following stroke, multiple pathways become engaged in producing a vicious proinflammatory cycle through the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and heat shock protein 70 kDa (HSP72). HMGB1, in particular, can activate proinflammatory cytokine production when acetylated (AcHMGB1), a form that prefers cytosolic localization and extracellular release.