Near-infrared light and redox dual-activatable nanosystems for synergistically cascaded cancer phototherapy with reduced skin photosensitization.

Currently, activatable photodynamic therapy (PDT) that is precisely regulated by endogenous or exogenous stimuli to selectively produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species at the tumor site is urgently in demand. Herein, we fabricated a dual-activatable PDT nanosystem regulated by the redox tumor microenvironment and near-infrared (NIR) light-induced photothermal therapy (PTT). In this study, photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) was conjugated to hyaluronic acid (HA) via a diselenide bond to form an amphiphilic polymer (HSeC) for loading PTT agent IR780 to produce HSeC/IR nanoparticles (NPs).

Uricase and Horseradish Peroxidase Hybrid CaHPO₄ Nanoflower Integrated with Transcutaneous Patches for Treatment of Hyperuricemia.

Currently, there are approximately 170 million hyperuricemia patients in China. Conventional drug therapy has limited clinical benefits and may induce serious side effects. Enzyme replacement therapy has attracted much attention owing to its advantages of strong specificity, small dosage, and remarkable curative effect.

Recent Progress in Functional Micellar Carriers with Intrinsic Therapeutic Activities for Anticancer Drug Delivery.

Polymeric micelles have presented superior delivery properties for poorly water-soluble chemotherapeutic agents. However, it remains discouraging that there may be some additional short or long-term toxicities caused by the metabolites of high quantities of carriers. If carriers had simultaneous therapeutic effects with the drug, these issues would not be a concern.

Biodegradable Self-Assembled Micelles Based on MPEG-PTMC Copolymers: An Ideal Drug Delivery System for Vincristine.

Despite advantageous properties, micelles using methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(trimethylene carbonate) (MPEGPTMC) have not been widely studied. In this work, we aim to develop a novel vehicle for vincristine (VCR) based on a MPEG-PTMC micelle system. MPEG-PTMC with a series of molecular weights were synthesized and screened for the appropriate range for forming stable VCR micelles.

Injectable and Thermosensitive Hydrogel and PDLLA Electrospun Nanofiber Membrane Composites for Guided Spinal Fusion.

Spinal fusion is the classic treatment to achieve spinal stability for the treatment of the spinal disease. Generally, spinal fusion still has to combine a certain of bone matrix for promoting bone formation to achieve the desired fusion effect based on the surgery, including the traditional bone matrix, such as the autologous bone, allografts and xenografts. Nevertheless, some problems still existed such as the immunogenic problems, the secondary wound, and pathogenic transfer and so on.

Synthesis, characterization and drug loading property of Monomethoxy-Poly(ethylene glycol)-Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Poly(D,L-lactide) (MPEG-PCLA) copolymers.

Amphiphilic block copolymers have attracted a great deal of attention in drug delivery systems. In this work, a series of monomethoxy-poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (ε-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) (MPEG-PCLA) copolymers with variable composition of poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly (D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) were prepared via ring-opening copolymerization of ε-CL and D,L-LA in the presence of MPEG and stannous octoate. The structure and molecular weight were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

Synthesis, characterization, and application of reversible PDLLA-PEG-PDLLA copolymer thermogels in vitro and in vivo.

In this study, a series of injectable thermoreversible and thermogelling PDLLA-PEG-PDLLA copolymers were developed and a systematic evaluation of the thermogelling system both in vitro and in vivo was performed. The aqueous PDLLA-PEG-PDLLA solutions above a critical gel concentration could transform into hydrogel spontaneously within 2 minutes around the body temperature in vitro or in vivo. Modulating the molecular weight, block length and polymer concentration could adjust the sol-gel transition behavior and the mechanical properties of the hydrogels.

Biodegradable CSMA/PECA/Graphene Porous Hybrid Scaffold for Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

Owing to the limited repair capacity of articular cartilage, it is essential to develop tissue-engineered cartilage for patients suffering from joint disease and trauma. Herein, we prepared a novel hybrid scaffold composed of methacrylated chondroitin sulfate (CSMA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-ε-caprolactone-acryloyl chloride (MPEG-PCL-AC, PECA was used as abbreviation for MPEG-PCL-AC) and graphene oxide (GO) and evaluated its potential application in cartilage tissue engineering. To mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) of cartilage, the scaffold had an adequate pore size, porosity, swelling ability, compression modulus and conductivity.

Label-free alpha fetoprotein immunosensor established by the facile synthesis of a palladium-graphene nanocomposite.

In this study, we established a sensitive label-free immunosensor by palladium-reduced graphene oxide (Pd-rGO), which was prepared by one-pot synthesis under the reduction of extra-injected CO gas. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite structure has been confirmed by TEM, SEM, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite exhibited excellent stability in aqueous dispersion.

Mesoporous magnetic gold "nanoclusters" as theranostic carrier for chemo-photothermal co-therapy of breast cancer.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is proved to be an efficient manner for superficial tumor therapy in preclinical studying. The tumor suppression of chemotherapy can be enhanced by combining with PTT. In this study, we reported a mesoporous magnetic gold "nanoclusters" (MMGNCs) structure as theranostic carrier for chemo-photothermal co-therapy.

Recent development of poly(ethylene glycol)-cholesterol conjugates as drug delivery systems.

Poly(ethylene glycol)-cholesterol (PEG-Chol) conjugates are composed of "hydrophilically-flexible" PEG and "hydrophobically-rigid" Chol molecules. PEG-Chol conjugates are capable of forming micelles through molecular self-assembly and they are also used extensively for the PEGylation of drug delivery systems (DDS). The PEGylated DDS have been shown to display optimized physical stability properties in vitro and longer half-lives in vivo when compared with non-PEGylated DDS.

The use of cationic MPEG-PCL-g-PEI micelles for co-delivery of Msurvivin T34A gene and doxorubicin.

In our previous study, a series of triblock copolymers based on MPEG-PCL-g-PEI were successfully synthesized, and the physicochemical properties of their self-assembled micelles were also investigated. Here, a further evaluation of these micelles was carried out, including in vitro drug release behavior, body distribution as well as blood compatibility. The developed MPEG-PCL-g-PEI micelles was labeled with (99)Tc for tracing the body distribution of micelles after i.

In vivo biocompatibility and osteogenesis of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)/nano-hydroxyapatite composite scaffold.

A flexible and fibrous composite scaffold composed of poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL, PCEC) and 30 wt.% nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) was fabricated through electrospinning. In the present study, we investigated its in vitro and in vivo performance by means of hydrolytic degradation, muscle pouch implantation, as well as repair the calvarial defects in New Zealand white rabbits.

Injectable and thermo-sensitive PEG-PCL-PEG copolymer/collagen/n-HA hydrogel composite for guided bone regeneration.

A novel three-component biomimetic hydrogel composite was successfully prepared in this study, which was composed of triblock PEG-PCL-PEG copolymer (PECE), collagen and nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA). The microstructure and thermo-responsibility of the obtained PECE/Collagen/n-HA hydrogel composite were characterized. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) showed that the composite exhibited an interconnected porous structure.