Assembling Ruthenium Complexes to Form Ruthenosome Unleashing Ferritinophagy-Mediated Tumor Suppression.

We introduce ruthenosomes, a fusion of liposomal and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating properties meticulously engineered as potent ferroptosis inducers (FINs), marking a significant advancement in metallodrug design for cancer therapy. Formed through the self-assembly of oleate-conjugated ruthenium complexes, these ruthenosomes exhibit exceptional cellular uptake, selectively accumulating in mitochondria and causing substantial disruption. This targeted mitochondrial damage significantly elevates ROS levels, triggering autophagy and selectively activating ferritinophagy.

Associations of frailty and cognitive impairment with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in older adults: a prospective cohort study from NHANES 2011-2014.

Background: The global aging trend exacerbates the challenge of frailty and cognitive impairment in older adults, yet their combined impact on health outcomes remains under-investigated. This study aims to explore how frailty and psychometric mild cognitive impairment (pMCI) jointly affect all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods: The cohort study we examined 2,442 participants aged ≥ 60, is the secondary analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014.

Bone-Adhesive Peptide Hydrogel Loaded with Cisplatin for Postoperative Treatment of Osteosarcoma.

The inhibition of residual tumor recurrence while repairing bone defects poses a challenging issue for postoperative osteosarcoma treatment. Here, we develop a self-assembling peptide hydrogel (GelA) for the targeted delivery of cisplatin (CDDP), aiming to integrate postoperative tumor inhibition with bone defect repair. GelA exhibits exceptional biocompatibility, high loading capacity for CDDP, and superior bone adhesion.

Transition metal complexes: next-generation photosensitizers for combating Gram-positive bacteria.

The rise of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. A photosensitizer (PS) can convert energy from absorbed photon into reactive oxygen species (ROS) for damaging bacteria. This photoinactivation action bypassing conventional antibiotic mechanism is less prone to resistance development, making antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) highly efficient in combating Gram-positive bacteria.

Blood reflects acute exacerbation risk and inflammation in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

This study intended to investigate the ability of blood to estimate acute exacerbation risk in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Blood was detected in 176 elderly COPD patients (aged more than 60 years). was elevated in patients with COPD acute exacerbation versus patients with stable COPD ( < 0.

Causal role of immune cells in hypertension: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Although Hypertension (HTN) is considered to be a cardiovascular disease caused by multiple factors, the cause of it is still unknown. In this study, we aim to find out whether circulating immune cell characteristics have an impact on susceptibility to HTN.

Methods: This study employed a comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal association between immune cell characteristics and HTN.

Formulate Adaptive Biphasic Scaffold via Sequential Protein-Instructed Peptide Co-Assembly.

To ensure compositional consistency while mitigating potential immunogenicity for stem cell therapy, synthetic scaffolds have emerged as compelling alternatives to native extracellular matrix (ECM). Substantial progress has been made in emulating specific natural traits featuring consistent chemical compositions and physical structures. However, recapitulating the dynamic responsiveness of the native ECM involving chemical transitions and physical remodeling during differentiation, remains a challenging endeavor.

Acid-assisted self-assembly of pyrene-capped tyrosine ruptures lysosomes to induce cancer cell apoptosis.

Induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) by peptide self-assembly has emerged as an effective platform for lysosome-targeted cancer therapy. In this study, we shift this strategical paradigm and present an innovative approach to LMP induction through amino acid-based self-assembly. Pyrene-capped tyrosine (Py-Tyr), as a proof-of-concept molecule, is designed with acidity-responsive self-assembly.

An ALP-responsive, anionic iridium complex for specific recognition of osteosarcoma cells.

Poor cellular permeability greatly hampers the utilization of anionic Ir(III) complexes, though efficiently emissive and remarkably stable, in cell-based diagnosis. To overcome this barrier, we present the development of an alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-responsive, anionic, and aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active Ir(III) complex (Ir1) for specific recognition of osteosarcoma cells. Containing phosphate moieties, Ir1 exhibits a net -1 charge, enabling charge repulsion from the cell membrane and resulting in low cellular uptake and good biocompatibility in normal osteoblast cells.

Self-Assembly of Sulfate-Containing Peptides Sequesters VEGF for Inhibiting Cancer Cell Invasion.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play a crucial role in regulating cancer growth and migration by mediating interactions with growth factors. In this study, we developed a self-assembling peptide () containing a sulfate group to simulate the contiguous sulfated regions (S-domains) in heparan sulfate for growth factor binding, aiming to sequester growth factors like VEGF. Spectral and structural studies as well as simulation studies suggested that self-assembled into nanostructures similar to the heparan sulfate chains and effectively bound to VEGF.

Duration and dosing of systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbation of COPD, protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trials and cohort studies.

Purpose: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a leading cause of deterioration in patients with otherwise stably controlled COPD. Treatments of AECOPD often require the use of corticosteroid therapy in conjunction with bronchodilators and antibiotics. However, the duration and dosage of corticosteroids still remain unclear.

Protocol to establish auxiliary diagnostic model for knee osteoarthritis functional testing equipment.

In China, 50% of Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) patients will be treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine or a combination of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, which call for objective efficacy evaluation methods. The collection, processing and fusion of multi-source data were taken as the main methods, with 150 KOA patients and 100 healthy people as an example to design prospective clinical tests. Data were collected with tongue inspection APP, infrared instrument and channel instrument, etc.

Specific discrimination and efficient elimination of gram-positive bacteria by an aggregation-induced emission-active ruthenium (II) photosensitizer.

The infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria (G) have seriously endangered public heath due to their high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a multifunctional system for selective recognition, imaging and efficient eradication of G. Aggregation-induced emission materials have shown great promise for microbial detection and antimicrobial therapy.

Pyrene-Based Self-Assembling Peptide for Ratiometric Detection of Heparin.

Heparin is a commonly used anticoagulant in clinical practice; however, excessive heparin can cause serious adverse reactions. Convenient and accurate detection of heparin levels is thus very important. In this research, a pyrene-based self-assembling fluorescent peptide PyFFRRR was designed for simple, selective, and efficient heparin detection.

Hydroxyapatite-Tethered Peptide Hydrogel Promotes Osteogenesis.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) as natural bone composition is highly osteoinductive. To harvest its osteoinductivity in bone regenerative engineering, the HAp-supporting hydrogel is urgently needed to minimize inhomogeneous aggregation of HAp. Here, we developed a HAp-stabilizing hydrogel based on peptide self-assembly.

Succinic Ester-Based Shape Memory Gelatin Sponge for Noncompressible Hemorrhage without Hindering Tissue Regeneration.

Shape memory sponges are very promising in stopping the bleeding from noncompressible and narrow entrance wounds. However, few shape memory sponges have fast degradable properties in order to not hinder tissue healing. In this work, based on cryopolymerization, a succinic ester-based sponge (Ssponge) is fabricated using gelatin and bi-polyethylene glycol-succinimidyl succinate (Bi-PEG-SS).

Stimuli-responsive platinum and ruthenium complexes for lung cancer therapy.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. More efficient treatments are desperately needed. For decades, the success of platinum-based anticancer drugs has promoted the exploration of metal-based agents.

Control cell migration by engineering integrin ligand assembly.

Advances in mechanistic understanding of integrin-mediated adhesion highlight the importance of precise control of ligand presentation in directing cell migration. Top-down nanopatterning limited the spatial presentation to sub-micron placing restrictions on both fundamental study and biomedical applications. To break the constraint, here we propose a bottom-up nanofabrication strategy to enhance the spatial resolution to the molecular level using simple formulation that is applicable as treatment agent.

Cohesion Design-Led Tough Sealants with Controllably Dissolvable Properties.

Leakage is a common complication of surgeries and injuries, causing pain and increasing the economic burden on patients. Although there are commercially available sealants for leakage prevention, few of them are entirely satisfactory due to disease transmission, high cost, and poor biocompatibility. In addition, none of them can be controllably removed for further healthcare.

Constructing ECM-like Structure on the Plasma Membrane via Peptide Assembly to Regulate the Cellular Response.

This feature article introduces the design of self-assembling peptides that serve as the basic building blocks for the construction of extracellular matrix (ECM)-like structure in the vicinity of the plasma membrane. By covalently conjugating a bioactive motif, such as membrane protein binding ligand or enzymatic responsive building block, with a self-assembling motif, especially the aromatic peptide, a self-assembling peptide that retains bioactivity is obtained. Instructed by the target membrane protein or enzyme, the bioactive peptides self-assemble into ECM-like structure exerting various stimuli to regulate the cellular response via intracellular signaling, especially mechanotransduction.

Biomimetic MOF Nanoparticles Delivery of C-Dot Nanozyme and CRISPR/Cas9 System for Site-Specific Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown etiology affecting the colon and rectum. Previous studies have found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and transmembrane glycoprotein CD98 (encoded by ) upregulation played important roles in the initiation and progression of UC. On the basis of this, a biomimetic pH-responsive metal organic framework (MOF) carrier was constructed to deliver carbon nanodot-SOD nanozyme and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) (CRISPR/Cas9) system for site-specific treatment of UC.

Microtubule-Targeted Self-Assembly Triggers Prometaphase-Metaphase Oscillations Suppressing Tumor Growth.

Microtubules are highly strategic targets of cancer therapies. Small molecule antimitotic agents are so far the best chemotherapeutic medication in cancer treatment. However, the high rate of neuropathy and drug resistance limit their clinical usage.

Robust Packing of a Self-Assembling Iridium Complex via Endocytic Trafficking for Long-Term Lysosome Tracking.

Live cell imaging of lysosome positioning and motility is critical to studying lysosome status and function for pharmacological interventions. To create a super stable lysosomal probe for long-term live cell imaging, we have designed and synthesized an aromatic-peptide-conjugated cyclometalated iridium(III) complex that emits light via π-π stacking oriented self-assembly in water at extremely low concentration. Through endocytic trafficking, self-assemblies are transformed from nanoparticles into sturdily packed networks that are stabilized in lysosomal acidic environment.

Lipid-Raft-Targeted Molecular Self-Assembly Inactivates YAP to Treat Ovarian Cancer.

The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a major oncoprotein responsible for cell proliferation control. YAP's oncogenic activity is regulated by both the Hippo kinase cascade and uniquely by a mechanical-force-induced actin remodeling process. Inspired by reports that ovarian cancer cells specifically accumulate the phosphatase protein ALPP on lipid rafts that physically link to actin cytoskeleton, we developed a molecular self-assembly (MSA) technology that selectively halts cancer cell proliferation by inactivating YAP.

Chemical Oscillation and Morphological Oscillation in Catalyst-Embedded Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Gels.

Liquid crystalline gels offer promising means in generating smart materials due to programmable mechanics and reversible shape changes in response to external stimuli. We demonstrate a simple and convenient method of constructing catalyst-embedded lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) gels and achieve chemomechanical oscillator by converting chemical waves in Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. We observe the directed chemical oscillations on LLC sticks accompanied by small-scale oscillatory swellings-shrinkages that are synchronized with the chemical waves of an LLC stick.