Co-Delivery of Renal Clearable Cerium Complex and Synergistic Antioxidant Iron Complex for Treating Sepsis.

The mononuclear phagocytic system clears the circulating inorganic nanomaterials from the bloodstream, which raises concerns about the chronic toxicity of the accumulated metal species. A better understanding of the behavior of each metal after systemic injection is thus required for clinical translations. This study investigates the significance of the metal-ligand interaction on the accumulation of cerium and demonstrates that only the form in which cerium is coordinated to a multidentate chelator with a strong binding affinity does not accumulate in major organs.

Orally Deliverable Iron-Ceria Nanotablets for Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Ceria-based nanoparticles are versatile in treating various inflammatory diseases, but their feasibility in clinical translation is undermined by safety concerns and a limited delivery system. Meanwhile, the idiopathic nature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) calls for a wider variety of therapeutics via moderation of the intestinal immune system. In this regard, the synthesis and oral formulation of iron-ceria nanoparticles (CF NPs) with enhanced nanozymic activity and lower toxicity risk than conventional ceria-based nanoparticles are reported.

Needle-Like Multifunctional Biphasic Microfiber for Minimally Invasive Implantable Bioelectronics.

Implantable bioelectronics has attracted significant attention in electroceuticals and clinical medicine for precise diagnosis and efficient treatment of target diseases. However, conventional rigid implantable devices face challenges such as poor tissue-device interface and unavoidable tissue damage during surgical implantation. Despite continuous efforts to utilize various soft materials to address such issues, their practical applications remain limited.

Low-impedance tissue-device interface using homogeneously conductive hydrogels chemically bonded to stretchable bioelectronics.

Stretchable bioelectronics has notably contributed to the advancement of continuous health monitoring and point-of-care type health care. However, microscale nonconformal contact and locally dehydrated interface limit performance, especially in dynamic environments. Therefore, hydrogels can be a promising interfacial material for the stretchable bioelectronics due to their unique advantages including tissue-like softness, water-rich property, and biocompatibility.

Ceria-vesicle nanohybrid therapeutic for modulation of innate and adaptive immunity in a collagen-induced arthritis model.

Commencing with the breakdown of immune tolerance, multiple pathogenic factors, including synovial inflammation and harmful cytokines, are conjointly involved in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Intervening to mitigate some of these factors can bring a short-term therapeutic effect, but other unresolved factors will continue to aggravate the disease. Here we developed a ceria nanoparticle-immobilized mesenchymal stem cell nanovesicle hybrid system to address multiple factors in rheumatoid arthritis.

Co-Delivery of Metabolic Modulators Leads to Simultaneous Lactate Metabolism Inhibition and Intracellular Acidification for Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

Simultaneous lactate metabolism inhibition and intracellular acidification (LIIA) is a promising approach for inducing tumor regression by depleting ATP. However, given the limited efficacy of individual metabolic modulators, a combination of various modulators is required for highly efficient LIIA. Herein, a co-delivery system that combines lactate transporter inhibitor, glucose oxidase, and O -evolving nanoparticles is proposed.

Minimally-Invasive and In-Vivo Hydrogel Patterning Method for In Situ Fabrication of Implantable Hydrogel Devices.

Despite advances in a wide range of device applications of hydrogels, including implantable ones, a method for deploying patterned hydrogel devices into the body in a minimally-invasive manner is not available yet. However, in situ patterning of the hydrogel in vivo has an obvious advantage, by which incision surgery for implantation of the hydrogel device can be avoided. Here, a minimally-invasive and in vivo hydrogel patterning method for in situ fabrication of implantable hydrogel devices is presented.

Penetrative and Sustained Drug Delivery Using Injectable Hydrogel Nanocomposites for Postsurgical Brain Tumor Treatment.

Postsurgical treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) by systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy is often inefficient. Tumor cells infiltrating deeply into the brain parenchyma are significant obstacles to the eradication of GBM. Here, we present a potential solution to this challenge by introducing an injectable thermoresponsive hydrogel nanocomposite.

Geometric Tuning of Single-Atom FeN Sites via Edge-Generation Enhances Multi-Enzymatic Properties.

Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) are considered promising alternatives to natural enzymes. The catalytic performance of SAzymes featuring homogeneous, well-defined active structures can be enhanced through elucidating structure-activity relationship and tailoring physicochemical properties. However, manipulating enzymatic properties through structural variation is an underdeveloped approach.

Guidelines for the Laboratory Diagnosis of Monkeypox in Korea.

While the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is ongoing, monkeypox has been rapidly spreading in non-endemic countries since May 2022. Accurate and rapid laboratory tests are essential for identifying and controlling monkeypox. Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine and the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency have proposed guidelines for diagnosing monkeypox in clinical laboratories in Korea.

Enhanced Chemodynamic Therapy by Cu-Fe Peroxide Nanoparticles: Tumor Microenvironment-Mediated Synergistic Fenton Reaction.

An urgent need in chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is to achieve high Fenton catalytic efficiency at small doses of CDT agents. However, simple general promotion of the Fenton reaction increases the risk of damaging normal cells along with the cancer cells. Therefore, a tailored strategy to selectively enhance the Fenton reactivity in tumors, for example, by taking advantage of the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), is in high demand.

Multifunctional Injectable Hydrogel for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications.

Injectable hydrogels show high potential for biomedical applications owing to their distinctive mode of administration into the human body. In this study, we propose a material design strategy for developing a multifunctional injectable hydrogel with good adhesiveness, stretchability, and bioresorbability. Its multifunctionality, whereupon multiple reactions occur simultaneously during its injection into the body without requiring energy stimuli and/or additives, was realized through meticulous engineering of bioresorbable precursors based on hydrogel chemistry.

Tissue-like skin-device interface for wearable bioelectronics by using ultrasoft, mass-permeable, and low-impedance hydrogels.

Hydrogels consist of a cross-linked porous polymer network and water molecules occupying the interspace between the polymer chains. Therefore, hydrogels are soft and moisturized, with mechanical structures and physical properties similar to those of human tissue. Such hydrogels have a potential to turn the microscale gap between wearable devices and human skin into a tissue-like space.

Localized Delivery of Theranostic Nanoparticles and High-Energy Photons using Microneedles-on-Bioelectronics.

The low delivery efficiency of light-responsive theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) to target tumor sites, particularly to brain tumors due to the blood-brain barrier, has been a critical issue in NP-based cancer treatments. Furthermore, high-energy photons that can effectively activate theranostic NPs are hardly delivered to the target region due to the strong scattering of such photons while penetrating surrounding tissues. Here, a localized delivery method of theranostic NPs and high-energy photons to the target tumor using microneedles-on-bioelectronics is presented.

Epitaxially Strained CeO /Mn O Nanocrystals as an Enhanced Antioxidant for Radioprotection.

Nanomaterials with antioxidant properties are promising for treating reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related diseases. However, maintaining efficacy at low doses to minimize toxicity is a critical for clinical applications. Tuning the surface strain of metallic nanoparticles can enhance catalytic reactivity, which has rarely been demonstrated in metal oxide nanomaterials.

Deep Tumor Penetration of Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles by Click Reaction-Assisted Immune Cell Targeting Strategy.

Nanoparticles have been extensively used to deliver therapeutic drugs to tumor tissues through the extravasation of a leaky vessel via enhanced permeation and retention effect (EPR, passive targeting) or targeted interaction of tumor-specific ligands (active targeting). However, the therapeutic efficacy of drug-loaded nanoparticles is hampered by its heterogeneous distribution owing to limited penetration in tumor tissue. Inspired by the fact that cancer cells can recruit inflammatory immune cells to support their survival, we developed a click reaction-assisted immune cell targeting (CRAIT) strategy to deliver drug-loaded nanoparticles deep into the avascular regions of the tumor.

A therapeutic human antibody against the domain 4 of the Bacillus anthracis protective antigen shows protective efficacy in a mouse model.

Since Bacillus anthracis is a high-risk pathogen and a potential tool for bioterrorism, numerous therapeutic methods including passive immunization have been actively developed. Using a human monoclonal antibody phage display library, we screened new therapeutic antibodies for anthrax infection against protective antigen (PA) of B. anthracis.

Muramyl dipeptide potentiates a Bacillus anthracis poly-γ-d-glutamic acid capsule surrogate that induces maturation and activation of mouse dendritic cells.

Poly-γ-d-glutamic acid (PGA) of anthrax is an important pathogenic factor due to its anti-phagocytic activity. Additionally, PGA has the ability to activate mouse macrophages for the secretion of cytokines through Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2. Peptidoglycan (PGN), a major bacterial cell-wall component, induces inflammatory responses in the host.

General and Facile Coating of Single Cells via Mild Reduction.

Cell surface modification has been extensively studied to enhance the efficacy of cell therapy. Still, general accessibility and versatility are remaining challenges to meet the increasing demand for cell-based therapy. Herein, we present a facile and universal cell surface modification method that involves mild reduction of disulfide bonds in cell membrane protein to thiol groups.

Human eye-inspired soft optoelectronic device using high-density MoS-graphene curved image sensor array.

Soft bioelectronic devices provide new opportunities for next-generation implantable devices owing to their soft mechanical nature that leads to minimal tissue damages and immune responses. However, a soft form of the implantable optoelectronic device for optical sensing and retinal stimulation has not been developed yet because of the bulkiness and rigidity of conventional imaging modules and their composing materials. Here, we describe a high-density and hemispherically curved image sensor array that leverages the atomically thin MoS-graphene heterostructure and strain-releasing device designs.

Multifunctional nanoparticles as a tissue adhesive and an injectable marker for image-guided procedures.

Tissue adhesives have emerged as an alternative to sutures and staples for wound closure and reconnection of injured tissues after surgery or trauma. Owing to their convenience and effectiveness, these adhesives have received growing attention particularly in minimally invasive procedures. For safe and accurate applications, tissue adhesives should be detectable via clinical imaging modalities and be highly biocompatible for intracorporeal procedures.