Phage-Templated Synthesis of Targeted Photoactive 1D-Thiophene Nanoparticles.

Thiophene-based nanoparticles (TNPs) are promising therapeutic and imaging agents. Here, using an innovative phage-templated synthesis, a strategy able to bypass the current limitations of TNPs in nanomedicine applications is proposed. The phage capsid is decorated with oligothiophene derivatives, transforming the virus in a 1D-thiophene nanoparticle (1D-TNP).

Biomimetic Plasmonic Nanophages by Head/Tail Self-Assembling: Gold Nanoparticle/Virus Interactions.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), because of their dual plasmonic and catalytic functionalities, are among the most promising nanomaterials for the development of therapeutic and diagnostic tools for severe diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Bacteriophages, massively present in human biofluids, are emerging as revolutionary biotechnological tools as they can be engineered to display multiple specific binding moieties, providing effective targeting ability, high stability, low cost, and sustainable production. Coupling AuNPs with phages can lead to an advanced generation of nanotools with great potential for biomedical applications.

Molecular engineering of a spheroid-penetrating phage nanovector for photodynamic treatment of colon cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents an emerging strategy to treat various malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CC), the third most common cancer type. This work presents an engineered M13 phage retargeted towards CC cells through pentavalent display of a disulfide-constrained peptide nonamer. The M13 nanovector was conjugated with the photosensitizer Rose Bengal (RB), and the photodynamic anticancer effects of the resulting M13-RB bioconjugate were investigated on CC cells.

A modular phage vector platform for targeted photodynamic therapy of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.

Growing antibiotic resistance has encouraged the revival of phage-inspired antimicrobial approaches. On the other hand, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered a very promising research domain for the protection against infectious diseases. Yet, very few efforts have been made to combine the advantages of both approaches in a modular, retargetable platform.

Light-Enhanced Cytotoxicity of Doxorubicin by Photoactivation.

The combination of photodynamic therapy with chemotherapy (photochemotherapy, PCT) can lead to additive or synergistic antitumor effects. Usually, two different molecules, a photosensitizer (PS) and a chemotherapeutic drug are used in PCT. Doxorubicin is one of the most successful chemotherapy drugs.

Carrying Temoporfin with Human Serum Albumin: A New Perspective for Photodynamic Application in Head and Neck Cancer.

Temoporfin (mTHPC) is approved in Europe for the photodynamic treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Although it has a promising profile, its lipophilic character hampers the full exploitation of its potential due to high tendency of aggregation and a reduced ROS generation that compromise photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy. Moreover, for its clinical administration, mTHPC requires the presence of ethanol and propylene glycol as solvents, often causing adverse effects in the site of injection.

pH Switchable Water Dispersed Photocatalytic Nanoparticles.

Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) finds applications in fields as different as nanomedicine, art preservation, air and water depollution and surface decontamination. Here we present photocatalytic nanoparticles (NP) that are active only at acidic pH while they do not show relevant ROS photo-generation at neutral pH. This dual responsivity (to light and pH) is achieved by stabilizing the surface of TiO NP with a specific organic shell during the synthesis and it is peculiar of the achieved core shell-structure, as demonstrated by comparison with commercial photocatalytic TiO NP.

EGFR-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a pivotal role in the proliferation and metastatization of cancer cells. Aberrancies in the expression and activation of EGFR are hallmarks of many human malignancies. As such, EGFR-targeted therapies hold significant potential for the cure of cancers.

Extracellular Vesicles Generated by Gram-Positive Bacteria Protect Human Tissues From HIV-1 Infection.

Vaginal microbiota dominated by lactobacilli protects women from sexually transmitted infection, in particular HIV-1. This protection is, in part, mediated by -released extracellular vesicles (EVs). Here, we investigated whether EVs derived from other Gram-positive bacteria also present in healthy vaginas, in particular , , , and , can affect vaginal HIV-1 infection.

Orthogonal nanoarchitectonics of M13 phage for receptor targeted anticancer photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a promising therapeutic modality for cancer. Here we used an orthogonal nanoarchitectonics approach (genetic/chemical) to engineer M13 bacteriophages as targeted vectors for efficient photodynamic killing of cancer cells. M13 was genetically refactored to display on the phage tip a peptide (SYPIPDT) able to bind the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Spiky Gold Nanoparticles for the Photothermal Eradication of Colon Cancer Cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a widespread and lethal disease. Relapses of the disease and metastasis are very common in instances of CRC, so adjuvant therapies have a crucial role in its treatment. Systemic toxic effects and the development of resistance during therapy limit the long-term efficacy of existing adjuvant therapeutic approaches.

Insight into phenotypic and genotypic differences between vaginal BC5 and BC12 to unravel nutritional and stress factors influencing their metabolic activity.

The vaginal microbiota, normally characterized by lactobacilli presence, is crucial for vaginal health. Members belonging to and species exert crucial protective functions against pathogens, although a total comprehension of factors that influence their dominance in healthy women is still lacking. Here we investigated the complete genome sequence and comprehensive phenotypic profile of strain BC5 and strain BC12, two vaginal strains featured by anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities.

Microbiota-host communications: Bacterial extracellular vesicles as a common language.

Both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain components from their mother cells. Bacterial EVs are similar in size to mammalian-derived EVs and are thought to mediate bacteria-host communications by transporting diverse bioactive molecules including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites. Bacterial EVs have been implicated in bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host interactions, promoting health or causing various pathologies.

Liposomes containing biosurfactants isolated from Lactobacillus gasseri exert antibiofilm activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Staphylococcus aureus is the major causative agent of skin and soft tissue infections, whose prevention and treatment have become more difficult due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. In this regard, the development of an effective treatment represents a challenge that can be overcome by delivering new antibiofilm agents with appropriate nanocarriers. In this study, a biosurfactant (BS) isolated from Lactobacillus gasseri BC9 and subsequently loaded in liposomes (LP), was evaluated for its ability to prevent the development and to eradicate the biofilm of different methicillin resistant S.