HO-Responsive Polymeric Micelles of Biodegradable Aliphatic Poly(carbonate)s as Promising Therapeutic Agents for Inflammatory Diseases.

Excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause various biological damages and are involved in many diseases, such as cancer, inflammatory and thrombotic complications, and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, ROS-responsive polymers with inherent ROS scavenging activity and biodegradability are extremely needed for the efficient treatment of ROS-related diseases. Here, this work fabricates the amphiphilic diblock copolymer PEG-b-PBC via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of phenylboronic acid ester conjugated cyclic carbonate monomer.

ROS-responsive phenylboronic ester-based nanovesicles as multifunctional drug delivery systems for the treatment of inflammatory and thrombotic complications.

Inflammatory and thrombotic complications and a low loading of dual drugs with different hydrophilicities remain challenges to treat thrombosis with drug delivery systems (DDSs). Here, the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive amphiphilic block polymer poly(ethylene glycol)--2-((((4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl)oxy)carbonyl)oxy)-ethyl methacrylate (PEG--PTBEM) was synthesized and nanovesicles (PPTV) were prepared successfully for the drug delivery platform by controlling the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio of molecular chains and molecular self-assembly. The anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (IDM) was loaded in the wall of nanovesicles and the thrombolytic enzyme nattokinase (NK) was encapsulated in the aqueous cavity of nanovesicles.

A dynamic remodeling bio-mimic extracellular matrix to reduce thrombotic and inflammatory complications of vascular implants.

Thrombotic and inflammatory complications induced by vascular implants remain a challenge to treat cardiovascular disease due to the lack of self-adaption and functional integrity of implants. Inspired by the dynamic remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), we constructed a bio-mimic ECM with a dual-layer nano-architecture on the implant surface to render the surface adaptive to inflammatory stimuli and remodelable possessing long-term anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic capability. The inner layer consists of PCL-PEG-PCL [triblock copolymer of polyethylene glycol and poly(ε-caprolactone)]/Au-heparin electrospun fibers encapsulated with indomethacin while the outer layer is composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and ROS-responsive poly(2-(4-((2,6-dimethoxy-4-methylphenoxy)methyl)phenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane) (PBA) fibers.

Biomimetic nano-NOS mediated local NO release for inhibiting cancer-associated platelet activation and disrupting tumor vascular barriers.

Platelets attribute to the hypercoagulation of blood and maintenance of the tumor vascular integrity, resulting in limited intratumoral perfusion of nanoparticle into solid tumors. To overcome these adversities, we herein present an antiplatelet strategy based on erythrocyte membrane-enveloped proteinic nanoparticles that biomimic nitric oxide synthase (NOS)with co-loading of l-Arginine (LA) and photosensitizer IR783 for local NO release and inhibition of the activation of tumor-associated platelets specifically, thereby enhancing vascular permeability and accumulation of the nanoparticles in tumors. A cRGD-immobolized membrane structure is constructed to actively target platelets and cancer cells respectively, through overexpressed integrin receptors such as integrin αβ and αβ, accelerating the inhibition of platelet activation and endocytosis of nanoparticles by tumor cells.

Thermal and Reactive Oxygen Species Dual-Responsive OEGylated Polysulfides with Oxidation-Tunable Lower Critical Solution Temperatures.

In this work, two monomethoxy oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG)-substituted episulfides are prepared and a series of polysulfides are synthesized with subsequent ring-opening polymerization. The OEGylated polysulfides exhibit thermal and reactive oxygen species (ROS) dual-responsive behavior. Their lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) are close to human body temperature and depend on the degree of polymerization and OEG length.

Molecular Thorium Trihydrido Clusters Stabilized by Cyclopentadienyl Ligands.

Hydrogenolysis of alkyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl (Cp ) ligated thorium tribenzyl complexes [(Cp )Th(p-CH -C H -Me) ] (1-6) afforded the first examples of molecular thorium trihydrido complexes [(Cp )Th(μ-H) ] (Cp =C H ( Bu) or C H (SiMe ) , n=5; C Me SiMe , n=6; C Me , n=7; C Me H, n=8; 7-10 and 12) and [(Cp ) Th H ] (Cp =C H SiMe ; 13). The nuclearity of the metal hydride clusters depends on the steric profile of the cyclopentadienyl ligands. The hydrogenolysis intermediate, tetra-nuclear octahydrido thorium dibenzylidene complex [(Cp )Th(μ-H) ] (μ-p-CH-C H -Me) (Cp =C H ( Bu) ) (11) was also isolated.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Glutathione Dual Redox-Responsive Nanoparticles for Controlled DOX Release.

Polymer nanoparticulate drug delivery systems that respond to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) simultaneously at biologically relevant levels hold great promise to improve the therapeutic efficacy to cancer cells with reduced side effects of chemo drugs. Herein, a novel redox dual-responsive amphiphilic block copolymer (ABP) that consists of a hydrophilic poly (ethylene oxide) block and a hydrophobic block bearing disulfide linked phenylboronic ester group as pendant is synthesized, and the DOX loaded nanoparticles (BSN-DOX) based on ABPs with varied hydrophobic block length are fabricated for DOX delivery. The self-immolative leaving reaction of phenylboronic ester triggered by extracellular ROS and the cleavage of disulfide linkages induced by intracellular GSH both lead to rapid DOX release from BSN-DOX, resulting in an on-demand DOX release.

Inhibition of Inflammation-Associated Thrombosis with ROS-Responsive Heparin-DOCA/PVAX Nanoparticles.

Inflammation-associated thrombosis is a non-negligible source of mortalities and morbidities worldwide. To manipulate inflammation-associated coagulation, nanoparticles that contain anti-inflammatory polymer (copolyoxalate containing vanillyl alcohol, PVAX) and anti-thrombotic heparin derivative deoxycholic acid (Hep-DOCA) are prepared. The strategy takes advantage of the reducted side effects of heparin through heparin conjugation, achievement of long-term anti-inflammation by inflammation-trigged release of anti-inflammatory agents, and formation of PVAX/heparin-DOCA nanoparticles by co-self-assembly.

Multiple microarrays of non-adherent cells on a single 3D stimuli-responsive binary polymer-brush pattern.

We have developed a 3D smart binary polymer-brush pattern on the polymer substrate for inducing multiple cell microarrays aided by a lectin and temperature. The binary polymer-brush pattern composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(d-gluconamidoethyl methacrylate) (PGAMA) brushes is fabricated by combining the photolithography technique with a surface-initiated photo-polymerization (SIPP) method. We demonstrate that well-defined binary polymer-brush patterns with high resolution are fabricated using this facile method.

Facile Fabrication of Hierarchically Thermoresponsive Binary Polymer Pattern for Controlled Cell Adhesion.

A versatile platform allowing capture and detection of normal and dysfunctional cells on the same patterned surface is important for accessing the cellular mechanism, developing diagnostic assays, and implementing therapy. Here, an original and effective method for fabricating binary polymer brushes pattern is developed for controlled cell adhesion. The binary polymer brushes pattern, composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (POEGMA) chains, is simply obtained via a combination of surface-initiated photopolymerization and surface-activated free radical polymerization.

Bioinspired Antioxidant Defense System Constructed by Antioxidants-Eluting Electrospun F127-Based Fibers.

Cells were continuously exposed to oxidative damage by overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when they contacted implanted biomaterials. The strategy to prevent cells from oxidative injures remains a challenge. Inspired by the antioxidant defense system of cells, we constructed a biocompatible and ROS-responsive architecture on the substrate of styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene elastomer (SEBS).

Guided protein/cell patterning on superhydrophilic polymer brushes functionalized with mussel-inspired polydopamine coatings.

A simple approach for preparing bicomponent polymer patterns was developed by coating polydopamine (PDA) on superhydrophilic poly(2-acryl-amido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) (PAMPS) brushes. Well-defined and versatile arrays of proteins and cells were achieved without harm to proteins and cells.

Cell-inspired biointerfaces constructed from patterned smart hydrogels for immunoassays in whole blood.

Immunoassays have shown great advances in the fields of biomedical diagnosis. However, successful immunoassays in blood plasma or whole blood based on the designed biointerfaces are still rare. Here, a newly cell-inspired biointerface for immunoassays in blood is demonstrated.

Label electrochemical immunosensor for prostate-specific antigen based on graphene and silver hybridized mesoporous silica.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), as the specificity of prostate cancer markers, has been widely used in prostate cancer diagnosis and screening. In this study, we fabricated an electrochemical immunosensor for PSA detection using the amino-functionalized graphene sheet-ferrocenecarboxaldehyde composite materials (NH2-GS@FCA) and silver hybridized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Ag@NH2-MCM48). Under optimal conditions, the fabricated immunosensor showed a wide linear range with PSA concentration (0.