Modular fluorescent nanoparticle DNA probes for detection of peptides and proteins.

Fluorescently labeled antibody and aptamer probes are used in biological studies to characterize binding interactions, measure concentrations of analytes, and sort cells. Fluorescent nanoparticle labels offer an excellent alternative to standard fluorescent labeling strategies due to their enhanced brightness, stability and multivalency; however, challenges in functionalization and characterization have impeded their use. This work introduces a straightforward approach for preparation of fluorescent nanoparticle probes using commercially available reagents and common laboratory equipment.

Mechanism of Acid-Triggered Cargo Release from Lipid Bilayer-Coated Mesoporous Silica Particles.

Lipid bilayer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles are unique core-shell nanomaterials currently being developed as drug delivery vehicles. To improve cargo loading and biocirculation, the pore structure and surface chemistry of the particle have been modified and well characterized. However, an understanding of cargo release mechanisms from cellular uptake pathways remains largely unexplored.

Lipid-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for the Delivery of the ML336 Antiviral to Inhibit Encephalitic Alphavirus Infection.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) poses a major public health risk due to its amenability for use as a bioterrorism agent and its severe health consequences in humans. ML336 is a recently developed chemical inhibitor of VEEV, shown to effectively reduce VEEV infection in vitro and in vivo. However, its limited solubility and stability could hinder its clinical translation.

Microparticle-mediated sequestration of cell-secreted proteins to modulate chondrocytic differentiation.

Unlabelled: Protein delivery is often used in tissue engineering applications to control differentiation processes, but is limited by protein instability and cost. An alternative approach is to control the cellular microenvironment through biomaterial-mediated sequestration of cell-secreted proteins important to differentiation. Thus, we utilized heparin-based microparticles to modulate cellular differentiation via protein sequestration in an in vitro model system of endochondral ossification.

Core-shell microparticles for protein sequestration and controlled release of a protein-laden core.

Unlabelled: Development of multifunctional biomaterials that sequester, isolate, and redeliver cell-secreted proteins at a specific timepoint may be required to achieve the level of temporal control needed to more fully regulate tissue regeneration and repair. In response, we fabricated core-shell heparin-poly(ethylene-glycol) (PEG) microparticles (MPs) with a degradable PEG-based shell that can temporally control delivery of protein-laden heparin MPs. Core-shell MPs were fabricated via a re-emulsification technique and the number of heparin MPs per PEG-based shell could be tuned by varying the mass of heparin MPs in the precursor PEG phase.

Interactions between mesenchymal stem cells, adipocytes, and osteoblasts in a 3D tri-culture model of hyperglycemic conditions in the bone marrow microenvironment.

Recent studies have found that uncontrolled diabetes and consequential hyperglycemic conditions can lead to an increased incidence of osteoporosis. Osteoblasts, adipocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are all components of the bone marrow microenvironment and thus may have an effect on diabetes-related osteoporosis. However, few studies have investigated the influence of these three cell types on each other, especially in the context of hyperglycemia.