Identification and functional study of AA11 family polysaccharide monooxygenase genes in filamentous fungus Podospora anserina.

The lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) in the auxiliary active protein family (AA family) catalyzes the oxidative depolymerization of various refractory carbohydrates including cellulose, chitin and starch. While accumulating studies investigate the enzymology of LPMO, the research on the inactivation of LPMO genes has been rarely explored. In this study, five LPMO genes PaLPMO11A (Pa_4_4790), PaLPMO11B (Pa_1_5310), PaLPMO11C (Pa_2_7840), PaLPMO11D (Pa_2_8610) and PaLPMO11E (Pa_3_9420) of the AA11 family in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina were knocked out by homologous recombination.

Investigation of the antibacterial properties of hyaluronic acid microneedles based on chitosan and MoS.

Microneedle (MN) systems for painless transdermal drug delivery have been well developed over the past few years to overcome the problems of subcutaneous injections. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan that exists widely in living organisms, and chitosan (CS) is the only basic polysaccharide among natural polysaccharides, both of which have good biodegradability. Molybdenum sulfide (MoS) is a typical layered transition metal disulfide with a two-dimensional structure and many unique physicochemical properties.

Dissolving microneedles based on ZnO nanoparticles and an ionic liquid as synergistic antibacterial agents.

The use of nanomaterials to replace antibiotics has developed rapidly in the past decade, among which zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been proven to exhibit antibacterial properties and low toxicity in the treatment of microbial infections, and have been applied in antibacterial agent preparation. However, one of the problems of ZnO NPs is that these particles do not disperse well in some media, which reduces their antibacterial effects. Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of low melting point salts containing organic cations and organic/inorganic anions; they have good biocompatibility and can not only enhance the dispersion of ZnO NPs but also have antibacterial properties.

Ionizable drug delivery systems for efficient and selective gene therapy.

Gene therapy has shown great potential to treat various diseases by repairing the abnormal gene function. However, a great challenge in bringing the nucleic acid formulations to the market is the safe and effective delivery to the specific tissues and cells. To be excited, the development of ionizable drug delivery systems (IDDSs) has promoted a great breakthrough as evidenced by the approval of the BNT162b2 vaccine for prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2021.

Microneedle-mediated treatment for superficial tumors by combining multiple strategies.

Superficial tumors are still challenging to overcome due to the high risk and toxicity of surgery and conventional chemotherapy. Microneedles (MNs) are widely used in the treatment of superficial skin tumors (SST) due to the high penetration rate of the stratum corneum (SC), excellent biocompatibility, simple preparation process, high patient compliance, and minimal invasion. Most importantly, MNs can provide not only efficient and rarely painful delivery carriers, but also combine multi-model strategies with photothermal therapy (PTT), immunotherapy, and gene therapy for synergistic efficacy.

Chitosan-based high-strength supramolecular hydrogels for 3D bioprinting.

The loss of tissues and organs is a major challenge for biomedicine, and the emerging 3D bioprinting technology has brought the dawn for the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Chitosan-based supramolecular hydrogels, as novel biomaterials, are considered as ideal materials for 3D bioprinting due to their unique dynamic reversibility and fantastic biological properties. Although chitosan-based supramolecular hydrogels have wonderful biological properties, the mechanical properties are still under early exploration.

Nuclear targeting Subcellular-delivery nanosystems for precise cancer treatment.

With the exponential growth of nanomedicine research, subcellular-delivery nanosystems (SDNSs) has rapidly become a research focus, which suggests that the idea of curing cancer may not be a pipe dream. As the center of genetic material storage, replication, and transcription, the nucleus can be regarded as the final target of many cancer treatment methods. Thus, nuclear-targeted SDNSs may have clinical potential for precise cancer treatment by delivering therapeutic agents and assisting various treatment methods.

Chitosan-modified biochar: Preparation, modifications, mechanisms and applications.

The chitosan-modified biochar composite, as a carbohydrate polymer, has received increasing attention and becomes a research hotspot. It is a promising impurity adsorption material, which has potential application value in the agricultural environment fields such as soil improvement and sewage purification. The composite can combine the advantages of biochar with chitosan, and the resulting composite usually exhibits a great improvement in its surface functional groups, adsorption sites, stability, and adsorption properties.

Functional gold nanoparticles for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of thrombus.

Thrombus treatment faces great challenges because of the difficulties in the early diagnosis and prevention, and targeted thrombolytic therapy. As a result, there is an urgent need to explore unique strategies to achieve the multiple targets of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention (DTP) by integrating them into one nanosystem. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a classical type of inorganic nanomaterials with gold, is emergingly found effective in all stages of thrombus therapy due to the superiority of good optical properties, surface plasmon resonance, and biocompatibility.

Circular RNA circ-PVT1 contributes to paclitaxel resistance of gastric cancer cells through the regulation of ZEB1 expression by sponging miR-124-3p.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most commonly diagnosed malignancy. Paclitaxel (PTX) is an effective first-line chemotherapy drug in GC treatment, but the resistance of PTX attenuates the therapeutic effect. Circular RNA circ-PVT1 can exert the oncogenic effect in GC.

Shikonin potentiates paclitaxel antitumor efficacy in esophageal cancer cells via the apoptotic pathway.

Shikonin is a natural naphthoquinone pigment that can suppress the growth of a number of cancer cell types. Paclitaxel is an antineoplastic chemotherapy drug, which is used for the treatment of various types of solid tumor cancer. However, acquired paclitaxel resistance results in the failure of therapy, and consequent metastasis and relapse.

[Generation of antitumor response against hepatocellular carcinoma by in vitro transduction of dendritic cells with adeno-associated virus expressing α-fetoprotein].

Objective: To investigate the generation of antitumor response against hepatocellular carcinoma by in vitro transduction of dendritic cells (DC) with recombinant adeno-associated virus expressing α-fetoprotein (rAAV-AFP).

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from healthy volunteers. Adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells were transduced with AAV-AFP and cultured in the presence of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4 to generate dendritic cells.