Chemoresistance of Cancer Cells: Requirements of Tumor Microenvironment-mimicking Models in Anti-Cancer Drug Development.

For decades, scientists have been using two-dimensional cell culture platforms for high-throughput drug screening of anticancer drugs. Growing evidence indicates that the results of anti-cancer drug screening vary with the cell culture microenvironment, and this variation has been proposed as a reason for the high failure rate of clinical trials. Since the culture condition-dependent drug sensitivity of anti-cancer drugs may negatively impact the identification of clinically effective drug candidates, more reliable cancer platforms are urgently needed.

Synthesis of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silver Nanoparticles and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial Activities and Cytotoxic Properties.

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were treated with an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to form an oxygen-based functional group. Silver MWCNTs were prepared by the reductive deposition of silver from an aqueous solution of AgNO3 on the oxidized MWCNTs. Given the unique color of the CNTs, it was not possible to apply them to the minimum inhibitory concentration or mitochondrial toxicity assays to evaluate the toxicity and antibacterial properties, since they would interfere with the assays.

Probing characteristics of cancer cells cultured on engineered platforms simulating different microenvironments.

In this study, we demonstrate cell culture platforms that can provide a microenvironment similar to in vivo conditions so that in vivo-compatible drug testing results can be obtained from the in vitro experiments. To realize such in vivo microenvironment-mimetic platforms, different culture platforms such as a three-dimensional (3D) cell aggregate film, fluidic environment within a microfluidic system or extracellular matrix (ECM) coating were established. The tumor cell growth rate and sensitivity to doxorubicin (DOX) were studied using the glioblastoma cell line T98G.

Sensitive detection of copper ions via ion-responsive fluorescence quenching of engineered porous silicon nanoparticles.

Heavy metal pollution has been a problem since the advent of modern transportation, which despite efforts to curb emissions, continues to play a critical role in environmental pollution. Copper ions (Cu), in particular, are one of the more prevalent metals that have widespread detrimental ramifications. From this perspective, a simple and inexpensive method of detecting Cu at the micromolar level would be highly desirable.

Aptamer-conjugated live human immune cell based biosensors for the accurate detection of C-reactive protein.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a pentameric protein that is present in the bloodstream during inflammatory events, e.g., liver failure, leukemia, and/or bacterial infection.