Rapid mechanochemical encapsulation of biocatalysts into robust metal-organic frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently garnered consideration as an attractive solid substrate because the highly tunable MOF framework can not only serve as an inert host but also enhance the selectivity, stability, and/or activity of the enzymes. Herein, we demonstrate the advantages of using a mechanochemical strategy to encapsulate enzymes into robust MOFs. A range of enzymes, namely β-glucosidase, invertase, β-galactosidase, and catalase, are encapsulated in ZIF-8, UiO-66-NH, or Zn-MOF-74 via a ball milling process.

Alpha-5 Integrin Mediates Simvastatin-Induced Osteogenesis of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Simvastatin (SVS) promotes the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and has been studied for MSC-based bone regeneration. However, the mechanism underlying SVS-induced osteogenesis is not well understood. We hypothesize that α5 integrin mediates SVS-induced osteogenic differentiation.