Antibacterial cationic porous organic polymer coatings via an adsorption-contact-photodynamic inactivation strategy for treatment of drug-resistant bacteria.

Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) has great potential for treating severely infected wounds, it is restricted by the short lifetime, limited diffusion distance of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and incomplete contact with bacteria. Herein, we report a novel nanosized ionic porous organic polymer (TPAPy-IPOP) based on the triphenylamine (TPA) moiety. Strong electron-deficient cationic groups were introduced into TPA to construct the donor-acceptor (D-A) system, in which the photoelectric effect of TPAPy-IPOP was greatly enhanced, and it was easily excited to produce ROS under irradiation with visible light. The introduction of cations not only facilitated bacterial adsorption by TPAPy-IPOP via electrostatic attraction, which was more conducive to killing bacteria by ROS, but also inactivated bacteria by the cations directly. The nanosized TPAPy-IPOP remained suspended in water for several months and could be sprayed onto various substrates to form a durable coating with excellent antibacterial properties. The in vivo results proved that the silk fibroin/polyvinyl alcohol non-woven fabric (SF/PVA) coated with TPAPy-IPOP could create and maintain a sterile microenvironment at a wound site. The rapid reduction in inflammation resulting from its bactericidal action accelerated the wound healing rate. Collectively, this design is expected to offer a generalizable approach for developing novel antibacterial therapeutic photosensitizers, especially for infected wound treatment.

Cisplatin­resistant germ cell tumor models: An exploration of the epithelial­mesenchymal transition regulator SLUG.

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) constitute diverse neoplasms arising in the gonads or extragonadal locations. Testicular GCTs (TGCTs) are the predominant solid tumors in adolescents and young men. Despite cisplatin serving as the primary therapeutic intervention for TGCTs, 10­20% of patients with advanced disease demonstrate resistance to cisplatin­based chemotherapy, and epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a potential contributor to this resistance. EMT is regulated by various factors, including the snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SLUG) transcriptional factor, and, to the best of our knowledge, remains unexplored within TGCTs. Therefore, the present study investigated the EMT transcription factor SLUG in TGCTs. In silico analyses were performed to investigate the expression of EMT markers in TGCTs. In addition, a cisplatin­resistant model for TGCTs was developed using the NTERA­2 cell line, and a mouse model was also established. Subsequently, EMT was assessed both in vitro and in vivo within the cisplatin­resistant models using quantitative PCR and western blot analyses. The results of the in silico analysis showed that the different histologies exhibited distinct expression profiles for EMT markers. Seminomas exhibited a lower expression of EMT markers, whereas embryonal carcinomas and mixed GCT demonstrated high expression. Notably, patients with lower SLUG expression had longer median progression­free survival (46.4 months vs. 28.0 months, P=0.022). In the in vitro analysis, EMT­associated genes [fibronectin; vimentin (VIM); actin, α2, smooth muscle; collagen type I α1; transforming growth factor­ß1; and SLUG] were upregulated in the cisplatin­resistant NTERA­2 (NTERA­2R) cell line after 72 h of cisplatin treatment. Consistent with this finding, the NTERA­2R mouse model demonstrated a significant upregulation in the expression levels of VIM and SLUG. In conclusion, the present findings suggested that SLUG may serve a crucial role in connecting EMT with the development of cisplatin resistance, and targeting SLUG may be a putative therapeutic strategy to mitigate cisplatin resistance.

Human Tendon-on-Chip: Unveiling the Effect of Core Compartment-T Cell Spatiotemporal Crosstalk at the Onset of Tendon Inflammation.

The lack of representative in vitro models recapitulating human tendon (patho)physiology is among the major factors hindering consistent progress in the knowledge-based development of adequate therapies for tendinopathy.Here, an organotypic 3D tendon-on-chip model is designed that allows studying the spatiotemporal dynamics of its cellular and molecular mechanisms.Combining the synergistic effects of a bioactive hydrogel matrix with the biophysical cues of magnetic microfibers directly aligned on the microfluidic chip, it is possible to recreate the anisotropic architecture, cell patterns, and phenotype of tendon intrinsic (core) compartment. When incorporated with vascular-like vessels emulating the interface between its intrinsic-extrinsic compartments, crosstalk with endothelial cells are found to drive stromal tenocytes toward a reparative profile. This platform is further used to study adaptive immune cell responses at the onset of tissue inflammation, focusing on interactions between tendon compartment tenocytes and circulating T cells.The proinflammatory signature resulting from this intra/inter-cellular communication induces the recruitment of T cells into the inflamed core compartment and confirms the involvement of this cellular crosstalk in positive feedback loops leading to the amplification of tendon inflammation.Overall, the developed 3D tendon-on-chip provides a powerful new tool enabling mechanistic studies on the pathogenesis of tendinopathy as well as for assessing new therapies.

Extraction and Purification of Biopolymers from Marine Origin Sources Envisaging Their Use for Biotechnological Applications.

Biopolymers are a versatile and diverse class of materials that has won high interest due to their potential application in several sectors of the economy, such as cosmetics, medical materials/devices, and food additives. In the last years, the search for these compounds has explored a wider range of marine organisms that have proven to be a great alternative to mammal sources for these applications and benefit from their biological properties, such as low antigenicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, among others. Furthermore, to ensure the sustainable exploitation of natural marine resources and address the challenges of 3R's policies, there is a current necessity to valorize the residues and by-products obtained from food processing to benefit both economic and environmental interests. Many extraction methodologies have received significant attention for the obtention of diverse polysaccharides, proteins, and glycosaminoglycans to accomplish the increasing demands for these products. The present review gives emphasis to the ones that can be obtained from marine biological resources, as agar/agarose, alginate and sulfated polysaccharides from seaweeds, chitin/chitosan from crustaceans from crustaceans, collagen, and some glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acids from fish. It is offered, in a summarized and easy-to-interpret arrangement, the most well-established extraction and purification methodologies used for obtaining the referred marine biopolymers, their chemical structure, as well as the characterization tools that are required to validate the extracted material and respective features. As supplementary material, a practical guide with the step-by-step isolation protocol, together with the various materials, reagents, and equipment, needed for each extraction is also delivered is also delivered. Finally, some remarks are made on the needs still observed, despite all the past efforts, to improve the current extraction and purification procedures to achieve more efficient and green methodologies with higher yields, less time-consuming, and decreased batch-to-batch variability.

Erratum: Author correction to "Gas-propelled nanomotors alleviate colitis through the regulation of intestinal immunoenvironment-hematopexis-microbiota circuits" [Acta Pharm Sin B 14 (2024) 2732-2747].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.008.].

Randomized experimental population-based study to evaluate the acceptance and completion of and preferences for cervical cancer screening.

Cervical cancer has high incidence and mortality rates, especially in less-developed countries. Prevention methods are well established, but there are still barriers preventing some Brazilian women from undergoing a Pap sample. The objective of the study was to evaluate the acceptance, preferences and completion of four screening methods. This has an experimental design (community trial). A total of 164 participants who had never had a Pap sample or had not had one for more than three years were included. The city's urban area was stratified by census tracts and divided according to income and education levels. Women belonging to the lower-income strata were considered in the study. Random blocks were numbered into five intervention groups (Group 1- Pap sample at the hospital; Group 2- Pap sample in the mobile unit; Group 3- urine self-collection; Group 4- vaginal self-collection; Group 5- woman's choice). Only 164 women met all of the eligibility criteria (15.3%). Most of them accepted the assigned method (92%), but only 84% of the women completed the collection step. The acceptance rates were as follows: Group 1 (100%), Group 2 (64.5%), Group 3 (100%) and Group 4 (91.4%). In Group 5, the women's preferences were distributed as follows: examination performed at the hospital, 13 women (33.3%); examination performed at the mobile unit, 11 women (28.2%); urine self-collection, 11 women (28.2%); and vaginal self-collection, 4 women (10.3%). This study suggests that methods that allow cervical sampling collected near the women's domicile might improve the acceptance and completion of preventive tests. This finding is relevant for the development of new cervical cancer screening strategies.

Antibacterial properties of photo-crosslinked chitosan/methacrylated hyaluronic acid nanoparticles loaded with bacitracin.

The current treatments for wounds often fail to induce adequate healing, leaving wounds vulnerable to persistent infections and development of drug-resistant microbial biofilms. New natural-derived nanoparticles were studied to impair bacteria colonization and hinder the formation of biofilms in wounds. The nanoparticles were fabricated through polyelectrolyte complexation of chitosan (CS, polycation) and hyaluronic acid (HA, polyanion). UV-induced photo-crosslinking was used to enhance the stability of the nanoparticles. To achieve this, HA was methacrylated (HAMA, degree of modification of 20 %). Photo-crosslinked nanoparticles obtained from HAMA and CS had a diameter of 478 nm and a more homogeneous size distribution than nanoparticles assembled solely through complexation (742 nm). The nanoparticles were loaded with the antimicrobial agent bacitracin (BC), resulting in nanoparticles with a diameter of 332 nm. The encapsulation of BC was highly efficient (97 %). The BC-loaded nanoparticles showed significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Photo-crosslinked HAMA/CS nanoparticles loaded with BC demonstrated inhibition of biofilm formation and a positive effect on the proliferation of mammalian cells (L929). These crosslinked nanoparticles have potential for the long-term treatment of wounds and controlled antibiotic delivery at the location of a lesion.

EV-miRNAs from breast cancer patients of plasma as potential prognostic biomarkers of disease recurrence.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs), ubiquitously released by blood cells, facilitate intercellular communication. In cancer, tumor-derived EVs profoundly affect the microenvironment, promoting tumor progression and raising the risk of recurrence. These EVs contain miRNAs (EV-miRNAs), promising cancer biomarkers. Characterizing plasma EVs and identifying EV-miRNAs associated with breast cancer recurrence are crucial aspects of cancer research since they allow us to discover new biomarkers that are effective for understanding tumor biology and for being used for early detection, disease monitoring, or approaches to personalized medicine. This study aimed to characterize plasma EVs in breast cancer (BC) patients and identify EV-miRNAs associated with BC recurrence. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 24 BC patients divided into recurrence (n= 11) and non-recurrence (n= 13) groups. Plasma EVs were isolated and characterized. Total RNA from EVs was analyzed for miRNA expression using NanoString's nCounter® miRNA Expression Assays panel. MicroRNA target prediction used mirDIP, and pathway interactions were assessed via Reactome. Results: A stronger presence of circulating EVs was found to be linked with a less favorable prognosis (p = 0.0062). We discovered a distinct signature of EV-miRNAs, notably including miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, which are significantly associated with breast cancer recurrence. Furthermore, miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p were implicated in the regulation of PTEN and MDM4, potentially contributing to breast cancer progression.A notable association emerged, indicating a high concentration of circulating EVs predicts poor prognosis (p = 0.0062). Our study found a distinct EV-miRNA signature involving miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p, strongly associated with disease recurrence. We also presented compelling evidence for their regulatory roles in PTEN and MDM4 genes, contributing to BC development. Conclusion: This study revealed that increased plasma EV concentration is associated with BC recurrence. The prognostic significance of EVs is closely tied to the unique expression profiles of miR-19a-3p and miR-130b-3p. These findings underscore the potential of EV-associated miRNAs as valuable indicators for BC recurrence, opening new avenues for diagnosis and treatment exploration.

Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanotubes Obtained by Anodic Oxidation for Biomedical Applications-In Vitro Studies.

To improve the biocompatibility and bioactivity of biodegradable iron-based materials, nanostructured surfaces formed by metal oxides offer a promising strategy for surface functionalization. To explore this potential, iron oxide nanotubes were synthesized on pure iron (Fe) using an anodic oxidation process (50 V-30 min, using an ethylene glycol solution containing 0.3% NH4F and 3% H2O, at a speed of 100 rpm). A nanotube layer composed mainly of α-Fe2O3 with diameters between 60 and 70 nm was obtained. The effect of the Fe-oxide nanotube layer on cell viability and morphology was evaluated by in vitro studies using a human osteosarcoma cell line (SaOs-2 cells). The results showed that the presence of this layer did not harm the viability or morphology of the cells. Furthermore, cells cultured on anodized surfaces showed higher metabolic activity than those on non-anodized surfaces. This research suggests that growing a layer of Fe oxide nanotubes on pure Fe is a promising method for functionalizing and improving the cytocompatibility of iron substrates. This opens up new opportunities for biomedical applications, including the development of cardiovascular stents or osteosynthesis implants.

Cooling rate uncovers epimer-dependent supramolecular organization of carbohydrate amphiphiles.

We show distinct CH-π interactions and assembly pathways for the amphiphile N-(fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-galactosamine and its epimer N-(fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-glucosamine. These differences result in the formation of supramolecular nanofibrous systems with opposite chirality. Our results showcase the importance of the carbohydrates structural diversity for their specific biointeractions and the opportunity that their ample interactome offers for synthesis of versatile and tunable supramolecular (bio) materials.

Correction: Alves et al. WNK2 Inhibits Autophagic Flux in Human Glioblastoma Cell Line. Cells 2020, 9, 485.

Error in Figure [...].

Enhanced effects of slowly co-released TGF-ß3 and BMP-2 from biomimetic calcium phosphate-coated silk fibroin scaffolds in the repair of osteochondral defects.

Bioactive agents have demonstrated regenerative potential for cell-free bone tissue engineering. Nevertheless, certain challenges persist, including ineffective delivery methods and confined therapeutic potency. Here, we demonstrated that the biomimetic calcium phosphate coating system (BioCaP) could effectively uptake and slowly release the incorporated bioactive agents compared to the surface absorption system via osteoclast-mediated degradation of BioCaP coatings. The release kinetics were determined as a function of time. The release rate was stable without remarkable burst release during the first 1 day, followed by a sustained release from day 7 to day 19. Then, we developed the bi-functional BioCaP-coated silk fibroin scaffolds enabling the effective co-delivery of TGF-ß3 and BMP-2 (SFI-T/SFI-B) and the corresponding slow release of TGF-ß3 and BMP-2 exhibited superior potential in promoting chondrogenesis and osteogenesis without impairing cell vitality in vitro. The SFI-T/SFI-B scaffolds could improve cartilage and bone regeneration in 5 × 4 mm rabbit osteochondral (OC) defect. These findings indicate that the biomimetic calcium-phosphate coated silk fibroin scaffolds with slowly co-released TGF-ß3 and BMP-2 effectively promote the repair of OC defects, hence facilitating the future clinical translation of controlled drug delivery in tissue engineering.

Enhancing Colorectal Cancer Screening with Droplet Digital PCR Analysis of Fusobacterium nucleatum in Fecal Immunochemical Test Samples.

Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) followed by colonoscopy in positive cases is commonly used for population-based colorectal cancer screening. However, specificity of FIT for colorectal cancer is not ideal and has poor performance for advanced adenoma detection. Fecal Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) detection has been proposed as a potential noninvasive biomarker for colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma detection. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Fn detection using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in FIT samples from individuals enrolled in a colorectal cancer screening program with colorectal adenoma or cancer. We evaluated Fn presence in DNA isolated from FIT leftover material of 300 participants in a colorectal cancer screening program using ddPCR. The Fn DNA amount was classified as Fn-low/negative and Fn-high, and the association with patients' clinicopathological features and accuracy measurements was calculated. Fn-high levels were more prevalent in FIT-positive (47.2%, n = 34 of 72) than FIT-negative samples (28.9%, n = 66 of 228; P < 0.04). Among FIT-positive samples, high Fn levels were significantly more frequent in patients with cancer (CA, n = 8) when compared to normal (NT, n = 16; P = 0.02), non-advanced adenomas (NAA, n = 36; P = 0.01), and advanced adenomas (AA, n = 12; P = 0.01). Performance analysis of Fn in FIT-positive samples for colorectal cancer detection yielded an AUC of 0.8203 [confidence interval (CI), 0.6464-0.9942], with high sensitivity (100%) and specificity of 50%. Concluding, we showed the feasibility of detecting Fn in FIT leftovers using the ultrasensitive ddPCR technique. Furthermore, we highlighted the potential use of Fn levels in fecal samples to ameliorate colorectal cancer detection. Prevention Relevance: Fusobacterium nucleatum detection by droplet digital PCR could prioritize the selection of fecal immunochemical test-positive individuals who might benefit the most from the colonoscopy procedure.

Extracellular Vesicles from Nanomedicine-Trained Intestinal Microbiota Substitute for Fecal Microbiota Transplant in Treating Ulcerative Colitis.

The biosafety concerns associated with fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) limit their clinical application in treating ulcerative colitis (UC). Gut microbiota secrete abundant extracellular vesicles (Gm-EVs), which play a critical role in bacteria-to-bacteria and bacteria-to-host communications. Herein, intestinal microbiota are trained using tea leaf lipid/pluronic F127-coated curcumin nanocrystals (CN@Lp127s), which can maintain stability during transit through the gastrointestinal tract. Compared with FMT, Gm-EVs derived from healthy mice significantly improve treatment outcomes against UC by reducing colonic inflammatory responses, restoring colonic barrier function, and rebalancing intestinal microbiota. Strikingly, Gm-EVs obtained from CN@Lp127-trained healthy mice exhibit a superior therapeutic effect on UC compared to groups receiving FMT from healthy mice, Gm-EVs from healthy mice, and FMT from CN@Lp127-trained healthy mice. Oral administration of Gm-EVs from CN@Lp127-trained healthy mice not only alleviates colonic inflammation, promotes mucosal repair, and regulates gut microbiota but also regulates purine metabolism to decrease the uric acid level, resulting in a robust improvement in the UC. This study demonstrates the UC therapeutic efficacy of Gm-EVs derived from nanomedicine-trained gut microbiota in regulating the immune microenvironment, microbiota, and purine metabolism of the colon. These EVs provide an alternative platform to replace FMT as a treatment for UC.

Unveiling the RKIP and EGFR Inverse Relationship in Solid Tumors: A Case Study in Cervical Cancer.

Raf Kinase Inhibitor Protein (RKIP) is recognized as a bona fide tumor suppressor gene, and its diminished expression or loss is associated with the progression and poor prognosis of various solid tumors. It exerts multifaceted roles in carcinogenesis by modulating diverse intracellular signaling pathways, including those governed by HER receptors such as MAPK. Given the significance of HER receptor overexpression in numerous tumor types, we investigated the potential oncogenic relationship between RKIP and HER receptors in solid tumors. Through a comprehensive in silico analysis of 30 TCGA PanCancer Atlas studies encompassing solid tumors (10,719 samples), we uncovered compelling evidence of an inverse correlation between RKIP and EGFR expression in solid tumors observed in 25 out of 30 studies. Conversely, a predominantly positive association was noted for the other HER receptors (ERBB2, ERBB3, and ERBB4). In particular, cervical cancer (CC) emerged as a tumor type exhibiting a robust inverse association between RKIP and EGFR expression, a finding that was further validated in a cohort of 202 patient samples. Subsequent in vitro experiments involving pharmacological and genetic modulation of EGFR and RKIP showed that RKIP depletion led to significant upregulation of EGFR mRNA levels and induction of EGFR phosphorylation. Conversely, EGFR overactivation decreased RKIP expression in CC cell lines. Additionally, we identified a common molecular signature among patients depicting low RKIP and high EGFR expression and demonstrated the prognostic value of this inverse correlation in CC patients. In conclusion, our findings reveal an inverse association between RKIP and EGFR expression across various solid tumors, shedding new light on the underlying molecular mechanisms contributing to the aggressive phenotype associated with RKIP and EGFR in cervical cancer.

Nanomaterials-Based Hybrid Bioink Platforms in Advancing 3D Bioprinting Technologies for Regenerative Medicine.

3D bioprinting is recognized as the ultimate additive biomanufacturing technology in tissue engineering and regeneration, augmented with intelligent bioinks and bioprinters to construct tissues or organs, thereby eliminating the stipulation for artificial organs. For 3D bioprinting of soft tissues, such as kidneys, hearts, and other human body parts, formulations of bioink with enhanced bioinspired rheological and mechanical properties were essential. Nanomaterials-based hybrid bioinks have the potential to overcome the above-mentioned problem and require much attention among researchers. Natural and synthetic nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene oxides, titanium oxides, nanosilicates, nanoclay, nanocellulose, etc. and their blended have been used in various 3D bioprinters as bioinks and benefitted enhanced bioprintability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. A limited number of articles were published, and the above-mentioned requirement pushed us to write this review. We reviewed, explored, and discussed the nanomaterials and nanocomposite-based hybrid bioinks for the 3D bioprinting technology, 3D bioprinters properties, natural, synthetic, and nanomaterial-based hybrid bioinks, including applications with challenges, limitations, ethical considerations, potential solution for future perspective, and technological advancement of efficient and cost-effective 3D bioprinting methods in tissue regeneration and healthcare.

Immune-checkpoint gene expression and BCG response in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

METHODS: One-hundred-six patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and treated with intravesical BCG were included and divided into two groups, BCG-responsive (n = 47) and -unresponsive (n = 59). Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate PD-L1 expression and MSI was assessed by a commercial multiplex PCR kit. The mRNA expression profile of 15 immune checkpoints was performed using the nCounter technology. For in silico validation, two distinct cohorts sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used. RESULTS: Among the 106 patients, only one (<1 %) exhibited MSI instability. PD-L1 expression was present in 9.4 % of cases, and no association was found with BCG-responsive status. We found low gene expression of canonic actionable immune checkpoints PDCD1 (PD-1), CD274 (PD-L1), and CTLA4, while high expression was observed for CD276 (B7-H3), CD47, TNFRSF14, IDO1 and PVR (CD155) genes. High IDO1 expression levels was associated with worst overall survival. The PDCD1, CTLA4 and TNFRSF14 expression levels were associated with BCG responsiveness, whereas TIGIT and CD276 were associated with unresponsiveness. Finally, CD276 was validated in silico cohorts. CONCLUSION: In NMIBC, MSI is rare and PD-L1 expression is present in a small subset of cases. Expression levels of PDCD1, CTLA4, TNFRSF14, TIGIT and CD276 could constitute predictive biomarkers of BCG responsiveness.

Gas-propelled nanomotors alleviate colitis through the regulation of intestinal immunoenvironment-hematopexis-microbiota circuits.

The progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with immunologic derangement, intestinal hemorrhage, and microbiota imbalance. While traditional medications mainly focus on mitigating inflammation, it remains challenging to address multiple symptoms. Here, a versatile gas-propelled nanomotor was constructed by mild fusion of post-ultrasonic CaO2 nanospheres with Cu2O nanoblocks. The resulting CaO2-Cu2O possessed a desirable diameter (291.3 nm) and a uniform size distribution. It could be efficiently internalized by colonic epithelial cells and macrophages, scavenge intracellular reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, and alleviate immune reactions by pro-polarizing macrophages to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. This nanomotor was found to penetrate through the mucus barrier and accumulate in the colitis mucosa due to the driving force of the generated oxygen bubbles. Rectal administration of CaO2-Cu2O could stanch the bleeding, repair the disrupted colonic epithelial layer, and reduce the inflammatory responses through its interaction with the genes relevant to blood coagulation, anti-oxidation, wound healing, and anti-inflammation. Impressively, it restored intestinal microbiota balance by elevating the proportions of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Odoribacter and Bifidobacterium) and decreasing the abundances of harmful bacteria (e.g., Prevotellaceae and Helicobacter). Our gas-driven CaO2-Cu2O offers a promising therapeutic platform for robust treatment of UC via the rectal route.

Multifaceted Hydrogel Scaffolds: Bridging the Gap between Biomedical Needs and Environmental Sustainability.

Hydrogels are dynamically evolving 3D networks composed of hydrophilic polymer scaffolds with significant applications in the healthcare and environmental sectors. Notably, protein-based hydrogels mimic the extracellular matrix, promoting cell adhesion. Further enhancing cell proliferation within these scaffolds are matrix-metalloproteinase-triggered amino acid motifs. Integration of cell-friendly modules like peptides and proteins expands hydrogel functionality. These exceptional properties position hydrogels for diverse applications, including biomedicine, biosensors, environmental remediation, and the food industry. Despite significant progress, there is ongoing research to optimize hydrogels for biomedical and environmental applications further. Engineering novel hydrogels with favorable characteristics is crucial for regulating tissue architecture and facilitating ecological remediation. This review explores the synthesis, physicochemical properties, and biological implications of various hydrogel types and their extensive applications in biomedicine and environmental sectors. It elaborates on their potential applications, bridging the gap between advancements in the healthcare sector and solutions for environmental issues.

Multifunctional calcium-based nanocarriers for synergistic treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

Targeted breast cancer therapies hold the potential to improve the efficiency of drug delivery to the pathology site without impacting the viability and function of healthy cells. Herein, we developed multifunctional nanocarriers that target simultaneously several downstream signaling processes in triple negative breast cancer cells. The system comprises pH sensitive CaCO3 nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The NPs were coated in a layer-by-layer (LbL) fashion using poly-l-lysine and hyaluronic acid to target receptors overexpressed in breast cancer (e.g. CD44, RHAMM). Spheroids of the triple-negative Hs578T cell line were used as a 3D model to assess the therapeutic potential of this system. Our results showed that the NPs act via a synergistic mechanism that combines Ca2+ overload causing cell calcification and DNA damage by DOX. The LbL coating was crucial for the protection of the healthy cells, i.e. it provides NPs with targeting capacity. The overall data suggests that the LbL-coated NPs loaded with DOX hold great potential for the treatment of breast cancer.