Bamboo leaf extract treatment alleviates the surface browning of fresh-cut apple by regulating membrane lipid metabolism and antioxidant properties.

BACKGROUND: The effect of bamboo leaf extract (BLE) on controlling the browning of fresh-cut apple stored at 4 °C was investigated. Browning index, H2 O2 content, O2 - production rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, total phenolic content (TPC) and soluble quinone content (SQC), the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), lipoxygenase (LOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid)] radical scavenging activities, and the expression of genes related to browning were all investigated. RESULTS: BLE effectively alleviated the surface browning of fresh-cut apple, accompanied by a reduction in SQC, LOX activity, H2 O2 , O2 - production rate and MDA accumulation. Furthermore, BLE treatment enhanced the TPC, enzymatic (SOD, CAT, APX and POD) and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities. Principal component analysis and Pearson correlation analysis found the browning inhibition by BLE is not through the reduction of phenolic substrates and PPO activity. CONCLUSION: BLE controls the browning of fresh-cut apple by increasing the antioxidant capacity to scavenge ROS, which could alleviate oxidative damage and maintain the membrane integrity. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Ascidian-Inspired Temperature-Switchable Hydrogels with Antioxidant Fullerenols for Protecting Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis and Maintaining the Homeostasis of Oral Microbiota.

A key characteristic of radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM) is oxidative stress mediated by the "reactive oxygen species (ROS) storm" generated from water radiolysis, resulting in severe pathological lesions, accompanied by a disturbance of oral microbiota. Therefore, a sprayable in situ hydrogel loaded with "free radical sponge" fullerenols (FOH) is developed as antioxidant agent for RIOM radioprotection. Inspired by marine organisms, 3,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine (TOPA) which is enriched in ascidians is grafted to clinically approved temperature-switchable Pluronic F127 to produce gallic acid (containing the TOPA fragment)-modified Pluronic F127 (MGA) hydrogels to resist the fast loss of FOH via biomimetic adhesion during oral movement and saliva erosion. Based on this, progressive RIOM found in mice is alleviated by treatment of FOH-loaded MGA hydrogels whether pre-irradiation prophylactic administration or post-irradiation therapeutic administration, which contributes to maintaining the homeostasis of oral microbiota. Mechanistically, FOH inhibits cell apoptosis by scavenging radiation-induced excess ROS and up-regulates the inherent enzymatic antioxidants, thereby protecting the proliferation and migration of mucosal epithelial cells. In conclusion, this work not only provides proof-of-principle evidence for the oral radioprotection of FOH by blocking the "ROS storm", but also provides an effective and easy-to-use hydrogel system for mucosal in situ administration.

Eco-Friendly and Scalable Synthesis of Fullerenols with High Free Radical Scavenging Ability for Skin Radioprotection.

Radiation dermatitis is a common but torturous side effect during radiotherapy, which greatly decreases the life quality of patients and potentially results in detrimental cessation of tumor treatment. Fullerenol, known as "free radical sponge," is a great choice for skin radioprotection because of its broad-spectrum free radical scavenging performance, good chemical stability, and biosafety. In this work, a facile scalable and eco-friendly synthetic method of fullerenols by catalyst assistant mechanical chemistry strategy is provided. As no organic solvent or high concentration of acid and alkali is introduced to this synthetic system, large-scale (>20 g) production of fullerenols with high yield (>95%) is obtained and no complicated purification is required. Then, the skin radioprotective performance of fullerenols is systematically explored for the first time. In vitro results indicate that fullerenols significantly block the reactive oxygen species-induced damage and enhance the viability of irradiated human keratinocyte cells. In vivo experiments suggest that medical sodium hyaluronate hydrogels loaded with fullerenols are suitable for skin administration and powerfully mitigate radiodermatitis via effectively protecting epidermal stem cells. The work not only provides an efficient gram-scale and eco-friendly synthetic method of fullerenols, but also promotes the development of fullerenols as potential skin radioprotectors.

Nitrogen and litter addition decreased sexual reproduction and increased clonal propagation in grasslands.

The trade-offs between sexual reproduction and clonal propagation are of great significance in terms of ecology and evolution for clonal plants, and they vary with environmental change. Nitrogen (N) deposition can increase litter accumulation in grassland and promote litter decomposition and consequently increase nutrient availability. However, the response of plant reproduction to N and litter addition in grasslands remains unclear. We examined the combined effects of N addition and litter manipulation (i.e. initial litter, removal, addition) on sexual reproduction and clonal propagation of a perennial clonal grass, Leymus chinensis, at the population (total number) and individual (number per ramet) levels in an 11-year field experiment. Nitrogen addition and litter additionally decreased spike and seed number at the population level, and N addition reduced those at the individual level. Nitrogen addition and litter interactively affected bud number at the two levels, and N addition decreased bud number in the litter removal treatments and increased that in the litter addition treatments. The increased soil available N, rather than light and soil water content, explained the change in sexual reproduction and clonal propagation. The positive effects of litter addition on bud number in the treatments with N addition, suggested that the N deposition increased litter accumulation could intensify clonal propagation of perennial grasses and increase their dominance in grasslands. Grassland management that reduces litter accumulation, such as grazing and mowing, can therefore, help alleviate the negative effects of N deposition on plant diversity through decreasing clonal propagation of the dominant species.

Clinically Approved Carbon Nanoparticles with Oral Administration for Intestinal Radioprotection via Protecting the Small Intestinal Crypt Stem Cells and Maintaining the Balance of Intestinal Flora.

The exploration of an old drug for new biomedical applications has an absolute predominance in shortening the clinical conversion time of drugs for clinical application. In this work, carbon nanoparticles suspension injection (CNSI), the first clinically approved carbon nanoparticles in China, is explored as a new nano-radioprotective agent for potent intestinal radioprotection. CNSI shows powerful radioprotective performance in the intestine under oral administration, including efficient free radical scavenging ability, good biosafety, high chemical stability, and relatively long retention time. For example, CNSI shows high reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities, which effectively alleviates the mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA double-strand breaks to protect the cells against radiation-induced damage. Most importantly, this efficient ROS scavenging ability greatly helps restrain the apoptosis of the small intestinal epithelial and crypt stem cells, which decreases the damage of the mechanical barrier and thus relieves radiation enteritis. Moreover, CNSI helps remove the free radicals in the intestinal microenvironment and thus maintain the balance of intestinal flora so as to mitigate the radiation enteritis. The finding suggests a new application of clinically approved carbon nanoparticles, which not only promotes the development of new intestinal radioprotector, but also has a great potential for clinical transformation.

Selective Detection of 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in Single-Stranded DNA via Nanopore Sensing Approach.

We have developed a nanopore sensing approach for the selective detection of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxoG) in single-stranded DNA. First, 1,12-dodecanediamine is coupled with 8-oxoG-containing DNA molecules in high yield which leaves a free amine group for subsequent attaching of an adamantane moiety. After incubation with cucurbit[7]uril, the host-guest complex-modified DNA hybrid is translocated through an α-hemolysin nanopore. Highly characteristic events can be recorded and used to quantify the 8-oxoG-DNA content in a DNA mixture. Compared with the existing methods, this study provides a reliable, quick, and low-cost approach for the detection of 8-oxoG site in single-stranded DNA at the single-molecule level, particularly suitable for high-throughput screening of a massive number of samples.

Endotoxins: The Critical Risk Factor in Reclaimed Water via Inhalation Exposure.

The use of reclaimed water for nonpotable uses requires consideration of potential adverse health effects. Considering that inhalation can be a significant route of transmission of microorganisms and inflammatory agents, this study used a mouse model to test the possible adverse effects of reclaimed water use during car washing where aerosols are generated. Intensive innate immune responses were found in the lungs after acute exposure, and the lavage polymorphonuclear cell proportion was the most sensitive end point. Four types of evidence are presented to demonstrate that the main risk factor that initiates innate inflammation is the free endotoxin. (1) Small molecules (<10 kDa) cannot induce inflammation. (2) The endotoxin levels of 11 water samples from five different plants showed positive correlations with inflammatory responses. (3) Actual water samples showed similar activities with free endotoxins other than bacterially bound endotoxins. (4) Specific removal of endotoxins with polymyxin B affinity chromatography further confirmed the role of free endotoxins. It is noteworthy that 62.9% of the investigated tertiary-treated water had endotoxin levels higher than the allowable acute threshold (120 endotoxin units/mL) under the hypothesized car wash condition, which strongly suggests the need to carefully consider the water treatment steps required to produce safe water for various reclaimed water end uses.

A universal strategy for aptamer-based nanopore sensing through host-guest interactions inside α-hemolysin.

Nanopore emerged as a powerful single-molecule technique over the past two decades, and has shown applications in the stochastic sensing and biophysical studies of individual molecules. Here, we report a versatile strategy for nanopore sensing by employing the combination of aptamers and host-guest interactions. An aptamer is first hybridized with a DNA probe which is modified with a ferrocene⊂cucurbit[7]uril complex. The presence of analytes causes the aptamer-probe duplex to unwind and release the DNA probe which can quantitatively produce signature current events when translocated through an α-hemolysin nanopore. The integrated use of magnetic beads can further lower the detection limit by approximately two to three orders of magnitude. Because aptamers have shown robust binding affinities with a wide variety of target molecules, our proposed strategy should be universally applicable for sensing different types of analytes with nanopore sensors.

Metabolomic insights into the browning inhibition of fresh-cut apple by hydrogen sulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to effectively inhibit the browning of fresh-cut apples, but the mechanism at a metabolic level remains unclear. Herein, non-targeted metabolomics was used to analyze metabolic changes in surface and internal tissues of fresh-cut apple after H2S treatment. The results showed that prenol lipids were the most up-accumulated differential metabolites in both surface and inner tissue of fresh-cut apple during browning process, which significantly down-accumulated by H2S treatment. H2S treatment reduced the consumption of amino acid in surface tissue. Regarding inner tissue, H2S activated defense response through accumulation of lysophospholipid signaling and induced the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds. We therefore propose that H2S inhibited the surface browning of fresh-cut apple by reducing the accumulation of prenol lipids, directly delaying amino acid consumption in surface tissue and indirectly regulating defense response in inner tissue, which provides fundamental insights into browning inhibition mechanisms by H2S.

Colon-Targeted Release of Gel Microspheres Loaded with Antioxidative Fullerenol for Relieving Radiation-Induced Colon Injury and Regulating Intestinal Flora.

Radiation-induced colitis is a serious clinical problem worldwide. However, the current treatment options for this condition have limited efficacy and can cause side effects. To address this issue, colon-targeted fullerenol@pectin@chitosan gel microspheres (FPCGMs) are developed, which can aggregate on colon tissue for a long time, scavenge free radicals generated in the process of radiation, and regulate intestinal flora to mitigate damage to colonic tissue. First, FPCGMs exhibit acid resistance and colon-targeted release properties, which reduce gastrointestinal exposure and extend the local colonic drug residence time. Second, fullerenol, which has a superior scavenging ability and chemical stability, reduces oxidative stress in colonic epithelial cells. Based on this, it is found that FPCGMs significantly reduce inflammation in colonic tissue, mitigated damage to tight junctions of colonic epithelial cells, and significantly relieved radiation-induced colitis in mice. Moreover, 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) sequencing results show that the composition of the intestinal flora is optimized after FPCGMs are utilized, indicating that the relative abundance of probiotics increases while harmful bacteria are inhibited. These findings suggest that it is a promising candidate for treating radiation-induced colitis.

Recent Advances in ZnO Nanomaterial-Mediated Biological Applications and Action Mechanisms.

In recent years, with the deepening research, metal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials have become a popular research object in the biological field, particularly in biomedicine and food safety, which is attributed to their unique physicochemical properties such as high surface area and volume ratio, luminescence effect, surface characteristics and biological activities. Herein, this review provides a detailed overview of the ZnO nanomaterial-mediated biological applications that involve anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, anti-inflammation, skin care, biological imaging and food packaging applications. Importantly, the corresponding action mechanisms of ZnO nanomaterials are pointed. Additionally, the structure and structure-dependent physicochemical properties, the common synthesis methods and the biosafety of ZnO nanoparticles are revealed in brief. Finally, the significance and future challenges of ZnO nanomaterial applications are concluded.

Neferine mediated TGF-ß/ERK signaling to inhibit fibrosis in endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Neferine in treating endometriosis fibrosis by TGF-ß/ERK signaling pathway through a combination of network pharmacological analysis of Lotus embryos, in vivo animal experiments, and in vitro cell experiments. METHODS: The active ingredients of the drug lotus embryos, the drug targets and the targets of endometriosis were determined from the TCMSP database, the Swiss Target Prediction database and GeneCard and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. The String database and Cytoscape 3.6.3 software were used to construct the network of common target protein interactions between drug and disease, as well as the target network. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the common targets was performed. We designed endometriosis mouse models with Neferine to investigate the therapeutic effect of Neferine on the fibrosis model of endometriosis and its mechanism of action. Different methods were used to evaluate the treated endometriotic lesion tissue and the untreated ectopic lesion tissue. The 12Z cells (human endometriosis immortalized cells) were cultured in vitro and treated with Neferine to detect cell viability and the effects of invasion and metastasis. RESULTS: The results of GO function and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the role pathways of lotus germ were TGF-ß signaling pathway, ERK1/2 signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Neferine which is one of the effective active ingredients of lotus germ, significantly inhibited the expression of fibronectin, collagen I, connective tissue growth factor, and smooth muscle actin by activating the TGF-ß/ERK pathway in vivo, which is required for the fibrosis process of endometriosis. Neferine also significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and metastasis ability of 12Z cells. CONCLUSION: Neferine inhibits the progression of endometriosis both in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism of action may involve the regulation of the TGF-ß/ERK signaling pathway, leading to the inhibition of fibrosis in endometriosis.

Mussel-Inspired Tantalum Nanocomposite Hydrogels for In Situ Oral Cancer Treatment.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common oral malignancies. Radiotherapy is the primary noninvasive treatment of OSCC for avoiding surgery-induced facial deformities and impaired oral function. However, the specificity of in situ OSCC limits radiotherapeutic effects because of the hypoxia-induced low radiosensitivity of tumors and the low radiation tolerance of surrounding normal tissues. Here, we design a highly efficient and low-toxic radiosensitization strategy. On the one hand, biocompatible poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-modified tantalum nanoparticles (Ta@PVP NPs) not only have strong X-ray deposition capability to upregulate oxidative stress but also have photothermal conversion efficiency to improve hypoxia for tumor radiosensitivity. On the other hand, to optimize the spatial distribution of Ta@PVP NPs within tumors, mussel-inspired catechol with bioadhesive properties is grafted on tumor microenvironment-responsive sodium alginate (DAA) to form in situ hydrogels for precision radiotherapy. On this basis, we find that Ta@PVP-DAA hydrogels effectively inhibit OSCC development in mice under photothermal-assisted radiotherapy without facial deformities and damage to surrounding normal tissues. Overall, our work not only promotes the exploration of Ta@PVP NPs as new radiosensitizers for OSCC but also develops a nanocomposite hydrogel system strategy as a promising paradigm for the precision treatment of orthotopic tumors.

A novel full solar light spectrum responsive antimicrobial agent of WS2 quantum dots for photocatalytic wound healing therapy.

Photocatalytic antimicrobial therapy (PCAT) is considered to be a potential therapeutic treatment for bacterial-infection diseases. However, the antibacterial efficiency is unsatisfactory due to the limited application scope of photocatalysis. In this work, full-spectrum responsive tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS2 QDs) are prepared for killing bacteria and enabling wound healing through photocatalytic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and glutathione (GSH) depletion. On the one hand, these ultrasmall WS2 QDs exhibit an excellent full spectrum (UV-Vis-NIR)-responsive photocatalytic effect by hindering the recombination of electron-hole pairs, thereby achieving the full use of the energy spectrum. Furthermore, the full-spectrum photocatalytic property of the as-prepared WS2 QDs can be effectively strengthened by redox reaction to deplete GSH for accelerated wound healing. In a word, the as-prepared nanoplatform exhibits the ability to act as an admirable antibacterial reagent with full-spectrum catalytic performance for photocatalytic wound healing therapy. Therefore, this work will not only provide an effective full-spectrum photocatalytic reagent for anti-bacteria therapy and wound healing, but also provide a rational idea for the development of other novel antibacterial agents for applications in the biomedical field.

Adhesive Ergothioneine Hyaluronate Gel Protects against Radiation Gastroenteritis by Alleviating Apoptosis, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis.

Radiation gastroenteritis represents one of the most prevalent and hazardous complications of abdominopelvic radiotherapy, which not only severely reduces patients' life quality but also restricts radiotherapy efficacy. However, there is currently no clinically available oral radioprotector for this threatening disease due to its complex pathogenesis and the harsh gastrointestinal environment. To this end, this study developed a facile but effective oral radioprotector, ergothioneine hyaluronate (EGT@HA) gel, protecting against radiation gastroenteritis by synergistically regulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota. In vitro and cellular experiments verified the chemical stability and free radical scavenging ability of EGT and its favorable cellular radioprotective efficacy by inhibiting intracellular reactive oxidative species (ROS) generation, DNA damage, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. At the in vivo level, EGT@HA with prolonged gastrointestinal residence mitigated radiation-induced gastrointestinal tissue injury, apoptosis, neutrophil infiltration, and gut flora dysbiosis. For the first time, this work investigated the protective effects of EGT@HA gel on radiation gastroenteritis, which not only hastens the advancement of the novel gastrointestinal radioprotector but also provides a valuable gastrointestinal radioprotection paradigm by synergistically modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota disturbance.

Cryptotanshinone Protects against PCOS-Induced Damage of Ovarian Tissue via Regulating Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, Inflammation, and Apoptosis via Regulating Ferroptosis.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age. Cryptotanshinone (CRY) has been shown to be effective in reversing reproductive disorders, but whether it can be used in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome remains unclear. We aimed to explore whether the mechanism of cryptotanshinone (CRY) in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can be driven via regulating ferroptosis. A rat model of PCOS was established by daily injection of human chorionic gonadotropin and insulin for 22 days. An in vitro model of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) of granulosa cells was established. The in vitro and rat models of PCOS were subjected to different treatments including ferroptosis activators and inhibitors, CRY, and MAPK inhibitor. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring the activities of SOD, MDA, and GSH-PX. Total body weight and ovarian weight, as well as the levels of LH and the LH to FSH ratio, significantly increased in rats with PCOS, compared with controls. The expression of Bax was increased in PCOS tissues while PGC1α, NFR1, GPX4, catalase p-ERK, and Bcl-2 were all downregulated. Ferroptosis activator, erastin, had effects similar to those of PCOS while the contrary was found with CRY and ferroptosis inhibitor treatment groups. In vitro, CRY inhibited oxidative stress, MMP, and NF-κB and activated MAPK/ERK signaling by regulating ferroptosis. Overall, this study indicated that CRY protects against PCOS-induced damage of the ovarian tissue, via regulating oxidative stress, MMP, inflammation, and apoptosis via regulating ferroptosis.

Mechanism of Thunberg Fritillaria in treating endometriosis based on network pharmacology and the effect of Peiminine on the MEK/ERK pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Thunberg Fritillaria in treating endometriosis (EMs) based on network pharmacology and the effect of Peiminine on the MEK/ERK pathway. METHODS: We applied Chinese medicine system pharmacology analysis platform (TCMSP) database and literature search to screen the main chemical components of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq and created a Vanny map from the databases of TCMSP, GENECARDS, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and some others. The STRING database was used to construct the protein interaction network of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq and EMs. The overlapping targets and enriched pathways were discovered using the cells of the innate immune annotation database (DAVID) and the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. To test the mechanism of Peiminine, the active ingredients of Fritillaria thunbergii, in the therapy of EMs, we designed cell assays and animal research. EMs mouse models were treated with several therapies, including fibrosis inhibitor in Peiminine by utilizing Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining), MASSON staining, Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) experiment, and Western blotting test. We evaluated the anti-endometriotic effects of Peiminine using 12Z human endometriotic cells. Cell Counting Kit 8 was used to assess the vitality of 12z cells (CCK8). We evaluated the migration ability of 12z cells by cell scratch test. RESULTS: The effective active ingredients of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq in the treatment of EMs are Pelargonidin, Beta-sitosterol syringaresinol, Peimisine Pelargonidin-3, 5-diglucoside Ziebeimine Zhebeiresinol Verticine Solatubin OSI-2040 Chaksine Peiminine Peiminoside Peiminoside_qt, and 6-Methoxyl-2-acetyl-3-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. The critical targets for Fritillaria thunbergii Miq treating EMs are NOS2/PTGS1/AR/PPARG/PTGS2/NCOA2/RXRA/PGR/NR3C1/NCOA1/SLC6A4/OPRM1/BCL2 and ESR1. The results of GO function and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the role pathway was estrogen-related signaling and thyroid hormone-related signaling. The expression of E-cadherin was decreased in EMs while MEK1/2, P-ERK, N-cadherin and vimentin were all increased in MASSON, immunofluorescence, Real-time PCR and Western blotting. In epithelial 12Z cells, high concentrations of Peiminine can block cell activity and migration, which is directly related to blocking cell fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study partially verified the network pharmacological prediction that Peiminine regulates the MAPK pathway in inhibiting 12Z cell proliferation and migration, and finally protects against EMs.

Tumor microenvironment-activated single-atom platinum nanozyme with H2O2 self-supplement and O2-evolving for tumor-specific cascade catalysis chemodynamic and chemoradiotherapy.

Nanozyme-based tumor collaborative catalytic therapy has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. However, their cooperative outcome remains a great challenge due to the unique characteristics of tumor microenvironment (TME), such as insufficient endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level, hypoxia, and overexpressed intracellular glutathione (GSH). Methods: Herein, a TME-activated atomic-level engineered PtN4C single-atom nanozyme (PtN4C-SAzyme) is fabricated to induce the "butterfly effect" of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through facilitating intracellular H2O2 cycle accumulation and GSH deprivation as well as X-ray deposition for ROS-involving CDT and O2-dependent chemoradiotherapy. Results: In the paradigm, the SAzyme could boost substantial ∙OH generation by their admirable peroxidase-like activity as well as X-ray deposition capacity. Simultaneously, O2 self-sufficiency, GSH elimination and elevated Pt2+ release can be achieved through the self-cyclic valence alteration of Pt (IV) and Pt (II) for alleviating tumor hypoxia, overwhelming the anti-oxidation defense effect and overcoming drug-resistance. More importantly, the PtN4C-SAzyme could also convert O2·- into H2O2 by their superior superoxide dismutase-like activity and achieve the sustainable replenishment of endogenous H2O2, and H2O2 can further react with the PtN4C-SAzyme for realizing the cyclic accumulation of ∙OH and O2 at tumor site, thereby generating a "key" to unlock the multi enzymes-like properties of SAzymes for tumor-specific self-reinforcing CDT and chemoradiotherapy. Conclusions: This work not only provides a promising TME-activated SAzyme-based paradigm with H2O2 self-supplement and O2-evolving capacity for intensive CDT and chemoradiotherapy but also opens new horizons for the construction and tumor catalytic therapy of other SAzymes.

Rational Design of Nanomaterials for Various Radiation-Induced Diseases Prevention and Treatment.

Radiation treatments often unfavorably damage neighboring healthy organs and cause a series of radiation sequelae, such as radiation-induced hematopoietic system diseases, radiation-induced gastrointestinal diseases, radiation-induced lung diseases, and radiation-induced skin diseases. Recently, emerging nanomaterials have exhibited good superiority for these radiation-induced disease treatments. Given this background, the rational design principle of nanomaterials, which helps to optimize the therapeutic efficiency, has been an increasing need. Consequently, it is of great significance to perform a systematic summarization of the advances in this field, which can trigger the development of new high-performance nanoradioprotectors with drug efficiency maximization. Herein, this review highlights the advances and perspectives in the rational design of nanomaterials for preventing and treating various common radiation-induced diseases. Furthermore, the sources, clinical symptoms, and pathogenesis/injury mechanisms of these radiation-induced diseases will also be introduced. Furthermore, current challenges and directions for future efforts in this field are also discussed.

Tanshinone for polycystic ovary syndrome: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUNDS: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) constitutes an endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by hyperandrogenemia, ovulation disorders, and polycystic ovary. Existing therapy is low efficacy and has significant side effects. In traditional Chinese medicine, tanshinone was used for PCOS women. Here, we will investigate the safety, as well as the efficacy of tanshinone in treating polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: Two researchers will independently research eligible randomized controlled trials in 6 repositories: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), as well as Cochrane Library, from their onset to present. The languages will constitute either English or Chinese, and we will carry out article selection, data mining, and conduct an evaluation of the risk of bias by the Cochrane tool of risk of bias. All analyses will be conducted by using the Cochrane Review Manager software (RevMan 5.3). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This study will provide the latest research evidence on the efficacy, as well as safety of tanshinone for PCOS patients. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY2020100017.