Advances in Nanomaterials and Composites Based on Mesoporous Materials as Antimicrobial Agents: Relevant Applications in Human Health.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a cornerstone in contemporary research, marked by the advent of advanced technologies aimed at nanoengineering materials with diverse applications, particularly to address challenges in human health. Among these challenges, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has risen as a significant and pressing threat to public health, creating obstacles in preventing and treating persistent diseases. Despite efforts in recent decades to combat AMR, global trends indicate an ongoing and concerning increase in AMR. The primary contributors to the escalation of AMR are the misuse and overuse of various antimicrobial agents in healthcare settings. This has led to severe consequences not only in terms of compromised treatment outcomes but also in terms of substantial financial burdens. The economic impact of AMR is reflected in skyrocketing healthcare costs attributed to heightened hospital admissions and increased drug usage. To address this critical issue, it is imperative to implement effective strategies for antimicrobial therapies. This comprehensive review will explore the latest scientific breakthroughs within the metal-organic frameworks and the use of mesoporous metallic oxide derivates as antimicrobial agents. We will explore their biomedical applications in human health, shedding light on promising avenues for combating AMR. Finally, we will conclude the current state of research and offer perspectives on the future development of these nanomaterials in the ongoing battle against AMR.

Microfluidic Platform Integrated with Carbon Nanofibers-Decorated Gold Nanoporous Sensing Device for Serum PSA Quantification.

Prostate cancer is a disease with a high incidence and mortality rate in men worldwide. Serum prostate-specific antigens (PSA) are the main circulating biomarker for this disease in clinical practices. In this work, we present a portable and reusable microfluidic device for PSA quantification. This device comprises a polymethyl methacrylate microfluidic platform coupled with electrochemical detection. The platinum working microelectrode was positioned in the outflow region of the microchannel and was modified with carbon nanofibers (CNF)-decorated gold nanoporous (GNP) structures by the dynamic hydrogen bubble template method, through the simultaneous electrodeposition of metal precursors in the presence of CNF. CNF/GNP structures exhibit attractive properties, such as a large surface to volume ratio, which increases the antibody's immobilization capacity and the electroactive area. CNFs/GNP structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Anti-PSA antibodies and HRP were employed for the immune-electrochemical reaction. The detection limit for the device was 5 pg mL-1, with a linear range from 0.01 to 50 ng mL-1. The coefficients of variation within and between assays were lower than 4.40%, and 6.15%, respectively. Additionally, its clinical performance was tested in serum from 30 prostate cancer patients. This novel device was a sensitive, selective, portable, and reusable tool for the serological diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer.

Sandwich-Type Electrochemical Paper-Based Immunosensor for Claudin 7 and CD81 Dual Determination on Extracellular Vesicles from Breast Cancer Patients.

This study is focused on identifying novel epithelial markers in circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) through the development of a dual sandwich-type electrochemical paper-based immunosensor for Claudin 7 and CD81 determination, as well as its validation in breast cancer (BC) patients. This immunosensor allows for rapid, sensitive, and label-free detection of these two relevant BC biomarkers. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection for Claudin 7 was 0.4 pg mL-1, with a wide linear range of 2 to 1000 pg mL-1, while for CD81, the limit of detection was 3 pg mL-1, with a wide linear range of 0.01 to 10 ng mL-1. Finally, we validated Claudin 7 and CD81 determination in EVs from 60 BC patients and 20 healthy volunteers, reporting higher diagnostic accuracy than the one observed with classical diagnostic markers. This analysis provides a low-cost, specific, versatile, and user-friendly strategy as a robust and reliable tool for early BC diagnosis.