MOFs and MOF-Based Composites as Next-Generation Materials for Wound Healing and Dressings.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in developing innovative materials and therapeutic strategies to enhance wound healing outcomes, especially for chronic wounds and antimicrobial resistance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a promising class of materials for next-generation wound healing and dressings. Their high surface area, pore structures, stimuli-responsiveness, antibacterial properties, biocompatibility, and potential for combination therapies make them suitable for complex wound care challenges. MOF-based composites promote cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and matrix synthesis, acting as carriers for bioactive molecules and promoting tissue regeneration. They also have stimuli-responsivity, enabling photothermal therapies for skin cancer and infections. Herein, a critical analysis of the current state of research on MOFs and MOF-based composites for wound healing and dressings is provided, offering valuable insights into the potential applications, challenges, and future directions in this field. This literature review has targeted the multifunctionality nature of MOFs in wound-disease therapy and healing from different aspects and discussed the most recent advancements made in the field. In this context, the potential reader will find how the MOFs contributed to this field to yield more effective, functional, and innovative dressings and how they lead to the next generation of biomaterials for skin therapy and regeneration.

Immunomodulatory activities and biomedical applications of melittin and its recent advances.

Melittin (MLT), a peptide containing 26 amino acids, is a key constituent of bee venom. It comprises ∼40%-60% of the venom's dry weight and is the main pricing index for bee venom, being the causative factor of pain. The unique properties of MLT extracted from bee venom have made it a very valuable active ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry as this cationic and amphipathic peptide has propitious effects on human health in diverse biological processes. It has the ability to strongly impact the membranes of cells and display hemolytic activity with anticancer characteristics. However, the clinical application of MLT has been limited by its severe hemolytic activity, which poses a challenge for therapeutic use. By employing more efficient mechanisms, such as modifying the MLT sequence, genetic engineering, and nano-delivery systems, it is anticipated that the limitations posed by MLT can be overcome, thereby enabling its wider application in therapeutic contexts. This review has outlined recent advancements in MLT's nano-delivery systems and genetically engineered cells expressing MLT and provided an overview of where the MLTMLT's platforms are and where they will go in the future with the challenges ahead. The focus is on exploring how these approaches can overcome the limitations associated with MLT's hemolytic activity and improve its selectivity and efficacy in targeting cancer cells. These advancements hold promise for the creation of innovative and enhanced therapeutic approaches based on MLT for the treatment of cancer.

A theragenerative bio-nanocomposite consisting of black phosphorus quantum dots for bone cancer therapy and regeneration.

Recently, the term theragenerative has been proposed for biomaterials capable of inducing therapeutic approaches followed by repairing/regenerating the tissue/organ. This study is focused on the design of a new theragenerative nanocomposite composed of an amphiphilic non-ionic surfactant (Pluronic F127), bioactive glass (BG), and black phosphorus (BP). The nanocomposite was prepared through a two-step synthetic strategy, including a microwave treatment that turned BP nanosheets (BPNS) into quantum dots (BPQDs) with 5 ± 2 nm dimensions in situ. The effects of surfactant and microwave treatment were assessed in vitro: the surfactant distributes the ions homogenously throughout the composite and the microwave treatment chemically stabilizes the composite. The presence of BP enhanced bioactivity and promoted calcium phosphate formation in simulated body fluid. The inherent anticancer activity of BP-containing nanocomposites was tested against osteosarcoma cells in vitro, finding that 150 µg mL-1 was the lowest concentration which prevented the proliferation of SAOS-2 cells, while the counterpart without BP did not affect the cell growth rate. Moreover, the apoptosis pathways were evaluated and a mechanism of action was proposed. NIR irradiation was applied to induce further proliferation suppression on SAOS-2 cells through hyperthermia. The inhibitory effects of bare BP nanomaterials and nanocomposites on the migration and invasion of bone cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer cells were assessed in vitro to determine the anticancer potential of nanomaterials against primary and secondary bone cancers. The regenerative behavior of the nanocomposites was tested with healthy osteoblasts and human mesenchymal stem cells; the BPQDs-incorporated nanocomposite significantly promoted the proliferation of osteoblast cells and induced the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. This study introduces a new multifunctional theragenerative platform with promising potential for simultaneous bone cancer therapy and regeneration.

Oxygen-Deficient Bioceramics: Combination of Diagnosis, Therapy, and Regeneration.

The journey of ceramics in medicine has been synchronized with an evolution from the first generation-alumina, zirconia, etc.-to the third -3D scaffolds. There is an up-and-coming member called oxygen-deficient or colored bioceramics, which have recently found their way through biomedical applications. The oxygen vacancy steers the light absorption toward visible and near infrared regions, making the colored bioceramics multifunctional-therapeutic, diagnostic, and regenerative. Oxygen-deficient bioceramics are capable of turning light into heat and reactive oxygen species for photothermal and photodynamic therapies, respectively, and concomitantly yield infrared and photoacoustic images. Different types of oxygen-deficient bioceramics have been recently developed through various synthesis routes. Some of them like TiO2- x , MoO3- x , and WOx have been more investigated for biomedical applications, whereas the rest have yet to be scrutinized. The most prominent advantage of these bioceramics over the other biomaterials is their multifunctionality endowed with a change in the microstructure. There are some challenges ahead of this category discussed at the end of the present review. By shedding light on this recently born bioceramics subcategory, it is believed that the field will undergo a big step further as these platforms are naturally multifunctional.

(Nano)platforms in breast cancer therapy: Drug/gene delivery, advanced nanocarriers and immunotherapy.

Breast cancer is the most malignant tumor in women, and there is no absolute cure for it. Although treatment modalities including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are utilized for breast cancer, it is still a life-threatening disease for humans. Nanomedicine has provided a new opportunity in breast cancer treatment, which is the focus of the current study. The nanocarriers deliver chemotherapeutic agents and natural products, both of which increase cytotoxicity against breast tumor cells and prevent the development of drug resistance. The efficacy of gene therapy is boosted by nanoparticles and the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9, Noncoding RNAs, and RNAi, promoting their potential for gene expression regulation. The drug and gene codelivery by nanoparticles can exert a synergistic impact on breast tumors and enhance cellular uptake via endocytosis. Nanostructures are able to induce photothermal and photodynamic therapy for breast tumor ablation via cell death induction. The nanoparticles can provide tumor microenvironment remodeling and repolarization of macrophages for antitumor immunity. The stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, including pH-, redox-, and light-sensitive, can mediate targeted suppression of breast tumors. Besides, nanoparticles can provide a diagnosis of breast cancer and detect biomarkers. Various kinds of nanoparticles have been employed for breast cancer therapy, including carbon-, lipid-, polymeric- and metal-based nanostructures, which are different in terms of biocompatibility and delivery efficiency.

Chitosan-based nanoscale systems for doxorubicin delivery: Exploring biomedical application in cancer therapy.

Green chemistry has been a growing multidisciplinary field in recent years showing great promise in biomedical applications, especially for cancer therapy. Chitosan (CS) is an abundant biopolymer derived from chitin and is present in insects and fungi. This polysaccharide has favorable characteristics, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ease of modification by enzymes and chemicals. CS-based nanoparticles (CS-NPs) have shown potential in the treatment of cancer and other diseases, affording targeted delivery and overcoming drug resistance. The current review emphasizes on the application of CS-NPs for the delivery of a chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin (DOX), in cancer therapy as they promote internalization of DOX in cancer cells and prevent the activity of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) to reverse drug resistance. These nanoarchitectures can provide co-delivery of DOX with antitumor agents such as curcumin and cisplatin to induce synergistic cancer therapy. Furthermore, co-loading of DOX with siRNA, shRNA, and miRNA can suppress tumor progression and provide chemosensitivity. Various nanostructures, including lipid-, carbon-, polymeric- and metal-based nanoparticles, are modifiable with CS for DOX delivery, while functionalization of CS-NPs with ligands such as hyaluronic acid promotes selectivity toward tumor cells and prevents DOX resistance. The CS-NPs demonstrate high encapsulation efficiency and due to protonation of amine groups of CS, pH-sensitive release of DOX can occur. Furthermore, redox- and light-responsive CS-NPs have been prepared for DOX delivery in cancer treatment. Leveraging these characteristics and in view of the biocompatibility of CS-NPs, we expect to soon see significant progress towards clinical translation.

Stimuli-responsive liposomal nanoformulations in cancer therapy: Pre-clinical & clinical approaches.

The site-specific delivery of antitumor agents is of importance for providing effective cancer suppression. Poor bioavailability of anticancer compounds and the presence of biological barriers prevent their accumulation in tumor sites. These obstacles can be overcome using liposomal nanostructures. The challenges in cancer chemotherapy and stimuli-responsive nanocarriers are first described in the current review. Then, stimuli-responsive liposomes including pH-, redox-, enzyme-, light-, thermo- and magneto-sensitive nanoparticles are discussed and their potential for delivery of anticancer drugs is emphasized. The pH- or redox-sensitive liposomes are based on internal stimulus and release drug in response to a mildly acidic pH and GSH, respectively. The pH-sensitive liposomes can mediate endosomal escape via proton sponge. The multifunctional liposomes responsive to both redox and pH have more capacity in drug release at tumor site compared to pH- or redox-sensitive alone. The magnetic field and NIR irradiation can be exploited for external stimulation of liposomes. The light-responsive liposomes release drugs when they are exposed to irradiation; thermosensitive-liposomes release drugs at a temperature of >40 °C when there is hyperthermia; magneto-responsive liposomes release drugs in presence of magnetic field. These smart nanoliposomes also mediate co-delivery of drugs and genes in synergistic cancer therapy. Due to lack of long-term toxicity of liposomes, they can be utilized in near future for treatment of cancer patients.

A 3D macroporous and magnetic Mg2SiO4-CuFe2O4 scaffold for bone tissue regeneration: Surface modification, in vitro and in vivo studies.

Macroporous scaffolds with bioactivity and magnetic properties can be a good candidate for bone regeneration and hyperthermia. In addition, modifying the surface of the scaffolds with biocompatible materials can increase their potential for in vivo applications. Here, we developed a multifunctional nanocomposite Mg2SiO4-CuFe2O4 scaffold for bone regeneration and hyperthermia. The surface of scaffold was coated with various concentrations of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB, 1-5% (w/v)). It was observed that 3% (w/v) of P3HB provided a favorable combination of porosity (79 ± 2.1%) and compressive strength (3.2 ± 0.11 MPa). The hyperthermia potential of samples was assessed in the presence of various magnetic fields in vitro. The coated scaffolds showed a lower degradation rate than the un-coated one up to 35 days of soaking in simulated biological medium. Due to the porous and specific morphology of P3HB, it was found that in vitro bioactivity and cell attachment were increased on the scaffold. Moreover, it was observed that the P3HB coating improved the cell viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralization of the scaffold. Finally, we studied the bone formation ability of the scaffolds in vivo, and implanted the developed scaffold in the rat's femur for 8 weeks. Micro-computed tomography results including bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness exhibited an improvement in the bone regeneration of the coated scaffold compared to the control. The overall results of this study introduce a highly macroporous scaffold with multifunctional performance, noticeable ability in bone regeneration, and hyperthermia properties for osteosarcoma.

Dendrimers as nanoscale vectors: Unlocking the bars of cancer therapy.

Chemotherapy is the first choice in the treatment of cancer and is always preferred to other approaches such as radiation and surgery, but it has never met the need of patients for a safe and effective drug. Therefore, new advances in cancer treatment are now needed to reduce the side effects and burdens associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients. Targeted treatment using nanotechnology are now being actively explored as they could effectively deliver therapeutic agents to tumor cells without affecting normal cells. Dendrimers are promising nanocarriers with distinct physiochemical properties that have received considerable attention in cancer therapy studies, which is partly due to the numerous functional groups on their surface. In this review, we discuss the progress of different types of dendrimers as delivery systems in cancer therapy, focusing on the challenges, opportunities, and functionalities of the polymeric molecules. The paper also reviews the various role of dendrimers in their entry into cells via endocytosis, as well as the molecular and inflammatory pathways in cancer. In addition, various dendrimers-based drug delivery (e.g., pH-responsive, enzyme-responsive, redox-responsive, thermo-responsive, etc.) and lipid-, amino acid-, polymer- and nanoparticle-based modifications for gene delivery, as well as co-delivery of drugs and genes in cancer therapy with dendrimers, are presented. Finally, biosafety concerns and issues hindering the transition of dendrimers from research to the clinic are discussed to shed light on their clinical applications.

Multifunctional Tetracycline-Loaded Silica-Coated Core-Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles: Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Cytotoxic Activities.

In the current study, the physicochemical and biological properties of tetracycline-loaded core-shell nanoparticles (Tet/Ni0.5Co0.5Fe2O4/SiO2 and Tet/CoFe2O4/SiO2) were investigated. The antibacterial activity of nanoparticles alone and in combination with tetracycline was investigated against a number of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria for determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. The MIC of Tet/Ni0.5Co0.5Fe2O4/SiO2 nanoparticles turned out to be significantly higher than that of Tet/CoFe2O4/SiO2 nanoparticles. Furthermore, Tet/Ni0.5Co0.5Fe2O4/SiO2 nanoparticles exhibited potent antibiofilm activity against pathogenic bacteria compared to Tet/CoFe2O4/SiO2 nanoparticles. The drug delivery potential of both carriers was assessed in vitro up to 124 h at different pH levels and it was found that the drug release rate was increased in acidic conditions. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was evaluated against a skin cancer cell line (melanoma A375) and a normal cell line (HFF). Our findings showed that Tet/Ni0.5Co0.5Fe2O4/SiO2 had greater cytotoxicity than CoFe2O4/SiO2 against the A375 cell line, whereas both synthesized nanoparticles had no significant cytotoxic effects on the normal cell line. Nonetheless, the biocompatibility of nanoparticles was assessed in vivo and the interaction of nanoparticles with the kidney was scrutinized up to 14 days. The overall results of the present study implied that the synthesized multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles with drug delivery potential, anticancer activity, and antibacterial activity are promising for biomedical applications.

Mesoporous silica@chitosan@gold nanoparticles as "on/off" optical biosensor and pH-sensitive theranostic platform against cancer.

A cancer nanotheranostic system was fabricated based on mesoporous silica@chitosan@gold (MCM@CS@Au) nanosystem targeted by aptamer toward the MUC-1 positive tumor cells. Subsequently, curcumin as an efficient herbal anticancer drug was first encapsulated into chitosan-triphosphate nanoparticles and then the resulted nanoparticle was loaded into the nanosystem (MCM@CS@Au-Apt). The nanosystem successful fabrication was approved at each synthesis step through FTIR, XRD, BET, DLS, FE-SEM, HRTEM, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Besides, the interaction between aptamer and curcumin was evaluated using full atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The mechanism of curcumin release was likewise investigated through different kinetic models. Afterwards, the potential of the designed nanosystem in targeted imaging, and drug delivery was evaluated using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. It was found that the energy transfer between the base pairs in the hairpin of double strands of DNA aptamer acts as a quencher for MCM@CS@Au fluorescence culminating in an "on/off" optical biosensor. On the other hand, the presence of pH-sensitive chitosan nanoparticles creates smart nanosystem to deliver more curcumin into the desired cells. Indeed, when the aptamer specifically binds to the MUC-1 receptor, its double strands separate under the low pH condition, leading to the drug release and the recovery of the fluorescence ("On" state). Based on the toxicity results, this nanosystem had more toxicity toward the MUC-1-positive tumor cells than MUC-1-negative cells, representing its selective targeting. Therefore, this nanosystem could be introduced as a smart anticancer nanotheranostic system for tracing particular biomarkers (MUC-1), non-invasive fluorescence imaging, and targeted curcumin delivery.

Nanotechnology-Abetted Astaxanthin Formulations in Multimodel Therapeutic and Biomedical Applications.

Astaxanthin (AXT) is one of the most important fat-soluble carotenoids that have abundant and diverse therapeutic applications namely in liver disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer treatment, protection of the nervous system, protection of the skin and eyes against UV radiation, and boosting the immune system. However, due to its intrinsic reactivity, it is chemically unstable, and therefore, the design and production processes for this compound need to be precisely formulated. Nanoencapsulation is widely applied to protect AXT against degradation during digestion and storage, thus improving its physicochemical properties and therapeutic effects. Nanocarriers are delivery systems with many advantages─ease of surface modification, biocompatibility, and targeted drug delivery and release. This review discusses the technological advancement in nanocarriers for the delivery of AXT through the brain, eyes, and skin, with emphasis on the benefits, limitations, and efficiency in practice.

Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy: Stimuli-Responsive, Toxicity, Immunogenicity, and Clinical Translation.

Cancer is one of the top life-threatening dangers to the human survival, accounting for over 10 million deaths per year. Bioactive glasses have developed dramatically since their discovery 50 years ago, with applications that include therapeutics as well as diagnostics. A new system within the bioactive glass family, mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs), has evolved into a multifunctional platform, thanks to MBGs easy-to-functionalize nature and tailorable textural properties-surface area, pore size, and pore volume. Although MBGs have yet to meet their potential in tumor treatment and imaging in practice, recently research has shed light on the distinguished MBGs capabilities as promising theranostic systems for cancer imaging and therapy. This review presents research progress in the field of MBG applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy, including synthesis of MBGs, mechanistic overview of MBGs application in tumor diagnosis and drug monitoring, applications of MBGs in cancer therapy ( particularly, targeted delivery and stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms), and immunological profile of MBG-based nanodevices in reference to the development of novel cancer therapeutics.

pHEMA: An Overview for Biomedical Applications.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) as a biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and cytocompatibility elicits a minimal immunological response from host tissue making it desirable for different biomedical applications. This article seeks to provide an in-depth overview of the properties and biomedical applications of pHEMA for bone tissue regeneration, wound healing, cancer therapy (stimuli and non-stimuli responsive systems), and ophthalmic applications (contact lenses and ocular drug delivery). As this polymer has been widely applied in ophthalmic applications, a specific consideration has been devoted to this field. Pure pHEMA does not possess antimicrobial properties and the site where the biomedical device is employed may be susceptible to microbial infections. Therefore, antimicrobial strategies such as the use of silver nanoparticles, antibiotics, and antimicrobial agents can be utilized to protect against infections. Therefore, the antimicrobial strategies besides the drug delivery applications of pHEMA were covered. With continuous research and advancement in science and technology, the outlook of pHEMA is promising as it will most certainly be utilized in more biomedical applications in the near future. The aim of this review was to bring together state-of-the-art research on pHEMA and their applications.

The Effect of Poly (Ethylene glycol) Emulation on the Degradation of PLA/Starch Composites.

As a hydrophilic renewable polymer, starch has been widely used in biocompatible plastics as a filler for more than two decades. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG), as a plasticizer, on the physicochemical properties of a hybrid composite-polylactic acid (PLA) and thermoplastic starch (TPS). A solvent evaporation process was adopted to gelatinize the starch and disparate PEG contents ranging from 3 to 15 wt.% (with respect to the sample weight) were examined. It was revealed that the increase in the PEG content was accompanied by an increment in the starch gelatinization degree. Referring to the microstructural analyses, the TPS/PLA mixture yielded a ductile hybrid composite with a fine morphology and a uniform phase. Nevertheless, two different solvents, including acetone and ethanol, were used to assess if they had any effect on the hybrid's morphology, tensile strength and thermal properties. It was found that ethanol culminated in a porous hybrid composite with a finer morphology and better starch distribution in the PLA structure than acetone. As the result of PEG addition to the composite, the crystallinity and tensile strength were decreased, whereas the elongation increased. The hydrolytic degradation of samples was assessed under different pH and thermal conditions. Moreover, the microbial degradation of the PLA/TPS hybrid composite containing different PEG molar fractions was investigated in the soil for 45 days. The rate of degradation in both hydrolytic and biodegradation increased in the samples with a higher amount of PEG with ethanol solvent.

Hierarchical porous Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 nanomagnetic scaffold for bone cancer therapy and regeneration: Surface modification and in vitro studies.

3D multifunctional bone scaffolds have recently attracted more attention in bone tissue engineering because of addressing critical issues like bone cancer and inflammation beside bone regeneration. In this study, a 3D bone scaffold is fabricated from Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposite which is synthesized via a two-step synthesis strategy and then the scaffold's surface is modified with poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB)-ordered mesoporous magnesium silicate (OMMS) composite to improve its physicochemical and biological properties. The Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 scaffold is fabricated through polymer sponge technique and the scaffold exhibits an interconnected porous structure in the range of 100-600 µm. The scaffold is then coated with OMMS/P3HB composite via dip coating and the physical, chemical, and biological-related properties of OMMS/P3HB composite-coated scaffold are assessed and compared to the non-coated and P3HB-coated scaffolds in vitro. It is found that, on the one hand, P3HB increases the cell attachment, proliferation, and compressive strength of the scaffold, but on the other hand, it weakens the bioactivity kinetic. Addition of OMMS to the coating composition is accompanied with significant increase in bioactivity kinetic. Besides, OMMS/P3HB composite-coated scaffold exhibits higher drug loading capacity and more controlled release manner up to 240 h than the other samples because of OMMS which has a high surface area and ordered mesoporous structure suitable for controlled release applications. The overall results indicate that OMMS/P3HB coating on Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 scaffold leads to a great improvement in bioactivity, drug delivery potential, compressive strength, cell viability, and proliferation. Moreover, OMMS/P3HB composite-coated scaffold has heat generation capability for hyperthermia-based bone cancer therapy and so it is suggested as a multifunctional scaffold with great potentials for bone cancer therapy and regeneration.

Super-paramagnetic nanostructured CuZnMg mixed spinel ferrite for bone tissue regeneration.

Spinel ferrite-based nanoparticles are being widely applied in bone tissue regeneration because of their outstanding properties such as their capability to be applied in hyperthermia-based bone cancer therapy. In the present study, Cu0.3Zn0.2Mg0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles are synthesized through thermal-treatment method followed by calcination at 650 °C. The calcined nanoparticles are characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and elemental mapping, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Then from the nanoparticles, a disk is fabricated and sintered at 800 °C to assess Cu0.3Zn0.2Mg0.5Fe2O4 basic requirements of a bone substitute like apatite-formation ability, degradation, mechanical properties, and cell compatibility and so compressive strength, apatite forming ability up to 21 days in simulated body fluid (SBF), in vitro degradation in two different buffers, antibacterial activity, cell compatibility, and attachment are assessed in vitro. The results show that the magnetization saturation (Ms) is increased from 52 to 60 emu/g when the nanoparticles are sintered at 800 °C. Immersion the disk into SBF is synchronized with deposition of spherical CaP particles on the surface of disk and the XRD after soaking period proves that the depositions are hydroxyapatite. The degradability of disk is assessed into phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and citric acid buffer (CAB) up to 21 days. A gram-positive and a gram-negative bacteria are used to assess the disk's antibacterial activity and the disk exhibits acceptable activity against both of them. The cell compatibility and attachment of disk in the exposure of MG63 cell line are assessed up to 7 days and the results prove high cell compatibility of the disk.

Nanostructured magnetic Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 composite scaffold with multiple capabilities for bone tissue regeneration.

Multifunctional magnetic 3D scaffolds are recently of particular interest because of their applications in hyperthermia-based therapy and localized drug delivery beside of their basic properties to be applied in bone tissue regeneration. In the current study, a magnetic nanocomposite is designed and synthesized through a two-step synthesis strategy in which CoFe2O4 nanoparticles are prepared via sol-gel combustion method and then they are coated through sol-gel method with Mg2SiO4. The characterization relates to the nanocomposite shows that Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 is successfully synthesized and it has a core-shell structure. Then, 3D scaffolds are fabricated through polymer sponge technique from the nanocomposite. Physiochemical and biological properties of the scaffolds are assessed in vitro amongst which bioactivity, biodegradability, mechanical properties, hyperthermia capability, controlled release potential, antibacterial activity, cell compatibility and attachment can be mentioned. The results demonstrate that the scaffolds have high porous structure with interconnected porosity and desirable mechanical properties close to cancellous bone. The magnetic scaffold is biodegradable and bioactive and exhibits controlled release of rifampin as an antibiotic drug up to 96 h. Moreover, in the exposure of different magnetic fields it has potential to produce heat for different kinds of hyperthermia-based therapies. The antibacterial activity of drug-loaded scaffold is assessed against S. aureus bacteria. The results suggest that Mg2SiO4-CoFe2O4 nanocomposite scaffold with multiple capabilities has a great potential to be applied in the case of large bone defects which are caused by tumors to not only eradicate remained cancerous tissues, but also prevent infection after surgery and regenerate bone defect.

Electrophoretically deposited mesoporous magnesium silicate with ordered nanopores as an antibiotic-loaded coating on surface-modified titanium.

Infection is quite usual for implants after surgery and a systemic administration of antibiotics causes problems before the eradication of bacteria. Localized drug delivery from implants is an effective way by which the mentioned target can be met. In the current work, ordered mesoporous magnesium silicate (OMMS) is coated on plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO)-modified titanium (Ti) substrate through electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and rifampin as an antibiotic is loaded on OMMS coating to be applied as an antibacterial coating. The immersion test into simulated body fluid and also potentiodynamic polarization assay are adopted to assess the in vitro bioactivity up to 7 days and corrosion resistance of the specimens, respectively. The double surface coatings of PEO and EPD are achieved on Ti substrate and the thickness for each one is found to be 4 and 25 µm, respectively. Regarding to drug delivery capability of OMMS as the EPD coating, the loading capacity is 25% and release trend sustains up to 96 h. The antibacterial activity and also cell viability of OMMS coating are significantly increased with rifampin loading. The results of our study exhibit that OMMS as a multifunctional coating deposited on the PEO-modified Ti substrate improves corrosion resistance, in vitro bioactivity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralization of the substrate. Moreover, rifampin-loaded OMMS coating is not only able to prevent infection, but it also increases the osteogenesis cells viability. Therefore, rifampin-loaded OMMS coating on Ti is potentially regarded appropriate for orthopedic applications.

Solvothermal Synthesis of Magnetic Spinel Ferrites.

At present, solvothermal fabrication method has widely been applied in the synthesis of spinel ferrite nanoparticles (SFNs), which is mainly because of its great advantages such as precise control over size, shape distribution, and high crystallinity that do not require postannealing treatment. Among various SFNs, Fe3O4 nanoparticles have attracted tremendous attention because of their favorable physical and structural properties which are advantageous, especially in biomedical applications, among which the vast application of these materials as targeted drug delivery systems, hyperthermia, and imaging agents in cancer therapy can be mentioned. The main focus of this study is to present an introduction to solvothermal method and key synthesis parameters of SFNs through this synthesis route. Moreover, most recent progress on the potential applications of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as the most important compound among the spinel ferrites family members is discussed.