Cellular stiffness sensing through talin 1 in tissue mechanical homeostasis.

Tissue mechanical properties are determined mainly by the extracellular matrix (ECM) and actively maintained by resident cells. Despite its broad importance to biology and medicine, tissue mechanical homeostasis remains poorly understood. To explore cell-mediated control of tissue stiffness, we developed mutations in the mechanosensitive protein talin 1 to alter cellular sensing of ECM. Mutation of a mechanosensitive site between talin 1 rod-domain helix bundles R1 and R2 increased cell spreading and tension exertion on compliant substrates. These mutations promote binding of the ARP2/3 complex subunit ARPC5L, which mediates the change in substrate stiffness sensing. Ascending aortas from mice bearing these mutations showed less fibrillar collagen, reduced axial stiffness, and lower rupture pressure. Together, these results demonstrate that cellular stiffness sensing contributes to ECM mechanics, directly supporting the mechanical homeostasis hypothesis and identifying a mechanosensitive interaction within talin that contributes to this mechanism.

Histone demethylase KDM5 regulates cardiomyocyte maturation by promoting fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and myofibrillar organization.

AIMS: Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) provide a platform to identify and characterize factors that regulate the maturation of CMs. The transition from an immature foetal to an adult CM state entails coordinated regulation of the expression of genes involved in myofibril formation and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) among others. Lysine demethylase 5 (KDM5) specifically demethylates H3K4me1/2/3 and has emerged as potential regulators of expression of genes involved in cardiac development and mitochondrial function. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of KDM5 in iPSC-CM maturation. METHODS AND RESULTS: KDM5A, B, and C proteins were mainly expressed in the early post-natal stages, and their expressions were progressively downregulated in the post-natal CMs and were absent in adult hearts and CMs. In contrast, KDM5 proteins were persistently expressed in the iPSC-CMs up to 60 days after the induction of myogenic differentiation, consistent with the immaturity of these cells. Inhibition of KDM5 by KDM5-C70 -a pan-KDM5 inhibitor, induced differential expression of 2372 genes, including upregulation of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation (FAO), OXPHOS, and myogenesis in the iPSC-CMs. Likewise, genome-wide profiling of H3K4me3 binding sites by the cleavage under targets and release using nuclease assay showed enriched of the H3K4me3 peaks at the promoter regions of genes encoding FAO, OXPHOS, and sarcomere proteins. Consistent with the chromatin and gene expression data, KDM5 inhibition increased the expression of multiple sarcomere proteins and enhanced myofibrillar organization. Furthermore, inhibition of KDM5 increased H3K4me3 deposits at the promoter region of the ESRRA gene and increased its RNA and protein levels. Knockdown of ESRRA in KDM5-C70-treated iPSC-CM suppressed expression of a subset of the KDM5 targets. In conjunction with changes in gene expression, KDM5 inhibition increased oxygen consumption rate and contractility in iPSC-CMs. CONCLUSION: KDM5 inhibition enhances maturation of iPSC-CMs by epigenetically upregulating the expressions of OXPHOS, FAO, and sarcomere genes and enhancing myofibril organization and mitochondrial function.

Strategies for overcoming protein and peptide instability in biodegradable drug delivery systems.

The global pharmaceutical market has recently shifted its focus from small molecule drugs to peptide, protein, and nucleic acid drugs, which now comprise a majority of the top-selling pharmaceutical products on the market. Although these biologics often offer improved drug specificity, new mechanisms of action, and/or enhanced efficacy, they also present new challenges, including an increased potential for degradation and a need for frequent administration via more invasive administration routes, which can limit patient access, patient adherence, and ultimately the clinical impact of these drugs. Controlled-release systems have the potential to mitigate these challenges by offering superior control over in vivo drug levels, localizing these drugs to tissues of interest (e.g., tumors), and reducing administration frequency. Unfortunately, adapting controlled-release devices to release biologics has proven difficult due to the poor stability of biologics. In this review, we summarize the current state of controlled-release peptides and proteins, discuss existing techniques used to stabilize these drugs through encapsulation, storage, and in vivo release, and provide perspective on the most promising opportunities for the clinical translation of controlled-release peptides and proteins.

Histone demethylase KDM5 regulates cardiomyocyte maturation by promoting fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and myofibrillar organization.

Rationale: Human pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs (iPSC-CMs) are a valuable tool for disease modeling, cell therapy and to reconstruct the CM maturation process and identify, characterize factors that regulate maturation. The transition from immature fetal to adult CM entails coordinated regulation of the mature gene programming, which is characterized by the induction of myofilament and OXPHOS gene expression among others. Recent studies in Drosophila , C. elegans, and C2C12 myoblast cell lines have implicated the histone H3K4me3 demethylase KDM5 and its homologs, as a potential regulator of developmental gene program and mitochondrial function. We speculated that KDM5 may potentiate the maturation of iPSC-CMs by targeting a conserved epigenetic program that encompass mitochondrial OXPHOS and other CM specific maturation genes. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the role of KDM5 in iPSC-CM maturation. Methods and Results: Immunoblot analysis revealed that KDM5A, B, and C expression was progressively downregulated in postnatal cardiomyocytes and absent in adult hearts and CMs. Additionally, KDM5 proteins were found to be persistently expressed in iPSC-CMs up to 60 days after the onset of myogenic differentiation, consistent with the immaturity of these cells. Inhibition of KDM5 by KDM5-C70 -a pan-KDM5 inhibitor-resulted in differential regulation of 2,372 genes including upregulation of Fatty acid oxidation (FAO), OXPHOS, and myogenic gene programs in iPSC-CMs. Likewise, genome-wide profiling of H3K4me3 binding sites by the CUT&RUN assay revealed enriched H3K4me3 peaks at the promoter regions of FAO, OXPHOS, and sarcomere genes. Consistent with the chromatin and gene expression data, KDM5 inhibition led to increased expression of multiple sarcomere proteins, enhanced myofibrillar organization and improved calcium handling. Furthermore, inhibition of KDM5 increased H3K4me3 deposits at the promoter region of the ESRRA gene, which is known to regulate OXPHOS and cardiomyocyte maturation, and resulted in its increased RNA and protein levels. Finally, KDM5 inhibition increased baseline, peak, and spare oxygen consumption rates in iPSC-CMs. Conclusions: KDM5 regulates the maturation of iPSC-CMs by epigenetically regulating the expression of ESRRA, OXPHOS, FAO, and sarcomere genes and enhancing myofibril organization and mitochondrial function.

Nanoparticles Promote Bacterial Antibiotic Tolerance via Inducing Hyperosmotic Stress Response.

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in all fields of life. Nowadays, NPs have shown extraordinary antimicrobial activities and become one of the most popular strategies to combat antibiotic resistance. Whether they are equally effective in combating bacterial persistence, another important reason leading to antibiotic treatment failure, remains unknown. Persister cells are a small subgroup of phenotypic drug-tolerant cells in an isogenic bacterial population. Here, various types of NPs are used in combination with different antibiotics to destroy persisters. Strikingly, rather than eradicating persister cells, a wide range of NPs promote the formation of bacterial persistence. It is uncovered by PCR, thermogravimetric analysis, intracellular potassium ion staining, and molecular dynamics simulation that the persister promotion effect is achieved through exerting a hyperosmotic pressure around the cells. Moreover, protein mass spectrometry, fluorescence microscope images, and SDS-PAGE indicate NPs can further hijack cell osmotic regulatory circuits by inducing aggregation of outer membrane protein OmpA and OmpC. These findings question the efficacy of using NPs as antimicrobial agents and raise the possibility that widely used NPs may facilitate the global emergence of bacterial antibiotic tolerance.

Oxygen Ion Implantation Improving Cell Adhesion on Titanium Surfaces through Increased Attraction of Fibronectin PHSRN Domain.

Mechanistic understanding of fibronectin (FN) adsorption which determines cell adhesion on cell-implant interfaces is significant for improving the osteoconduction and soft-tissue healing of implants. Here, it is shown that the adsorption behavior of FN on the titanium oxide surface (TiO2 ) is highly relative to its Pro-His-Ser-Arg-Asn (PHSRN) peptide. FN lacking PHSRN fails to bind to surfaces, resulting in inhibited cell adhesion and spreading. Molecular dynamics simulation shows higher affinity and greater adsorption energy of PHSRN peptide with TiO2 surface due to the stronger hydrogen bonds formed by the serine and arginine residues with O ion of the substrate. Finally, by increasing O content in TiO2 surfaces through O ion-beam implantation, improving the cell adhesion, cell differentiation, and the subsequent biomineralization on titanium implant is realized. This study reveals the vital role of PHSRN in FN-mediated cell adhesion on implant surfaces, providing a promising new target for further tissue integration and implant success.

Size-Confined Effects of Nanostructures on Fibronectin-Induced Macrophage Inflammation on Titanium Implants.

Macrophage activation determines the fate of biomaterials implantation. Though researches have shown that fibronectin (FN) is highly involved in integrin-induced macrophage activation on biomaterials, the mechanism of how nanosized structure affects macrophage behavior is still unknown. Here, titanium dioxide nanotube structures with different sizes are fabricated to investigate the effects of nanostructure on macrophage activation. Compared with larger sized nanotubes and smooth surface, 30 nm nanotubes exhibit considerable lesser pro-inflammatory properties on macrophage differentiation. Confocal protein observation and molecular dynamics simulation show that FN displays conformation changes on different nanotubes in a feature of "size-confined," which causes the hiding of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) domain on other surfaces. The matching size of nanotube with FN allows the maximum exposure of RGD on 30 nm nanotubes, activating integrin-mediated focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase γ (PI3Kγ) pathway to inhibit nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. In conclusion, this study explains the mechanism of nanostructural-biological signaling transduction in protein and molecular levels, as well as proposes a promising strategy for surface modification to regulate immune responses on bioimplants.

Calcium-Collagen Coupling is Vital for Biomineralization Schedule.

Biomineralization is a chemical reaction that occurs in organisms in which collagen initiates and guides the growth and crystallization of matched apatite minerals. However, there is little known about the demand pattern for calcium salts and collagen needed by biomineralization. In this study, natural bone biomineralization is analyzed, and a novel interplay between calcium concentration and collagen production is observed. Any quantitative change in one of the entities causes a corresponding change in the other. Translocation-associated membrane protein 2 (TRAM2) is identified as an intermediate factor whose silencing disrupts this relationship and causes poor mineralization. TRAM2 directly interacts with the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2b (SERCA2b) and modulates SERCA2b activity to couple calcium enrichment with collagen biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings indicate that osteoblasts can independently and directly regulate the process of biomineralization via this coupling. This knowledge has significant implications for the developmentally inspired design of biomaterials for bone regenerative applications.

An electroporation strategy to synthesize the membrane-coated nanoparticles for enhanced anti-inflammation therapy in bone infection.

The cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (MNPs) showed great potential in treating infectious disease due to their superior biofunctions in improving biocompatibility of nanoparticles and neutralization of pathogen or toxins. However, bone infection is accompanied with severe inflammation and bone loss, which also requires anti-inflammatory and osteoconductive treatment. The conventional membrane coating method has to undergo ultrasonication and extrusion procedures, which reduces the functionality of cell membrane and limits the choice of nanoparticles. In this study, we proposed an electroporation-based membrane coating strategy to facilitate the synthesis of MNPs to tackle those problems. Methods: Magnetic composite nanoparticles with osteoconductive Ca3(PO4)2 and bactericidal TiO2 were assembled into macrophages through phagocytosis and then collected to expose in electric field for obtaining macrophage membrane-coating nanoparticles. By using molecular dynamics simulation and materials characterizations, the cell membrane coating efficiency was confirmed. The in vitro anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities were tested by bacteria culturing and immune cells activation. Then drug-resistant bacteria induced bone infection model was established to verify its in vivo therapeutic effects. Results: The coated membrane prepared through electroporation reserved the integrality of membrane structure and right-sidedness, with more functional proteins. Those led to the superior properties of recognition and adsorption with bacteria, toxins and inflammatory cytokines. Owing to the benefits of electroporation, the MNPs exhibited significant better antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities for enhancing the tissue repair process. Conclusion: This study provides a novel self-assembly cell membrane coating strategy by electroporation to construct multifunctional membrane-coating nanoparticles for bone infection treatment. This strategy not only improves the functions of coated membrane, but is also proved to be universal for varies nanoparticles or cells, indicating a great potential for future applications in the bioengineering field.

Bioactive Core-Shell CaF2 Upconversion Nanostructure for Promotion and Visualization of Engineered Bone Reconstruction.

Inorganic ion metabolism plays significant roles in various life processes including signal transduction, substance exchange, and cellular constructions. Regulation and monitoring of ion metabolism offer great promise to modulate biological activities and provide insights into related mechanisms. Here, a synergistic nanodepot based on a bioactive core-shell CaF2 upconversion nanostructure that integrates multiple mineral ions for metabolic regulation was built for the acceleration and monitoring of the biomineralization process. Multiple mineral ions released from the nanodepots can accelerate the growth of inorganic crystals and enhance the production of organic matrixes, synergistically facilitating the regeneration of bone defects in vivo. During the process, such a nanodepot can be constructed to specifically recognize osteoblasts for the monitoring of biomineralization. This nanoprobe represents an efficient strategy to promote and monitor biomineralization-related metabolic activities with applications in fundamental research, disease diagnosis, and regenerative medicine.

Graphdiyne-modified TiO2 nanofibers with osteoinductive and enhanced photocatalytic antibacterial activities to prevent implant infection.

Titanium implants have been widely used in bone tissue engineering for decades. However, orthopedic implant-associated infections increase the risk of implant failure and even lead to amputation in severe cases. Although TiO2 has photocatalytic activity to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), the recombination of generated electrons and holes limits its antibacterial ability. Here, we describe a graphdiyne (GDY) composite TiO2 nanofiber that combats implant infections through enhanced photocatalysis and prolonged antibacterial ability. In addition, GDY-modified TiO2 nanofibers exert superior biocompatibility and osteoinductive abilities for cell adhesion and differentiation, thus contributing to the bone tissue regeneration process in drug-resistant bacteria-induced implant infection.

Designing a 0D/2D S-Scheme Heterojunction over Polymeric Carbon Nitride for Visible-Light Photocatalytic Inactivation of Bacteria.

Constructing heterojunctions between two semiconductors with matched band structure is an effective strategy to acquire high-efficiency photocatalysts. The S-scheme heterojunction system has shown great potential in facilitating separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers, as well as acquiring strong photoredox ability. Herein, a 0D/2D S-Scheme heterojunction material involving CeO2 quantum dots and polymeric carbon nitride (CeO2 /PCN) is designed and constructed by in situ wet chemistry with subsequent heat treatment. This S-scheme heterojunction material shows high-efficiency photocatalytic sterilization rate (88.1 %) towards Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under visible-light irradiation (λ≥420 nm), which is 2.7 and 8.2 times that of pure CeO2 (32.2 %) and PCN (10.7 %), respectively. Strong evidence of S-scheme charge transfer path is verified by theoretical calculations, in situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance.

Dual Functional Monocytes Modulate Bactericidal and Anti-Inflammation Process for Severe Osteomyelitis Treatment.

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory bone disease caused by infection microorganisms which leads to progressive bone destruction and loss. Drug resistance and inflammatory damage make it urgent to develop new dual-functional therapies. Based on the powerful bactericidal effect of monocyte/macrophage cells by nature, a functional monocyte with programed anti-inflammatory ability is promising for osteomyelitis treatment. Herein, gold nanocage (GNC)-modified monocytes are developed which contain aspirin to realize the controlled antibacterial and anti-inflammatory process for bone infection treatment effectively. Aspirin@GNC-laden monocytes inherit the biological functions of origin monocytes such as chemotaxis to bacteria, differentiation potential, and phagocytic ability. The controlled release of aspirin from GNC has a beneficial effect on improving the rate and amount of bone regeneration after the anti-infection stage due to its ability to suppress the activity of natural immunity and induce osteoblast differentiation during the treatment of osteomyelitis. The present work described here is the first to utilize living monocytes to achieve a dual effect to antibacteria and anti-inflammation in a time-oriented and programed way, and provides an inspiration for future therapy based on this concept.

Fe3O4@TiO2-Laden Neutrophils Activate Innate Immunity via Photosensitive Reactive Oxygen Species Release.

Although a variety of advanced sterilization materials and treatments have emerged, the complete elimination of bacterial infection, especially drug-resistant bacterial infection, remains an immense challenge. Here, we demonstrate the use of neutrophils loaded with photocatalytic nanoparticles to reduce bacterial infection. This method activates the immune system to achieve an anti-infection response. We prepared the photocatalytic nanoparticle-laden neutrophils in vivo through neutrophil phagocytosis. The resulting loaded cells retained the cell membrane functionality of the source cell, as well as the complete immune cell function of neutrophils, particularly the ability to recruit macrophages to the target area. Photocatalytic nanoparticle-laden neutrophils can target infection sites and release reactive oxygen species to induce the secretion of chemokines, leading to the targeted recruitment of macrophages and enhancing a powerful immune cascade. In a severe mouse infection model induced by pathogenic bacteria, small doses of photocatalytic nanoparticle-laden neutrophils showed a remarkable therapeutic effect by enhancing macrophage recruitment and the immune cascade.

Dual-Wavelength Photosensitive Nano-in-Micro Scaffold Regulates Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses for Osteogenesis.

The immune response of a biomaterial determines its osteoinductive effect. Although the mechanisms by which some immune cells promote regeneration have been revealed, the biomaterial-induced immune response is a dynamic process involving multiple cells. Currently, it is challenging to accurately regulate the innate and adaptive immune responses to promote osteoinduction in biomaterials. Herein, we investigated the roles of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) during the osteoinduction of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds. We found that osteoinductive BCP directed M2 macrophage polarization and inhibited DC maturation, resulting in low T cell response and efficient osteogenesis. Accordingly, a dual-targeting nano-in-micro scaffold (BCP loaded with gold nanocage, BCP-GNC) was designed to regulate the immune responses of macrophages and DCs. Through a dual-wavelength photosensitive switch, BCP-GNC releases interleukin-4 in the early stage of osteoinduction to target M2 macrophages and then releases dexamethasone in the later stage to target immature DCs, creating a desirable inflammatory environment for osteogenesis. This study demonstrates that biomaterials developed to have specific regulatory capacities for immune cells can be used to control the early inflammatory responses of implanted materials and induce osteogenesis.

Photoactivated Trifunctional Platinum Nanobiotics for Precise Synergism of Multiple Antibacterial Modes.

Integrating multiple strategies of antibacterial mechanisms into one has been proven to have tremendous promise for improving antimicrobial efficiency. Hence, dual-valent platinum nanoparticles (dvPtNPs) with a zero-valent platinum core (Pt0 ) and bi-valent platinum shell (Pt2+ ions), combining photothermal and photodynamic therapy, together with "chemotherapy," emerge as spatiotemporally light-activatable platinum nano-antibiotics. Under near-infrared (NIR) exposure, the multiple antibacterial modes of dvPtNPs are triggered. The Pt0 core reveals significant hyperthermia via effective photothermal conversion while an immediate release of chemotherapeutic Pt2+ ions occurs through hyperthermia-initiated destabilization of metallic interactions, together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) level increase, thereby resulting in synergistic antibacterial effects. The precise cooperative effects between photothermal, photodynamic, and Pt2+ antibacterial effects are achieved on both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, where bacterial viability and colony-forming units are significantly reduced. Moreover, similar results are observed in mice subcutaneous abscess models. Significantly, after NIR treatment, dvPtNP exhibits a more robust bacteria-killing efficiency than other PtNP groups, owing to its integration of dramatic damage to the bacterial membrane and DNA, and alteration to ATP and ROS metabolism. This study broadens the avenues for designing and synthesizing antibacterial materials with higher efficiency.

Near-Infrared Light-Sensitive Nano Neuro-Immune Blocker Capsule Relieves Pain and Enhances the Innate Immune Response for Necrotizing Infection.

Sensory neurons promote profound suppressive effects on neutrophils during Streptococcus pyogenes infection and contribute to the pathogenesis of necrotizing infection ("flesh-eating disease"). Thus, the development of new antibacterial agents for necrotizing infection is promising because of the clear streptococcal neuro-immune communication. Herein, based on the immune escape membrane exterior and competitive membrane functions of the glioma cell membrane, a novel nano neuro-immune blocker capsule was designed to prevent neuronal activation and improve neutrophil immune responses for necrotizing infection. These nano neuro-immune blockers could neutralize streptolysin S, suppress neuron pain conduction and calcitonin gene-related peptide release, and recruit neutrophils to the infection site, providing a strong therapeutic effect against necrotizing infection. Furthermore, nano neuro-immune blockers could serve as an effective inflammatory regulator and antibacterial agent via photothermal effects under near-infrared irradiation. In the Streptococcus pyogenes-induced necrotizing fasciitis mouse model, nano neuro-immune blockers showed significant therapeutic efficacy by ameliorating sensitivity to pain and promoting the antibacterial effect of neutrophils.

Pretreated Macrophage-Membrane-Coated Gold Nanocages for Precise Drug Delivery for Treatment of Bacterial Infections.

Pathogenic bacterial infections and drug resistance make it urgent to develop new antibacterial agents with targeted delivery. Here, a new targeting delivery nanosystem is designed based on the potential interaction between bacterial recognizing receptors on macrophage membranes and distinct pathogen-associated molecular patterns in bacteria. Interestingly, the expression of recognizing receptors on macrophage membranes increases significantly when cultured with specific bacteria. Therefore, by coating pretreated macrophage membrane onto the surface of a gold-silver nanocage (GSNC), the nanosystem targets bacteria more efficiently. Previously, it has been shown that GSNC alone can serve as an effective antibacterial agent owing to its photothermal effect under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Furthermore, the nanocage can be utilized as a delivery vehicle for antibacterial drugs since the gold-silver nanocage presents a hollow interior and porous wall structure. With significantly improved bacterial adherence, the Sa-M-GSNC nanosystem, developed within this study, is effectively delivered and retained at the infection site both via local or systemic injections; the system also shows greatly prolonged blood circulation time and excellent biocompatibility. The present work described here is the first to utilize bacterial pretreated macrophage membrane receptors in a nanosystem to achieve specific bacterial-targeted delivery, and provides inspiration for future therapy based on this concept.

Inorganic Self-Assembled Bioactive Artificial Proto-Osteocells Inducing Bone Regeneration.

Since the discovery of osteoinduction in the early 20th century, innovative biomaterials with osteoinductive potential have emerged as candidates for bone repair. Recently, artificial protocell models have demonstrated great potential for tissue regeneration. Herein, we developed artificial bioactive proto-osteocells by self-assembly of biodegradable biphasic-phosphate particles in the form of aqueous bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-containing Pickering emulsions in corn oil to fulfill the release of BMP2 with controlled and local efficacy. These artificial proto-osteocells have the advantage of (1) being directly injected into the target location to avert reported side effects of BMP2, minimizing surgical complications, (2) exhibiting the capability of osteoinduction as shown in both in vitro and in vivo models, and (3) demonstrating calcific deposition locally by utilizing the biodegradable calcium phosphate shell. The efficiency of BMP2 within the artificial proto-osteocells showed 25 times greater bone-inducing potential when compared to the control. This study demonstrates for the first time a new strategy toward utilizing material-based artificial proto-osteocells to tackle medical issues in bone tissue repair and regeneration.