Modification of Living Diatom, Thalassiosira weissflogii, with a Calcium Precursor through a Calcium Uptake Mechanism: A Next Generation Biomaterial for Advanced Delivery Systems.

The diatom's frustule, characterized by its rugged and porous exterior, exhibits a remarkable biomimetic morphology attributable to its highly ordered pores, extensive surface area, and unique architecture. Despite these advantages, the toxicity and nonbiodegradable nature of silica-based organisms pose a significant challenge when attempting to utilize these organisms as nanotopographically functionalized microparticles in the realm of biomedicine. In this study, we addressed this limitation by modulating the chemical composition of diatom microparticles by modulating the active silica metabolic uptake mechanism while maintaining their intricate three-dimensional architecture through calcium incorporation into living diatoms. Here, the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii was chemically modified to replace its silica composition with a biodegradable calcium template, while simultaneously preserving the unique three-dimensional (3D) frustule structure with hierarchical patterns of pores and nanoscale architectural features, which was evident by the deposition of calcium as calcium carbonate. Calcium hydroxide is incorporated into the exoskeleton through the active mechanism of calcium uptake via a carbon-concentrating mechanism, without altering the microstructure. Our findings suggest that calcium-modified diatoms hold potential as a nature-inspired delivery system for immunotherapy through antibody-specific binding.

Hemin as a Molecular Probe for Nitric Oxide Detection in Physiological Solutions: Experimental and Theoretical Assessment.

Given its pivotal role in modulating various pathological processes, precise measurement of nitric oxide (●NO) levels in physiological solutions is imperative. The key techniques include the ozone-based chemiluminescence (CL) reactions, amperometric ●NO sensing, and Griess assay, each with its advantages and drawbacks. In this study, a hemin/H2O2/luminol CL reaction was employed for accurately detecting ●NO in diverse solutions. We investigated how the luminescence kinetics was influenced by ●NO from two donors, nitrite and peroxynitrite, while also assessing the impact of culture medium components and reactive species quenchers. Furthermore, we experimentally and theoretically explored the mechanism of hemin oxidation responsible for the initiation of light generation. Although both hemin and ●NO enhanced the H2O2/luminol-based luminescence reactions with distinct kinetics, hemin's interference with ●NO/peroxynitrite- modulated their individual effects. Leveraging the propagated signal due to hemin, the ●NO levels in solution were estimated, observing parallel changes to those detected via amperometric detection in response to varying concentrations of the ●NO-donor. The examined reactions aid in comprehending the mechanism of ●NO/hemin/H2O2/luminol interactions and how these can be used for detecting ●NO in solution with minimal sample size demands. Moreover, the selectivity across different solutions can be improved by incorporating certain quenchers for reactive species into the reaction.

In vitro degradation and antibacterial activity of bacterial cellulose deposited flax fabric reinforced with polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate.

The objective of this study was to prepare biocomposites through the solution casting method followed by compression moulding in which bacterial cellulose (BC) deposited flax fabric (FF) produced through fermentation is coated with minimal amount of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Biocomposites incorporated with 60 % of PLA or PHB (% w/w) show enhanced tensile strength. Cross-sectional morphology showed good superficial interaction of these biopolymers with fibres of FF thereby filling up the gaps present between the fibres. The tensile strength of biocomposites at 60 % PLA and 60 % PHB improved from 37.97 MPa (i.e., BC deposited FF produced in presence of honey) to 67.17 MPa and 56.26 MPa, respectively. Further, 0.25 % of nalidixic acid (NA) (% w/w) and 6 % of oleic acid (OA) (% w/w) incorporation into the biocomposites imparted prolonged antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The in vitro cytotoxicity of biocomposites was determined using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The 3-(4,5-cime- thylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide cytotoxicity tests showed that the PHB derived biocomposites along with antibacterial compounds in it were non-toxic. In vitro degradation of biocomposites was measured for up to 8 weeks in the mimicked physiological environment that showed a gradual rate of degradation over the period.

Survival and maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitors in the parkinsonian rat brain is enhanced by transplantation in a neurotrophin-enriched hydrogel.

Objective.Although human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell replacement for Parkinson's disease has considerable reparative potential, its full therapeutic benefit is limited by poor graft survival and dopaminergic maturation. Injectable biomaterial scaffolds, such as collagen hydrogels, have the potential to address these issues via a plethora of supportive benefits including acting as a structural scaffold for cell adherence, shielding from the host immune response and providing a reservoir of neurotrophic factors to aid survival and differentiation. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine if a neurotrophin-enriched collagen hydrogel could improve the survival and maturation of iPSC-derived dopaminergic progenitors (iPSC-DAPs) after transplantation into the rat parkinsonian brain.Approach.Human iPSC-DAPs were transplanted into the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned striatum either alone, with the neurotrophins GDNF and BDNF, in an unloaded collagen hydrogel, or in a neurotrophin-loaded collagen hydrogel.Post-mortem, human nuclear immunostaining was used to identify surviving iPSC-DAPs while tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining was used to identify iPSC-DAPs that had differentiated into mature dopaminergic neurons.Main results.We found that iPSC-DAPs transplanted in the neurotrophin-enriched collagen hydrogel survived and matured significantly better than cells implanted without the biomaterial (8 fold improvement in survival and 16 fold improvement in dopaminergic differentiation). This study shows that transplantation of human iPSC-DAPs in a neurotrophin-enriched collagen hydrogel improves graft survival and maturation in the parkinsonian rat brain.Significance.The data strongly supports further investigation of supportive hydrogels for improving the outcome of iPSC-derived brain repair in Parkinson's disease.

Investigating the Role of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and N-Terminal-proBNP in Thrombosis and Acute Ischemic Stroke Etiology.

The need for biomarkers for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) to understand the mechanisms implicated in pathological clot formation is critical. The levels of the brain natriuretic peptides known as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and NT-proBNP have been shown to be increased in patients suffering from heart failure and other heart conditions. We measured their expression in AIS clots of cardioembolic (CE) and large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) etiology, evaluating their location inside the clots, aiming to uncover their possible role in thrombosis. We analyzed 80 thrombi from 80 AIS patients in the RESTORE registry of AIS clots, 40 of which were of CE and 40 of LAA etiology. The localization of BNP and NT-BNP, quantified using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, in AIS-associated white blood cell subtypes was also investigated. We found a statistically significant positive correlation between BNP and NT-proBNP expression levels (Spearman's rho = 0.668 p < 0.0001 *). We did not observe any statistically significant difference between LAA and CE clots in BNP expression (0.66 [0.13-3.54]% vs. 0.53 [0.14-3.07]%, p = 0.923) or in NT-proBNP expression (0.29 [0.11-0.58]% vs. 0.18 [0.05-0.51]%, p = 0.119), although there was a trend of higher NT-proBNP expression in the LAA clots. It was noticeable that BNP was distributed throughout the thrombus and especially within platelet-rich regions. However, NT-proBNP colocalized with neutrophils, macrophages, and T-lymphocytes, suggesting its association with the thrombo-inflammatory process.

Therapeutic Polymer-Based Cannabidiol Formulation: Tackling Neuroinflammation Associated with Ischemic Events in the Brain.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most relevant nonpsychostimulant phytocompound found in Cannabis sativa. CBD has been extensively studied and has been proposed as a therapeutic candidate for neuroinflammation-related conditions. However, being a highly lipophilic drug, it has several drawbacks for pharmaceutical use, including low solubility and high permeability. Synthetic polymers can be used as drug delivery systems to improve CBD's stability, half-life, and biodistribution. Here, we propose using a synthetic polymer as a nanoparticulate vehicle for CBD (NPCBD) to overcome the pharmacological drawbacks of free drugs. We tested the NPCBD-engineered system in the context of ischemic events in a relevant oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model in primary cortical cells (PCC). Moreover, we have characterized the inflammatory response of relevant cell types, such as THP-1 (human monocytes), HMC3 (human microglia), and PCC, to NPCBD and observed a shift in the inflammatory state of the treated cells after the ischemic event. In addition, NPCBD exhibited a promising ability to restore mitochondrial function after OGD insult in both HMC3 and PCC cells at low doses of 1 and 0.2 µM CBD. Taken together, these results suggest the potential for preclinical use.

Adipose tissue derived stem cell secretome induces motor and histological gains after complete spinal cord injury in Xenopus laevis and mice.

Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies have been studied for spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment due to their paracrine action upon damaged tissues. MSCs neuroregenerative role may relate to the contents of their secretome in anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth-permissive factors. We propose using the secretome of MSCs isolated from the adipose tissue-adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) as a cell-free based therapy for SCI. In vivo studies were conducted in two SCI models, Xenopus laevis and mice, after complete spinal cord transection. Our results on both models demonstrated positive impacts of ASC secretome on their functional recovery which were correlated with histopathological markers of regeneration. Furthermore, in our mice study, secretome induced white matter preservation together with modulation of the local and peripheral inflammatory response. Altogether, these results demonstrate the neuroregenerative and potential for inflammatory modulation of ASC secretome suggesting it as a good candidate for cell-free therapeutic strategies for SCI.

Changes in tissue protein N-glycosylation and associated molecular signature occur in the human Parkinsonian brain in a region-specific manner.

Parkinson's disease (PD) associated state of neuroinflammation due to the aggregation of aberrant proteins is widely reported. One type of post-translational modification involved in protein stability is glycosylation. Here, we aimed to characterize the human Parkinsonian nigro-striatal N-glycome, and related transcriptome/proteome, and its correlation with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR), providing a comprehensive characterization of the PD molecular signature. Significant changes were seen upon a PD: a 3% increase in sialylation and 5% increase in fucosylation in both regions, and a 2% increase in oligomannosylated N-glycans in the substantia nigra. In the latter, a decrease in the mRNA expression of sialidases and an upregulation in the UPR pathway were also seen. To show the correlation between these, we also describe a small in vitro study where changes in specific glycosylation trait enzymes (inhibition of sialyltransferases) led to impairments in cell mitochondrial activity, changes in glyco-profile, and upregulation in UPR pathways. This complete characterization of the human nigro-striatal N-glycome provides an insight into the glycomic profile of PD through a transversal approach while combining the other PD "omics" pieces, which can potentially assist in the development of glyco-focused therapeutics.

Redefining biomaterial biocompatibility: challenges for artificial intelligence and text mining.

The surge in 'Big data' has significantly influenced biomaterials research and development, with vast data volumes emerging from clinical trials, scientific literature, electronic health records, and other sources. Biocompatibility is essential in developing safe medical devices and biomaterials to perform as intended without provoking adverse reactions. Therefore, establishing an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biocompatibility definition has become decisive for automating data extraction and profiling safety effectiveness. This definition should both reflect the attributes related to biocompatibility and be compatible with computational data-mining methods. Here, we discuss the need for a comprehensive and contemporary definition of biocompatibility and the challenges in developing one. We also identify the key elements that comprise biocompatibility, and propose an integrated biocompatibility definition that enables data-mining approaches.

IRE1 endoribonuclease signaling promotes myeloid cell infiltration in glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Intrinsic or environmental stresses trigger the accumulation of improperly folded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), leading to ER stress. To cope with this, cells have evolved an adaptive mechanism named the unfolded protein response (UPR) which is hijacked by tumor cells to develop malignant features. Glioblastoma (GB), the most aggressive and lethal primary brain tumor, relies on UPR to sustain growth. We recently showed that IRE1 alpha (referred to IRE1 hereafter), 1 of the UPR transducers, promotes GB invasion, angiogenesis, and infiltration by macrophage. Hence, high tumor IRE1 activity in tumor cells predicts a worse outcome. Herein, we characterized the IRE1-dependent signaling that shapes the immune microenvironment toward monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils. METHODS: We used human and mouse cellular models in which IRE1 was genetically or pharmacologically invalidated and which were tested in vivo. Publicly available datasets from GB patients were also analyzed to confirm our findings. RESULTS: We showed that IRE1 signaling, through both the transcription factor XBP1s and the regulated IRE1-dependent decay controls the expression of the ubiquitin-conjugating E2 enzyme UBE2D3. In turn, UBE2D3 activates the NFκB pathway, resulting in chemokine production and myeloid infiltration in tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our work identifies a novel IRE1/UBE2D3 proinflammatory axis that plays an instrumental role in GB immune regulation.

Glycosylation of blood cells during the onset and progression of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction.

Protein glycosylation controls cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) communication in immune, vascular, and inflammatory processes, underlining the critical role of this process in the identification of disease biomarkers and the design of novel therapies. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of blood cell glycosylation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis (ATH) and myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we review the role of glycosylation in the interplay between blood cells, particularly erythrocytes, and endothelial cells (ECs), highlighting the involvement of this critical post/cotranslational modification in settings of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly, we focus on emerging preclinical studies and clinical trials based on glycan-targeted drugs to validate their therapeutic potential. These findings may help establish new trends in preventive medicine and delineate novel targeted therapies in CVD.

White blood cell subtypes and neutrophil extracellular traps content as biomarkers for stroke etiology in acute ischemic stroke clots retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) associate with stroke risk factors and form a thrombus through different mechanisms. We investigated the total WBCs, WBC subtypes and NETs composition in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) clots to identify possible etiological differences that could help us further understand the process of thrombosis that leads to AIS. METHODS: AIS clots from 100 cases each of atherothrombotic (AT), cardioembolic (CE) and cryptogenic stroke etiology were collected per-pass as part of the CÚRAM RESTORE registry of AIS clots. Martius Scarlet Blue stain was used to identify the main histological components of the clots. Immunohistochemical staining was used to identify neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and NETs patterns. The cellular and histological components were quantified using Orbit Image Analysis software. RESULTS: AT clots were larger, with more red blood cells and fewer WBCs than CE clots. AT clots had more lymphocytes and cryptogenic clots had fewer macrophages than other etiologies. Most significantly, CE clots showed higher expression of neutrophils and extracellular web-like NETs compared to AT and cryptogenic clots. There was also a significantly higher distribution of web-like NETs around the periphery of the CE clots while a mixed distribution was observed in AT clots. CONCLUSION: The difference in neutrophil and NETs expression in clots from different etiologies may provide insight into the mechanism of clot formation.

Prodromal Parkinson's disease and the catecholaldehyde hypothesis: Insight from olfactory bulb organotypic cultures.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder with an increasing incidence, unknown etiology, and is currently incurable. Advances in understanding the pathological mechanisms at a molecular level have been slow, with little attention focused on the early prodromal phase of the disease. Consequently, the development of early-acting disease-modifying therapies has been hindered. The olfactory bulb (OB), the brain region responsible for initial processing of olfactory information, is particularly affected early in PD at both functional and molecular levels but there is little information on how the cells in this region are affected by disease. Organotypic and primary OB cultures were developed and characterized. These platforms were then used to assess the effects of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetylaldehyde (DOPAL), a metabolite of dopamine present in increased levels in post-mortem PD tissue and which is thought to contribute to PD pathogenesis. Our findings showed that DOPAL exposure can recapitulate many aspects of PD pathology. Oxidative stress, depolarization of mitochondrial membranes, and neurodegeneration were all induced by DOPAL addition, as were measured transcriptomic changes consistent with those reported in PD clinical studies. These olfactory models of prodromal disease lend credence to the catecholaldehyde hypothesis of PD and provide insight into the mechanisms by which the OB may be involved in disease progression.

Nitric Oxide-Scavenging, Anti-Migration Effects, and Glycosylation Changes after Hemin Treatment of Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells: A Mechanistic Study.

The enhanced expression of nitric oxide (•NO) synthase predicts triple-negative breast cancer outcome and its resistance to different therapeutics. Our earlier work demonstrated the efficiency of hemin to scavenge the intra- and extracellular •NO, proposing its potency as a therapeutic agent for inhibiting cancer cell migration. In continuation, the present work evaluates the effects of •NO on the migration of MDA-MB-231 cells and how hemin modulates the accompanied cellular behavior, focusing on the corresponding expression of cellular glycoproteins, migration-associated markers, and mitochondrial functions. We demonstrated for the first time that while •NO induced cell migration, hemin contradicted that by •NO-scavenging. This was in combination with modulation of the •NO-enhanced glycosylation patterns of cellular proteins with inhibition of the expression of specific proteins involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These effects were in conjunction with changes in the mitochondrial functions related to both •NO, hemin, and its nitrosylated product. Together, these results suggest that hemin can be employed as a potential anti-migrating agent targeting •NO-scavenging and regulating the expression of migration-associated proteins.

Chronic wound-related pain, wound healing and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and endocannabinoid system modulation.

Chronic wounds represent a significant burden on the individual, and the healthcare system. Individuals with chronic wounds report pain to be the most challenging aspect of living with a chronic wound, with current therapeutic options deemed insufficient. The cutaneous endocannabinoid system is an important regulator of skin homeostasis, with evidence of system dysregulation in several cutaneous disorders. Herein, we describe the cutaneous endocannabinoid system, chronic wound-related pain, and comorbidities, and review preclinical and clinical evidence investigating endocannabinoid system modulation for wound-related pain and wound healing. Based on the current literature, there is some evidence to suggest efficacy of endocannabinoid system modulation for promotion of wound healing, attenuation of cutaneous disorder-related inflammation, and for the management of chronic wound-related pain. However, there is 1) a paucity of preclinical studies using validated models, specific for the study of chronic wound-related pain and 2) a lack of randomised control trials and strong clinical evidence relating to endocannabinoid system modulation for wound-related pain. In conclusion, while there is some limited evidence of benefit of endocannabinoid system modulation in wound healing and wound-related pain management, further research is required to better realise the potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system for these therapeutic applications.

A Multimodal Scaffold for SDF1 Delivery Improves Cardiac Function in a Rat Subacute Myocardial Infarct Model.

Ischemic heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The efficient delivery of therapeutic growth factors could counteract the adverse prognosis of post-myocardial infarction (post-MI). In this study, a collagen hydrogel that is able to load and appropriately deliver pro-angiogenic stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1) was physically coupled with a compact collagen membrane in order to provide the suture strength required for surgical implantation. This bilayer collagen-on-collagen scaffold (bCS) showed the suitable physicochemical properties that are needed for efficient implantation, and the scaffold was able to deliver therapeutic growth factors after MI. In vitro collagen matrix biodegradation led to a sustained SDF1 release and a lack of cytotoxicity in the relevant cell cultures. In vivo intervention in a rat subacute MI model resulted in the full integration of the scaffold into the heart after implantation and biocompatibility with the tissue, with a prevalence of anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic macrophages, as well as evidence of revascularization and improved cardiac function after 60 days. Moreover, the beneficial effect of the released SDF1 on heart remodeling was confirmed by a significant reduction in cardiac tissue stiffness. Our findings demonstrate that this multimodal scaffold is a desirable matrix that can be used as a drug delivery system and a scaffolding material to promote functional recovery after MI.

An insight on the N-glycome of notochordal cell-rich porcine nucleus pulposus during maturation.

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is an age-related condition. It also accompanies the disappearance of the notochordal cells, which are remnants of the developmental stages of the nucleus pulposus (NP). Molecular changes such as extracellular matrix catabolism, cellular phenotype, and glycosaminoglycan loss in the NP have been extensively studied. However, as one of the most significant co- and posttranslational modifications, glycosylation has been overlooked in cells in degeneration. Here, we aim to characterize the N-glycome of young and mature NP and identify patterns related to aging. Accordingly, we isolated N-glycans from notochordal cell-rich NP from porcine discs, characterized them using a combined approach of exoglycosidase digestions and analysis with hydrophilic interaction ultra-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. We have assigned over 300 individual N-glycans for each age group. Moreover, we observed a notable abundance of antennary structures, galactosylation, fucosylation, and sialylation in both age groups. In addition, as indicated from our results, increasing outer arm fucosylation and decreasing α(2,3)-linked sialylation with aging suggest that these traits are age-dependent. Lastly, we have focused on an extensive characterization of the N-glycome of the notochordal cell-rich NP in aging without inferred degeneration, describing glycosylation changes specific for aging only. Our findings in combination with those of other studies, suggest that the degeneration of the NP does not involve identical processes as aging.

Glucose-Responsive Fibrin Hydrogel-Based Multimodal Nucleic Acid Delivery System.

Nucleic acid therapy has emerged as a potential alternative for promoting wound healing by gene expression modification. On the other hand, protecting the nucleic acid payload from degradation, efficient bioresponsive delivery and effective transfection into cells remain challenging. A glucose-responsive gene delivery system for treating diabetic wounds would be advantageous as it would be responsive to the underlying pathology giving a regulated payload delivery with fewer side effects. Herein a GOx-based glucose-responsive delivery system is designed based on fibrin-coated polymeric microcapsules (FCPMC) using the layer-by-layer (LbL) approach that simultaneously delivers two nucleic acids in diabetic wounds. The designed FCPMC displays an ability to effectively load many nucleic acids in polyplexes and release it over a prolonged period with no cytotoxic effects seen in in vitro studies. Furthermore, the developed system does not show any undesired effects in vivo. When applied to wounds in genetically diabetic db/db mice, the fabricated system on its own improves reepithelialization and angiogenesis while decreasing inflammation. Also, key proteins involved in the wound healing process, i.e., Actn2, MYBPC1, and desmin, are upregulated in the glucose-responsive fibrin hydrogel (GRFHG) treated group of animals. In conclusion, the fabricated hydrogel promotes wound healing. Furthermore, the system may be encapsulated with various therapeutic nucleic acids that aid wound healing.

Models and approaches to comprehend and address glial inflammation following spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) culminates in chronic inflammation and glial scar formation driven by the activation of microglia and astrocytes. Current anti-inflammatory strategies to treat glial activation associated with SCI have several limitations. Existing in vitro and ex vivo models studying molecular mechanisms associated with inflammation focus only on the acute phase. However, the progression of glial cell-derived inflammation over the acute-to-chronic phases has not been assessed. Understanding this progression will help establish a framework for evaluating therapeutic strategies. Additionally, new models could be useful as high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms. This review aims to highlight currently available models and future methods that could facilitate screening of novel therapeutics for SCI.