The role of copper chromite nanoparticles on physical and bio properties of scaffolds based on poly(glycerol-azelaic acid) for application in tissue engineering fields.

Tissue engineering combines suitable cells, engineering methods, and proper biochemical factors to develop functional and biological tissues and repair damaged tissues. In this study, we focused on synthesizing and characterizing a nanocomposite scaffold based on glycerol and azelaic acid (Gl-Az) combined with copper chromite (CuCr2O4) nanoparticles in order to increase the osteogenic differentiation efficiency of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) on fabricated scaffolds. The degradability and hydrophobicity properties as well as mechanical and thermal behaviors of nanocomposite scaffolds were investigated. Next, the cell toxicity of glycerol, azelaic acid and CuCr2O4 nanoparticles was studied by MTT assay test and acridine orange staining. Finally, the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs on Gl-Az-CuCr2O4 scaffolds was examined using alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and calcium content. The obtained results demonstrated that Gl-Az-1%CuCr2O4 not only showed appropriate mechanical strength, biocompatibility and degradability but also influenced the capability of hADSCs to differentiate into osteogenic lineages. The hADSCs culture in Gl-Az-1%CuCr2O4 showed a significant increase in ALP activity levels and calcium biomineralization after 14 days of osteogenic differentiation. In conclusion, the Gl-Az-1%CuCr2O4 nanocomposite could be used as a biocompatible and degradable scaffold to induce the bone differentiation of hADSCs and it could be a promising scaffold in bone regenerative medicine.

Chitosan-coated Zn-metal-organic framework nanocomposites for effective targeted delivery of LNA-antisense miR-224 to colon tumor: in vitro studies.

Nowadays, nano-compartments are considered as an effective drug delivery system (DDS) for cancer therapy. Targeted delivery of therapeutic agents is an advantageous approach by which cancer cells can be targeted without harming normal cells, and eliminates the negative effects of conventional therapies such as chemotherapy. In this research, a novel zinc-based nanoscale metal-organic framework (Zn-NMOF) coated with folic acid (FA) functionalized chitosan (CS) has been constructed and applied as efficient delivery of LNA (locked nucleic acid)-antisense miR-224 to colon cancer cell lines. LNA-antisense miR-224 as a therapeutic sequence was able to considerably block highly expressed miR-224 and downregulated cancer cell growth. The prepared nano-complex was characterized by analytical devices such as FT-IR, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, DLS, TEM, and XRD. The size range of NMOF-CS-FA-LNA-antisense miR-224 (MCFL224) nano-complex was obtained nearly at 200 nm. The entrapment efficiency of LNA-antisense miR-224 was calculated 72 ± 5% and a significant release profile of LNA-antisense miR-224 was observed at first 6 h (about 50%). Then, in vitro assays were implemented on HCT116 (folic acid receptor-positive colon cancer cell line) and CRL1831 (normal colon cell line) to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of the MCFL224 nano-complex. In these investigations, decreased cell viability (14.22 ± 0.3% after 72 h treatment), increased apoptotic and autophagy-related genes expression level (BECLIN1: 34-folds, BAX: 36-folds, mTORC1: 10-folds, and Caspase-9: 9-folds more than control), higher cell cycle arrest in sub-G1 phase (19.53% of cells in sub-G1 phase), and more apoptosis analyses (late apoptosis: 67.7%) were evaluated in colon cancer cells treated with MCFL224 nano-complex. Results remarkably indicate the inhibited growth of colon cancer cells and induced cell apoptosis which suggests MCFL224 as a promising nanocomposite for colon cancer therapy.

Anti-inflammatory efficacy of Berberine Nanomicelle for improvement of cerebral ischemia: formulation, characterization and evaluation in bilateral common carotid artery occlusion rat model.

BACKGROUND: Berberine (BBR) is a plant alkaloid that possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects with low oral bioavailability. In this study, micelle formulation of BBR was investigated to improve therapeutic efficacy and examined its effect on the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in cerebral ischemia in the animal model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nano formulation was prepared by thin-film hydration method, and characterized by particle size, zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficacy, and drug release in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Simulated Intestine Fluid (SIF). Then, Wistar rats were pretreated with the drug (100 mg/kg) and nano-drug (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg) for 14 days. Then, on the fourteenth day, stroke induction was accomplished by Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCCAO); after that, Tumor Necrosis Factor - Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin - 1 Beta (IL-1ß), and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in the supernatant of the whole brain, then the anti-inflammatory effect of BBR formulations was examined. RESULT AND DISCUSSION: Micelles were successfully formed with appropriate characteristics and smaller sizes than 20 nm. The Poly Dispersity Index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficacy of micelles was 0.227, - 22 mV, 81%, respectively. Also, the stability of nano micelles was higher in SGF as compared to SIF. Our outcomes of TNF-a, IL-1B, and MDA evaluation show a significant ameliorating effect of the Berberine (BBR) and BBR-loaded micelles in pretreated groups. CONCLUSION: Our experimental data show that pretreated groups in different doses (nano BBR 100, 75, 50 mg/kg, and BBR 100 mg/kg) successfully showed decreased levels of the inflammatory factors in cerebral ischemia compared with the stroke group and pretreated group with nano BBR in the dose of 25 mg/kg. Nano BBR formulation with a lower dose can be a better candidate than conventional BBR formulation to reduce oxidative and inflammatory factors in cerebral ischemia. Therefore, BBR-loaded micelle formulation could be a promising protective agent on cerebral ischemia.

Osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on the bimodal polymer polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile containing cellulose phosphate nanowhisker.

Polycaprolactone diol is the cornerstone, equipped with polyacrylonitrile and cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs), of biocompatible and biodegradable polyurethanes (PUs). The solvent casting/particulate leaching technique was employed to contracting foam scaffolds with bimodal sizes from the combination of polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile/cellulose nanowhisker nanocomposites. Sugar and sodium chloride are components used as porogens to develop the leaching method and fabricate the 3D scaffolds. Incorporation of different percentages of cellulose nanowhisker leads to the various efficient structures with biodegradability and biocompatibility properties. All nanocomposites scaffolds, as revealed by MTT assay using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lines, were non-cytotoxic. PU/PAN/CNW foam scaffolds were used for osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Based on the results, PU/PAN/CNW nanocomposites could not only support osteogenic differentiation but can also enhance the proliferation of hMSCs in three-dimensional synthetic extracellular matrix.

A novel biostructure sorbent based on CysSB/MetSB@MWCNTs for separation of nickel and cobalt in biological samples by ultrasound assisted-dispersive ionic liquid-suspension solid phase micro extraction.

An efficient method based on CysSB/MetSB@MWCNTs as a novel bio structure material was used for determination/separation of nickel and cobalt (Ni and Co) in human samples by ultrasound assisted-dispersive ionic liquid-suspension solid phase micro extraction (USA-DIL-SSPME). In this procedure, CysSB/MetSB@MWCNTs suspended in 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BDMIM][PF6]) and mixture dispersed to 10 mL of blood samples at optimized pH by injecting. Then, the Co/Ni (II) was extracted with CysSB/MetSB@MWCNTs without any ligands and settled down in conical tube by IL [Ni/Co→:SMWCNTs]. After back extraction of ions from remaining solution, the concentration of Co/Ni was determined by electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). By optimizing, the linear range, detection limit and enrichment factor of CysSB @MWCNTs were obtained (0.1-3.4 µg L-1; 0.08-3.2 µg L-1), (0.028 µg L-1; 0.022 µg L-1) and (50.2; 48.7) for Ni and Co ions in human biological samples, respectively (RSD<5%). The adsorption capacity of CysSB@MWCNTs for Ni and Co ions was 226.7 mg g-1 and 193.3 mg g-1, respectively which was higher than MetSB@MWCNTs. The standard reference materials (NIST, SRM) and ICP-MS were used for validation of methodology.