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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 18926

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Dr. Zyta M. Ziora

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Guest Editor

Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Saint. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Interests: green synthesis; metal nanoparticles; antimicrobial agents; synergism; wound healing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ahmed M. Omar

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Guest Editor

Polymeric Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab City, P. O. Box 21934, Alexandria, Egypt
Interests: nanomaterials; polymers; composite nanoparticles; metal oxides; drug delivery system; wound dressing; bioactive agents; antimicrobial; antioxidants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over recent decades, there has been intense scientific interest in the discovery of various types of nanomaterials and their potential biomedical applications. One reason for this interest is that nanomaterials exhibit innovative, remarkable, and beneficial physical, chemical, and biological characteristics compared to conventional materials. Considerations of nano-structure shapes, particle sizes, surface charges, and surface areas are central parameters in this respect, as they affect the bio-characteristics and performance of nanomaterials. Current trends in the literature show that there is still a gap in the research focus on the production and formulation of nanomaterials, providing opportunities for future advanced medical and pharmaceutical applications.

Consequently, this Special Issue on “Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications” aims to showcase in-depth discussions of the most recent progress in nanomaterials, not only in the preparation methods/instruments and characterization tools, but also their promising biomedical applications. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews, while the research topics may involve all types of nanomaterials formulation for biomedical applications.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Novel methods for the synthesis of nanomaterials for biomedical applications.
Synthesis and characterization of composites-based nanomaterials for biomedical applications.
Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles and their biomedical applications.
Bio-active agents-based nanomaterials.
Inorganic nanostructures, including nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanowires, nanorods, etc.
Smart nanomaterials for biomedical applications.
Nanomaterials for tissue engineering and wound healing.
Nanomaterials for targeted and controlled drug delivery systems (DDSs).
Polymer nanocomposites for advanced biomedical applications.
Carbon-based nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Dr. Zyta M. Ziora
Dr. Ahmed M. Omar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

nanomaterials
wound healing
drug delivery
tissue regeneration
bioactive nanoparticles
polymeric nanocomposites

Related Special Issue

Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications, 2nd Edition in Molecules

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Antibacterial and Antioxidant ZnO-Impregnated Amine-Functionalized Chitosan Bio-Nanocomposite Membrane for Advanced Biomedical Applications

by Ali M. Ali, Abdelrahman M. Hamed, Mahmoud A. Taher, Mohamed H. Abdallah, Mohamed Abdel-Motaleb, Zyta M. Ziora and Ahmed M. Omer

Molecules 2023, 28(20), 7034; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28207034 - 11 Oct 2023

Viewed by 970

Abstract

Developing a variety of safe and effective functioning wound dressings is a never-ending objective. Due to their exceptional antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and healing-promoting properties, functionalized chitosan nanocomposites have attracted considerable attention in wound dressing applications. Herein, a novel bio-nanocomposite membrane with a variety of bio-characteristics was created through the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) into amine-functionalized chitosan membrane (Am-CS). The developed ZnO@Am-CS bio-nanocomposite membrane was characterized by various analysis tools. Compared to pristine Am-CS, the developed ZnO@Am-CS membrane revealed higher water uptake and adequate mechanical properties. Moreover, increasing the ZnONP content from 0.025 to 0.1% had a positive impact on antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A maximum inhibition of 89.4% was recorded against Escherichia coli, with a maximum inhibition zone of 38 ± 0.17 mm, and was achieved by the ZnO (0.1%)@Am-CS membrane compared to 72.5% and 28 ± 0.23 mm achieved by the native Am-CS membrane. Furthermore, the bio-nanocomposite membrane demonstrated acceptable antioxidant activity, with a maximum radical scavenging value of 46%. In addition, the bio-nanocomposite membrane showed better biocompatibility and reliable biodegradability, while the cytotoxicity assessment emphasized its safety towards normal cells, with the cell viability reaching 95.7%, suggesting its potential use for advanced wound dressing applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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15 pages, 3420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Targeted Drug Administration onto Cancer Cells Using Hyaluronic Acid–Quercetin-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles

by Rasha H. Al-Serwi, Mohamed A. Eladl, Mohamed El-Sherbiny, Mohamed A. Saleh, Gamal Othman, Sultan M. Alshahrani, Rasha Alnefaie, Afnan M. Jan, Sulaiman M. Alnasser, Aishah E. Albalawi, Jamal Moideen Muthu Mohamed and Farid Menaa

Molecules 2023, 28(10), 4146; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104146 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2077

Abstract

Quercetin (QtN) displays low systemic bioavailability caused by poor water solubility and instability. Consequently, it exerts limited anticancer action in vivo. One solution to increase the anticancer efficacy of QtN is the use of appropriate functionalized nanocarriers that preferentially target and deliver the drug to the tumor location. Herein, a direct advanced method was designed to develop water-soluble hyaluronic acid (HA)-QtN-conjugated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). HA-QtN reduced silver nitrate (AgNO₃) while acting as a stabilizing agent to produce AgNPs. Further, HA-QtN#AgNPs served as an anchor for folate/folic acid (FA) conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The resulting PEG-FA-HA-QtN#AgNPs (further abbreviated as PF/HA-QtN#AgNPs) were characterized both in vitro and ex vivo. Physical characterizations included UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size (PS) and zeta potential (ZP) measurements, and biopharmaceutical evaluations. The biopharmaceutical evaluations included analyses of the cytotoxic effects on the HeLa and Caco-2 cancer cell lines using the MTT assay; cellular drug intake into cancer cells using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy; and blood compatibility using an automatic hematology analyzer, a diode array spectrophotometer, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prepared hybrid delivery nanosystem was hemocompatible and more oncocytotoxic than the free, pure QtN. Therefore, PF/HA-QtN#AgNPs represent a smart nano-based drug delivery system (NDDS) and could be a promising oncotherapeutic option if the data are validated in vivo. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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15 pages, 2772 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiepitope Subunit Peptide-Based Nanovaccine against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) Elicited High Antibody Titers in Vaccinated Mice

by Viet Tram Duong, Prashamsa Koirala, Sung-Po R. Chen, Michael J. Monteiro, Mariusz Skwarczynski and Istvan Toth

Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2248; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052248 - 28 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1862

Abstract

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) infection is one of the most serious threats to the swine industry. While the disease can be prevented, to some extent, by commercial PCV2a vaccines, the evolving nature of PCV2 necessitates the development of a novel vaccine that can compete with the mutations of the virus. Thus, we have developed novel multiepitope vaccines based on the PCV2b variant. Three PCV2b capsid protein epitopes, together with a universal T helper epitope, were synthesized and formulated with five delivery systems/adjuvants: complete Freund’s adjuvant, poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(hydrophobic amino acid), liposomes and rod-shaped polymeric nanoparticles built from polystyrene-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(N-dimethylacrylamide). Mice were subcutaneously immunized with the vaccine candidates three times at three-week intervals. All vaccinated mice produced high antibody titters after three immunizations as analyzed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while mice vaccinated with PMA-adjuvanted vaccine elicited high antibody titers even after a single immunization. Thus, the multiepitope PCV2 vaccine candidates designed and examined here show strong potential for further development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 3385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sortase A Inhibitor Protein Nanoparticle Formulations Demonstrate Antibacterial Synergy When Combined with Antimicrobial Peptides

by Sitah Alharthi, Amirali Popat, Zyta Maria Ziora and Peter Michael Moyle

Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2114; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052114 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1524

Abstract

Sortase A (SrtA) is an enzyme which attaches proteins, including virulence factors, to bacterial cell walls. It is a potential target for developing anti-virulence agents against pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. This study aimed to engineer 𝛽-lactoglobulin protein nanoparticles (PNPs) for encapsulating safe and inexpensive natural SrtA inhibitors (SrtAIs; trans-chalcone (TC), curcumin (CUR), quercetin (QC), and berberine (BR)) to improve their poor aqueous dispersibility, to screen for synergy with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and to reduce the cost, dose, and toxicity of AMPs. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), checkerboard synergy, and cell viability assays were performed for SrtAI PNPs against Gram-positive (methicillin-sensitive and -resistant S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli, P. aeruginosa) bacteria alone and combined with leading AMPs (pexiganan, indolicidin, and a mastoparan derivative). Each SrtAI PNP inhibited Gram-positive (MIC: 62.5–125 µg/mL) and Gram-negative (MIC: 31.3–500 µg/mL) bacterial growth. TC PNPs with pexiganan demonstrated synergy against each bacteria, while BR PNPs with pexiganan or indolicidin provided synergy towards S. aureus. Each SrtAI PNP inhibited SrtA (IC₅₀: 25.0–81.8 µg/mL), and did not affect HEK-293 cell viability at their MIC or optimal synergistic concentrations with AMPs. Overall, this study provides a safe nanoplatform for enhancing antimicrobial synergy to develop treatments for superbug infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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12 pages, 2078 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design, Physical Characterizations, and Biocompatibility of Cationic Solid Lipid Nanoparticles in HCT-116 and 16-HBE Cells: A Preliminary Study

by Ali Alamri, Ali Alqahtani, Taha Alqahtani, Adel Al Fatease, Saeed Ahmed Asiri, Reem M. Gahtani, Sulaiman Mohammed Alnasser, Jamal Moideen Muthu Mohamed and Farid Menaa

Molecules 2023, 28(4), 1711; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28041711 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1511

Abstract

In this study, pEGFP-LUC was used as a model plasmid and three distinct cationic lipids (dioleyloxy-propyl-trimethylammonium chloride [DOTMA], dioleoyl trimethylammonium propane [DOTAP], and cetylpyridinium chloride [CPC]) were tested along with PEG 5000, as a nonionic surfactant, to prepare glyceryl monostearate (GMS)-based cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (cSLNs). Both the type and quantity of surfactant had an impact on the physicochemical characteristics of the cSLNs. Thermal analysis of the greater part of the endothermic peaks of the cSLNs revealed they were noticeably different from the individual pure compounds based on their zeta potential (ZP ranging from +17 to +56 mV) and particle size (PS ranging from 185 to 244 nm). The addition of cationic surfactants was required to produce nanoparticles (NPs) with a positive surface charge. This suggested that the surfactants and extensive entanglement of the lipid matrix GMS provided support for the behavioral diversity of the cSLNs and their capacity to interface with the plasmid DNA. Additionally, hemolytic assays were used to show that the cSLNs were biocompatible with the human colon cancer HCT-116 and human bronchial epithelial 16-HBE cell lines. The DOTMA 6-based cSLN was selected as the lead cSLN for further ex vivo and in vivo investigations. Taken together, these new findings might provide some guidance in selecting surfactants to prepare extremely efficient and non-toxic cSLN-based therapeutic delivery systems (e.g., gene therapy). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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25 pages, 9851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heavily Gd-Doped Non-Toxic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles for MRI Labelling of Stem Cells

by Anton L. Popov, Irina V. Savintseva, Taisiya O. Kozlova, Olga S. Ivanova, Ivan V. Zhukov, Alexander E. Baranchikov, Alexandra V. Yurkovskaya, Andrey A. Savelov, Artem M. Ermakov, Nelli R. Popova, Konstantin L. Ivanov and Vladimir K. Ivanov

Molecules 2023, 28(3), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031165 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1754

Abstract

Recently, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSc) have attracted a great deal of attention as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of socially significant diseases. Despite substantial advances in stem-cell therapy, the biological mechanisms of hMSc action after transplantation remain unclear. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a non-invasive method for tracking stem cells in the body is very important for analysing their distribution in tissues and organs, as well as for ensuring control of their lifetime after injection. Herein, detailed experimental data are reported on the biocompatibility towards hMSc of heavily gadolinium-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles (Ce_0.8Gd_0.2O_2−x) synthesised using two synthetic protocols. The relaxivity of the nanoparticles was measured in a magnetic field range from 1 mT to 16.4 T. The relaxivity values (r₁ = 11 ± 1.2 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹ and r₁ = 7 ± 1.2 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹ in magnetic fields typical of 1.5 and 3 T MRI scanners, respectively) are considerably higher than those of the commercial Omniscan MRI contrast agent. The low toxicity of gadolinium-doped ceria nanoparticles to hMSc enables their use as an effective theranostic tool with improved MRI-contrasting properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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11 pages, 1828 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aminoclay Nanoparticles Induce Anti-Inflammatory Dendritic Cells to Attenuate LPS-Elicited Pro-Inflammatory Immune Responses

by Hyun Jung Park, Sung Won Lee, Jae Geun Song, Luc Van Kaer, Jae Hee Cheon, Soo-Jeong Lim, Hyo-Kyung Han and Seokmann Hong

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8743; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248743 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1303

Abstract

Although 3-aminopropyl functionalized magnesium phyllosilicate nanoparticles (hereafter aminoclay nanoparticles, ACNs) are well-known nanomaterials employed as drug carriers, their effects on immune cells remain unclear. To address this issue, we explored murine dendritic cells (DCs) as these cells belong to the innate arm of the immune system and function as antigen-presenting cells to elicit adaptive immune responses. We examined the in vitro effects of ACNs on DCs isolated from B6 mice. ACN treatment significantly down-regulated the expression of inflammasome-related markers, including NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL1β. The ACNs-induced anti-inflammatory DC phenotype was further confirmed by down-regulation of the AKT/mTOR/HIF1α signaling pathway. Such anti-inflammatory effects of ACNs on DCs occurred independently of DC subtypes. To document the effects of ACNs on DCs more clearly, we examined their anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated DCs. As expected, excessive inflammatory responses (increased mitochondrial ROS and Th1-type cytokines such as IL12 and IL1β) of LPS-activated DCs were dramatically attenuated by ACN treatment. Furthermore, ACNs down-regulated IFNγ production by antigen-specific CD4⁺ T cells, which is consistent with a reduced inflammatory phenotype of DCs. Overall, our results provide support for employing ACNs as drug delivery materials with therapeutic potential to control inflammatory disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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20 pages, 1887 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Comprehensive Review on Bio-Based Materials for Chronic Diabetic Wounds

by Jinjin Pei, Chella Perumal Palanisamy, Phaniendra Alugoju, Naga Venkata Anusha Anthikapalli, Prabhu Manickam Natarajan, Vidhya Rekha Umapathy, Bhuminathan Swamikannu, Selvaraj Jayaraman, Ponnulakshmi Rajagopal and Sirilux Poompradub

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020604 - 6 Jan 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2941

Abstract

Globally, millions of people suffer from poor wound healing, which is associated with higher mortality rates and higher healthcare costs. There are several factors that can complicate the healing process of wounds, including inadequate conditions for cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis, microbial infections, and prolonged inflammatory responses. Current therapeutic methods have not yet been able to resolve several primary problems; therefore, their effectiveness is limited. As a result of their remarkable properties, bio-based materials have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on wound healing in recent years. In the wound microenvironment, bio-based materials can stimulate numerous cellular and molecular processes that may enhance healing by inhibiting the growth of pathogens, preventing inflammation, and stimulating angiogenesis, potentially converting a non-healing environment to an appropriately healing one. The aim of this present review article is to provide an overview of the mechanisms underlying wound healing and its pathophysiology. The development of bio-based nanomaterials for chronic diabetic wounds as well as novel methodologies for stimulating wound healing mechanisms are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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16 pages, 1341 KiB

Open AccessReview

Silver Nanoparticles and Its Mechanistic Insight for Chronic Wound Healing: Review on Recent Progress

by Manoj Singh, Vanita Thakur, Vikas Kumar, Mayank Raj, Shivani Gupta, Nisha Devi, Sushil Kumar Upadhyay, Markéta Macho, Avik Banerjee, Daniela Ewe and Kumar Saurav

Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5587; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27175587 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3613

Abstract

Wounds are structural and functional disruptions of skin that occur because of trauma, surgery, acute illness, or chronic disease conditions. Chronic wounds are caused by a breakdown in the finely coordinated cascade of events that occurs during healing. Wound healing is a long process that split into at least three continuous and overlapping processes: an inflammatory response, a proliferative phase, and finally the tissue remodeling. Therefore, these processes are extensively studied to develop novel therapeutics in order to achieve maximum recovery with minimum scarring. Several growth hormones and cytokines secreted at the site of lesions tightly regulates the healing processes. The traditional approach for wound management has been represented by topical treatments. Metal nanoparticles (e.g., silver, gold and zinc) are increasingly being employed in dermatology due to their favorable effects on healing, as well as in treating and preventing secondary bacterial infections. In the current review, a brief introduction on traditional would healing approach is provided, followed by focus on the potential of wound dressing therapeutic techniques functionalized with Ag-NPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Advanced Biomedical Applications)

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