Magnetic Nanocomposites and Imprinted Polymers for Biomedical Applications of Nucleic Acids

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I read the manuscript entitled as "Magnetic Nanocomposites and Imprinted Polymers for  Biomedical Applications of Nucleic Acids". In my opinion the presented manuscript can be published in «magnetochemistry" after minor revision. My comments are as follows:

·         Abstract needs to be better organized and focused to address why this study is important. It should briefly state the purpose of the research, findings, and conclusions.

·         Line 41. 82 and 162: need citations. Check through the complete manuscript and cite where it is needed.

·         I suggest to cite the following paper: DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.94873·        

The authors need to proofread the manuscript due to grammatical errors

·         Line 371: Biomedical Applications of Magnetic Nanocomposites should be summarized in the table (with innovative references 2020-2022)

·         Add a section on the toxicity of magnetic nanocomposites (MNC).

·         Please improve the conclusion sections with major findings and suggestions for future research directions

Author Response

Thank you for the valuable suggestions and comments. We have carefully examined the comments and suggestions and revised the manuscript accordingly. We presented the word file with track changes. Please find as follows the responses to the comments. Please note that all the comments are bold-faced, and the authors' reply follows immediately below the comments.

Abstract needs to be better organized and focused to address why this study is important. It should briefly state the purpose of the research, findings, and conclusions.

Please improve the conclusion sections with major findings and suggestions for future research directions

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the Abstract and Conclusion sections.

Line 41. 82 and 162: need citations. Check through the complete manuscript and cite where it is needed.

I suggest to cite the following paper: DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.94873·     

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added some citations.

Line 371: Biomedical Applications of Magnetic Nanocomposites should be summarized in the table (with innovative references 2020-2022)

Thank you for your suggestion. We have inserted the new Table at the end of this section.

Add a section on the toxicity of magnetic nanocomposites (MNC).

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added a new subsection 3.1.

Reviewer 2 Report

This review focus on nucleic acid-based bioapplications of MNCs with polymeric, inorganic, and biomolecules surface coating. The most recent advancements of MNCs and imprinted polymers in nucleic acid-based therapy, diagnostics, theranostics, magnetic separation, biocatalytic, and biosensing are discussed. This review is recommended for publication after major revision and the following questions should be addressed.

1.       Polydopamine is a very important polymer that can be easily coated onto the magnetic nanoparticles to form uniform core shell nanostructure. Various magnetic polydopamine nanocomposites have been reported and there applications in bioareas have been discussed. However, they have not been well demonstrated in 2.1 or 2.2.

2.       Molecularly imprinted polymer seem to be not a kind of materials rather than a name for the function. It is not proper to be one section similar to biomolecule coated MNCs.

3.       There are also many MNCs composed of both polymer and noble metals. They should be described in anywhere.

4.       Molecularly imprinted polymer maybe transferred to the section 3.

5.       The caption for figure 9 is too simple.

6.       The prospects can be improved thus the readers can catch the future process better.

7.       The formation of the references should be improved.

Author Response

Thank you for the valuable suggestions and comments. We have carefully examined the comments and suggestions and revised the manuscript accordingly. We presented the word file with track changes. Please find as follows the responses to the comments. Please note that all the comments are bold-faced, and the authors' reply follows immediately below the comments.

Polydopamine is a very important polymer that can be easily coated onto the magnetic nanoparticles to form uniform core shell nanostructure. Various magnetic polydopamine nanocomposites have been reported and there applications in bioareas have been discussed. However, they have not been well demonstrated in 2.1 or 2.2.

There are also many MNCs composed of both polymer and noble metals. They should be described in anywhere.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have inserted the information with references in Sections 2 and 3.

Molecularly imprinted polymer seem to be not a kind of materials rather than a name for the function. It is not proper to be one section similar to biomolecule coated MNCs. Molecularly imprinted polymer maybe transferred to the section 3.

Thank you for your suggestion. We moved this section to Section 3.

The caption for figure 9 is too simple.

The formation of the references should be improved.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the text.

The prospects can be improved thus the readers can catch the future process better.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the Abstract and Conclusion sections.

Reviewer 3 Report

The current work focuses on Magnetic Nanocomposites and Imprinted Polymers for Biomedical Applications of Nucleic Acids, but minor issues should be addressed. I believe that the material presented in the manuscript is interesting for specialists in magnetic materials for biomedical applications. It can be published in the journal after additions and revisions.

-           Line 78, section “Magnetic Nanocomposites Types”

More details are required to show the properties of advantages and disadvantages for each type.

-           Table 1, is not informative, it's general, please added more information to support it or delete it.

-           For biomedical applications, the toxicity and availability of the fabricated materials should be clear. A subsection related to toxicity should be inserted to clear this point.

-           Lines 31-35, a very long sentence with massive citations.

Please separate it into shorter sentences with related citations not say general [1–31], you can say

e.g. small molecules (tannic, lauric, myristic, oleic acids), [1–5],  organic polymers (polyethylene glycol, polyethylene imine, tween) [6-10], ………

- Please confirm that all figures in this review belong to you, otherwise please insert the citation for each figure to avoid copyright.

- Line 59-62 “The NA component may be in various forms as plasmid DNA, single-stranded (ssNA) or double stranded (dsNA) DNA or RNA, small interfering RNA (siRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), short hairpin RNA (shRNA), antisense oligonucleotides, etc. “ all those forms of NA need citations.

- Line 89-90, “The main structural types of MNCs are divided into core-shell, Janus, dimer–trimer particles, Yolk-shell, multilayer shell, etc.” all those types need citations.

-Recent citations on magnetic nanomaterial for biomedical applications should include supporting the review

Das, A.K. etal, Green Synthesis of Unsaturated Fatty Acid Mediated Magnetite Nanoparticles and Their Structural and Magnetic Studies. Magnetochemistry 2022, 8, 174. https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetochemistry8120174

Mohamed S. A. Darwish etal., Polymeric Nanocomposites for Environmental and Industrial Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(3):1023

Mariño, M.A. etal., Magnetic Nanomaterials as Biocatalyst Carriers for Biomass Processing: Immobilization Strategies, Reusability, and Applications. Magnetochemistry 2021, 7, 133. https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetochemistry7100133

-           In section, 2.1. Organic Molecules and Polymers-coated MNPs, should start with the limitation of MNPs to show the importance of coating by organic molecules and polymers.

You can insert “Magnetic nanoparticles have large surface energy and become unstable as well as tend to aggregate. The properties of MNPs surface critically influence the overall performance of the materials. The introduction of organic molecules and polymers on MNPs surface can shield the magnetic iron oxide core from oxidation by the harsh chemical environment or by physiological body fluid. Besides, this enhances the colloidal stability of nanoparticles and their compatibility in the physiological environment. ” need a citation

-           Line 446, 4. Conclusions and Future Prospects

There is a lack of critical assessments by the authors. The authors did not mention the research gap between the previously reported articles and the present situation. Authors should incorporate their views to mold the research in a new direction.

-           References

Update reference No. 29, 35

Complete reference No.  78. 89, 90, 110

Author Response

Thank you for the valuable suggestions and comments. We have carefully examined the comments and suggestions and revised the manuscript accordingly. We presented the word file with track changes. Please find as follows the responses to the comments. Please note that all the comments are bold-faced, and the authors' reply follows immediately below the comments.

Line 78, section “Magnetic Nanocomposites Types” More details are required to show the properties of advantages and disadvantages for each type.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the text.

Table 1, is not informative, it's general, please added more information to support it or delete it.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have deleted this Table.

For biomedical applications, the toxicity and availability of the fabricated materials should be clear. A subsection related to toxicity should be inserted to clear this point.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added a new subsection 3.1.

Lines 31-35, a very long sentence with massive citations.

Please separate it into shorter sentences with related citations not say general [1–31], you can say

e.g. small molecules (tannic, lauric, myristic, oleic acids), [1–5],  organic polymers (polyethylene glycol, polyethylene imine, tween) [6-10], ………

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the text.

 Please confirm that all figures in this review belong to you, otherwise please insert the citation for each figure to avoid copyright.

Thank you for your questions. Our Ph.D. student Victoriya Popova has done all these Figures and Schemes.

Line 59-62 “The NA component may be in various forms as plasmid DNA, single-stranded (ssNA) or double stranded (dsNA) DNA or RNA, small interfering RNA (siRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), short hairpin RNA (shRNA), antisense oligonucleotides, etc. “ all those forms of NA need citations.

Line 89-90, “The main structural types of MNCs are divided into core-shell, Janus, dimer–trimer particles, Yolk-shell, multilayer shell, etc.” all those types need citations.

 Recent citations on magnetic nanomaterial for biomedical applications should include supporting the review

Das, A.K. etal, Green Synthesis of Unsaturated Fatty Acid Mediated Magnetite Nanoparticles and Their Structural and Magnetic Studies. Magnetochemistry 2022, 8, 174. https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetochemistry8120174

Mohamed S. A. Darwish etal., Polymeric Nanocomposites for Environmental and Industrial Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(3):1023

Mariño, M.A. etal., Magnetic Nanomaterials as Biocatalyst Carriers for Biomass Processing: Immobilization Strategies, Reusability, and Applications. Magnetochemistry 2021, 7, 133. https://doi.org/10.3390/magnetochemistry7100133

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added the citations.

In section, 2.1. Organic Molecules and Polymers-coated MNPs, should start with the limitation of MNPs to show the importance of coating by organic molecules and polymers.

You can insert “Magnetic nanoparticles have large surface energy and become unstable as well as tend to aggregate. The properties of MNPs surface critically influence the overall performance of the materials. The introduction of organic molecules and polymers on MNPs surface can shield the magnetic iron oxide core from oxidation by the harsh chemical environment or by physiological body fluid. Besides, this enhances the colloidal stability of nanoparticles and their compatibility in the physiological environment. ” need a citation

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the text and have added the citations.

Line 446, 4. Conclusions and Future Prospects

There is a lack of critical assessments by the authors. The authors did not mention the research gap between the previously reported articles and the present situation. Authors should incorporate their views to mold the research in a new direction.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised the Abstract and Conclusion sections.

References

Update reference No. 29, 35

Complete reference No.  78. 89, 90, 110

Thank you for your comment. We have revised the text.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The questions are addressed and the manuscript can be accepted.