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Special Issue "Recent Research of Nanomaterials in Molecular Science"

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Nanoscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2024 | Viewed by 3011

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Prof. Dr. Giovanna Iezzi

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Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Interests: biomaterials; bone regeneration; bioengineering; biomedical engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue delves into the functional properties and applications of nanomaterials in medical research, particularly their applications in molecular, cellular, and biological studies. Nanomaterials, due to their size, unique physical and chemical properties, have opened up new possibilities for medical applications, including drug delivery, imaging, and cancer therapy. This Issue contains articles describing various types of nanomaterials and their functional properties, such as their ability to pass through cell membranes, target specific cell types, and modulate gene expression.

Additionally, the use of nanomaterials in molecular diagnostics and monitoring has received extensive attention in recent years. Nanoparticles can be designed and synthesized to detect biomolecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, and to provide information on disease progression at the molecular level.

Furthermore, nanomaterials have great potential in cellular engineering and regeneration. They can be employed to stimulate cell growth, modulate cell behavior, and promote cellular regeneration, which can provide new methods for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This Issue also highlights the challenges associated with the use of nanomaterials in medical research, such as potential toxicity and environmental impact, and emphasized the need for continued efforts to optimize the functionality and safety of nanomaterials. Overall, this Issue shows how nanomaterials are revolutionizing medical research and providing new strategies for understanding and treating diseases at the molecular and cellular levels.

Potential Hot Topic:

Study of kinetic models of nanomaterials
Synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles
Development of nanocarriers for drug release
Nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery to cancer cells
Functionalized nanomaterials for targeted gene therapy
Nanomaterials for cellular imaging and tracking
Nanoparticle-mediated RNA delivery for cellular reprogramming
Nanoscale drug release systems for optimized therapeutic outcomes
Real-time monitoring of cellular dynamics using nanosensors
3D-printed nanomaterial scaffolds for tissue engineering
Multimodal imaging using nanomaterials for integrated cellular analysis
Developing biocompatible nanomaterials for biological applications
Assessing the immunogenicity of nanomaterial-based therapies

We welcome the submission of original articles, reviews, and communications by experts in this field. This Special Issue is supervised by Prof. Giovanna Iezzi, who is assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Member: Dr. Emira D’Amico and Dr. Tania Vanessa Pierfelice (University of Chieti-Pescara).

Prof. Dr. Giovanna Iezzi
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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
medical research
molecular imaging
cell signaling
cellular metabolism
tissue regeneration
biocompatibility
molecular biology
nanomedicine
functional nanomaterials
drug and gene delivery
tissue engineering
cancer therapy

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 9157 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant Cell-Engineered Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated to Quercetin Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 Entry

James Elste

Sangeeta Kumari

Nilesh Sharma

Erendira Palomino Razo

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14792; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914792 - 30 Sep 2023

Viewed by 876

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed considerable promise in the antiviral properties of metal nanomaterials, specifically when biologically prepared. This study demonstrates for the first time the antiviral roles of the plant cell-engineered gold nanoparticles (pAuNPs) alone and when conjugated with quercetin (pAuNPsQ). We show here that the quercetin conjugated nanoparticles (pAuNPsQ) preferentially inhibit the cell entry of two medically important viruses—severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) using different mechanisms. Interestingly, in the case of SARS-CoV-2, the pre-treatment of target cells with pAuNPsQ inhibited the viral entry, but the pre-treatment of the virus with pAuNPsQ did not affect viral entry into the host cell. In contrast, pAuNPsQ demonstrated effective blocking capabilities against HSV-1 entry, either during the pre-treatment of target cells or by inducing virus neutralization. In addition, pAuNPsQ also significantly affected HSV-1 replication, evidenced by the plaque-counting assay. In this study, we also tested the chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (cAuNPs) of identical size and shape and observed comparable effects. The versatility of plant cell-based nanomaterial fabrication and its modification with bioactive compounds opens a new frontier in therapeutics, specifically in designing novel antiviral formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research of Nanomaterials in Molecular Science)

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19 pages, 18813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Silver Nanoparticles on the Digestive System, Gonad Morphology, and Physiology of Butterfly Splitfin (Ameca splendens)

Dobrochna Adamek-Urbańska

Bogumił Łosiewicz

Adrian Szczepański

Patryk Bujarski

Justyna Frankowska-Łukawska

Aleksander Chwaściński

and

Ercüment Aksakal

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14598; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914598 - 27 Sep 2023

Viewed by 525

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the morphology and enzymatic activity of butterfly splitfin (Ameca splendens). Individuals of both sexes, aged about five months, were exposed to AgNPs at concentrations of 0 (control group), 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/dm³ for 42 days. On the last day of the experiment, the fish were euthanized, subjected to standard histological processing (anterior intestine, liver, and gonads), and analysed for digestive enzyme activity in the anterior intestine and oxidative stress markers in the liver. Fish in the AgNP 0.01 and 0.1 groups had the lowest anterior intestinal fold and enterocyte height. However, there were no statistically significant changes in the digestive enzyme activity in the anterior intestine. Analysis of enzymatic activity in the liver showed an increase in superoxide dismutase activity in fish in the AgNP 0.1 group. Histological analyses showed that AgNPs inhibited meiotic divisions at prophase I in a non-linear manner in ovaries and testes. In the AgNP 0.1 and 1.0 groups, the area occupied by spermatocytes was lower compared to the other groups. These results indicate that exposure to AgNPs may lead to disturbances in morphology and enzymatic activity in the liver and intestine and may lead to disruption of reproduction in populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research of Nanomaterials in Molecular Science)

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25 pages, 5093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Protect Cortical Astrocytes from Oxygen–Glucose Deprivation through Activation of the Ca²⁺ Signaling System

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14305; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241814305 - 19 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 581

Abstract

Most of the works aimed at studying the cytoprotective properties of nanocerium are usually focused on the mechanisms of regulation of the redox status in cells while the complex effects of nanocerium on calcium homeostasis, the expression of pro-apoptotic and protective proteins are generally overlooked. There is a problem of a strong dependence of the effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles on their size, method of preparation and origin, which significantly limits their use in medicine. In this study, using the methods of molecular biology, immunocytochemistry, fluorescence microscopy and inhibitory analysis, the cytoprotective effect of cerium oxide nanoparticles obtained by laser ablation on cultured astrocytes of the cerebral cortex under oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) and reoxygenation (ischemia-like conditions) are shown. The concentration effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles on ROS production by astrocytes in an acute experiment and the effects of cell pre-incubation with nanocerium on ROS production under OGD conditions were studied. The dose dependence for nanocerium protection of cortical astrocytes from a global increase in calcium ions during oxygen–glucose deprivation and cell death were demonstrated. The concentration range of cerium oxide nanoparticles at which they have a pro-oxidant effect on cells has been identified. The effect of nanocerium concentrations on astrocyte preconditioning, accompanied by increased expression of protective proteins and limited ROS production induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation, has been investigated. In particular, a correlation was found between an increase in the concentration of cytosolic calcium under the action of nanocerium and the suppression of cell death. As a result, the positive and negative effects of nanocerium under oxygen–glucose deprivation and reoxygenation in astrocytes were revealed at the molecular level. Nanocerium was found to act as a “double-edged sword” and to have a strictly defined concentration therapeutic “window”. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research of Nanomaterials in Molecular Science)

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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Planned Paper I: Evaluation and improvement of antioxidant activity of pretreatment lignin nanoparticles-Dr. Li(Submission date to be determined)

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Special Issue "Recent Research of Nanomaterials in Molecular Science"

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