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Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2022) | Viewed by 13698

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Dr. Abbas Amini

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Guest Editor

Dean's Unit School of Engineering, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
Interests: materials; nano biotech; nano energy; biomedical
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Traditional systems are being replaced with precision medical systems in order to achieve more accurate results with less side effects. Using interdisciplinary sciences such as nanobiotechnology, these systems can diagnose and treat diseases at a molecular level. The main strategies in precision medicine include the following: (1) spotting genetic/molecular defects using nano-bio detectors and sensors, (2) designing targeted nano-bio drugs, (3) designing smart drug delivery systems such as nano-bio vehicles, and (4) monitoring the disease and/or therapy procedures. Some biological detecting tools, such as sequencing, microarray, and CRISPR-based tools, utilize nano-systems in their structures. For smart treatments, some bio and small molecule drugs can be conjugated with nanomaterials and nano-vectors in order to achieve more stability with a better targeting capability. Some of these nano-vectors can carry imaging materials for real-time monitoring purposes. The last generation of nanomaterials are multi-potential systems that can simultaneously detect/sense, treat, and monitor. In the near future, 3D nano-bio printers will be able to simulate every single cell structure and to open new doors in precision regenerative medicine.

Gaps and Challenges

We are at the beginning of this path, unfortunately some of nano-biomaterials are less accurate or efficient compared to their biological counterparts, for example liposomes and other nano-vehicles have less efficiency compared to viral vectors in gene therapies. In addition, multi-potential nano-systems are bulkier to enter the cell easily. One of the main problems of targeted nano-bio-therapies is off-target effects, where a drug binds to other molecules non-specifically.

Special Issue Topics of Interest:

The following topics are expected for this section:

New nano-bio detecting or sensing methods to discover ongoing mutations or molecular faults
New generation of nano-bio drug delivery systems to overcome natural biological barriers in molecular targeted therapies
Novel nano-bio imaging/monitoring systems
Specific nano-bio approaches to boost the efficiency of current precision medicinal systems
Systematic approaches to overcome the off-target effects of current nano-bio systems
3D nano-bio printer systems for precise cell and tissue engineering mapping
Nanoenergy, nanobioenergy, macroenergy, and energy systems

Dr. Abbas Amini
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

Nanobiomaterials
Precision Medicinal Systems
nano-bio detectors and sensors
nano-bio drugs
nano-bio vehicles
nano-bio systems
3D Nano-bio Printing
Nano-bio-energy Systems

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Bioengineering Approach for the Development of Fibroblast Growth Factor-7-Functionalized Sericin Biomaterial Applicable for the Cultivation of Keratinocytes

by Ai Ai Lian, Yuka Yamaji, Kazuki Kajiwara, Keiko Takaki, Hajime Mori, Mervyn Wing On Liew, Eiji Kotani and Rina Maruta

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(17), 9953; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23179953 - 01 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1666

Abstract

Growth factors, including fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7), are a group of proteins that stimulate various cellular processes and are often used with carriers to prevent the rapid loss of their activities. Sericin with great biocompatibility has been investigated as a proteinaceous carrier to enhance the stability of incorporated proteins. The difficulties in obtaining intact sericin from silkworm cocoons and the handling of growth factors with poor stability necessitate an efficient technique to incorporate the protein into a sericin-based biomaterial. Here, we report the generation of a transgenic silkworm line simultaneously expressing and incorporating FGF-7 into cocoon shells containing almost exclusively sericin. Growth-factor-functionalized sericin cocoon shells requiring simple lyophilization and pulverization processes were successfully used to induce the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. Moreover, FGF-7 incorporated into sericin-cocoon powder exhibited remarkable stability, with more than 70% of bioactivity being retained after being stored as a suspension at 25 °C for 3 months. Transgenic sericin-cocoon powder was used to continuously supply biologically active FGF-7 to generate a three-dimensionally cultured keratinocyte model in vitro. The outcomes of this study propound a feasible approach to producing cytokine-functionalized sericin materials that are ready to use for cell cultivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems)

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15 pages, 1798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioengineered Silkworm for Producing Cocoons with High Fibroin Content for Regenerated Fibroin Biomaterial-Based Applications

by Mana Yamano, Ryoko Hirose, Ping Ying Lye, Keiko Takaki, Rina Maruta, Mervyn Wing On Liew, Shinichi Sakurai, Hajime Mori and Eiji Kotani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(13), 7433; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23137433 - 04 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2207

Abstract

Silk fibroin exhibits high biocompatibility and biodegradability, making it a versatile biomaterial for medical applications. However, contaminated silkworm-derived substances in remnant sericin from the filature and degumming process can result in undesired immune reactions and silk allergy, limiting the widespread use of fibroin. Here, we established transgenic silkworms with modified middle silk glands, in which sericin expression was repressed by the ectopic expression of cabbage butterfly-derived cytotoxin pierisin-1A, to produce cocoons composed solely of fibroin. Intact, nondegraded fibroin can be prepared from the transgenic cocoons without the need for sericin removal by the filature and degumming steps that cause fibroin degradation. A wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis revealed low crystallinity in the transgenic cocoons. However, nondegraded fibroin obtained from transgenic cocoons enabled the formation of fibroin sponges with varying densities by using 1–5% (v/v) alcohol. The effective chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5 cells was induced following their cultivation on substrates coated with intact fibroin. Our results showed that intact, allergen-free fibroin can be obtained from transgenic cocoons without the need for sericin removal, providing a method to produce fibroin-based materials with high biocompatibility for biomedical uses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems)

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19 pages, 15648 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural vs. Synthetic Phosphate as Efficient Heterogeneous Compounds for Synthesis of Quinoxalines

by Abbas Amini, Azadeh Fallah, Ahmad Sedaghat, Ahmad Gholami, Chun Cheng and Anju R. Gupta

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413665 - 20 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2478

Abstract

Natural phosphate (NP) and synthetic fluorapatite phosphate (SFAP) were proposed as stable, inexpensive, readily available and recyclable catalysts for the condensation of 1,2-diamines with 1,2-dicarbonyls in methanol to afford quinoxaline at room temperature. NP provided as high as 92–99% yield for quinoxalines in short reaction times (i.e., 1–45 min), while SFAP created quinoxalines with 87–97% yield in 60–120 min. From the chemical analyses, X-ray fluoresecency, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy methods, two main phases (CaO, P₂O₅) appeared in NP together with other low content phases (SiO₂, Fe₂O₃). Compared to other phases, apatite (CaO and P₂O₅ as Ca10(PO₄)₆) played a major role in the catalytic activity of NP. SFAP with similar Ca/P atomic ratio showed a relatively lower catalytic activity than NP for the condensation of 1,2-diamine with 1,2-dicarbonyl in methanol at ambient temperature. To investigate the recyclability of catalysts, the surface properties of NP and 6-recycled NP were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda methods. Some differences were observed in NP and 6-recycled NP’s particle size, surface area, the volume and size of pores, and the content of elements; nevertheless, the use–reuse process did not noticeably change the catalytic property of NP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems)

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30 pages, 6272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Highly-Efficient Sulfonated UiO-66(Zr) Optical Fiber for Rapid Detection of Trace Levels of Pb²⁺

by Marziyeh Nazari, Abbas Amini, Nathan T. Eden, Mikel C. Duke, Chun Cheng and Matthew R. Hill

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 6053; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22116053 - 03 Jun 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2951

Abstract

Lead detection for biological environments, aqueous resources, and medicinal compounds, rely mainly on either utilizing bulky lab equipment such as ICP-OES or ready-made sensors, which are based on colorimetry with some limitations including selectivity and low interference. Remote, rapid and efficient detection of heavy metals in aqueous solutions at ppm and sub-ppm levels have faced significant challenges that requires novel compounds with such ability. Here, a UiO-66(Zr) metal-organic framework (MOF) functionalized with SO

_{3}

H group (SO

_{3}

H-UiO-66(Zr)) is deposited on the end-face of an optical fiber to detect lead cations (Pb

^{2 +}

) in water at 25.2, 43.5 and 64.0 ppm levels. The SO

_{3}

H-UiO-66(Zr) system provides a Fabry–Perot sensor by which the lead ions are detected rapidly (milliseconds) at 25.2 ppm aqueous solution reflecting in the wavelength shifts in interference spectrum. The proposed removal mechanism is based on the adsorption of [Pb(OH

_{2}

)

_{6}

]

^{2 +}

in water on SO

_{3}

H-UiO-66(Zr) due to a strong affinity between functionalized MOF and lead. This is the first work that advances a multi-purpose optical fiber-coated functional MOF as an on-site remote chemical sensor for rapid detection of lead cations at extremely low concentrations in an aqueous system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems)

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Review

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23 pages, 4445 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research on Graphene and Its Derivatives in Oral Disease Treatment

by Chengcheng Liu, Dan Tan, Xiaoli Chen, Jinfeng Liao and Leng Wu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4737; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23094737 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3316

Abstract

Oral diseases present a global public health problem that imposes heavy financial burdens on individuals and health-care systems. Most oral health conditions can be treated in their early stage. Even if the early symptoms of oral diseases do not seem to cause significant discomfort, prompt treatment is essential for preventing their progression. Biomaterials with superior properties enable dental therapies with applications in restoration, therapeutic drug/protein delivery, and tissue regeneration. Graphene nanomaterials have many unique mechanical and physiochemical properties and can respond to the complex oral microenvironment, which includes oral microbiota colonization and high masticatory force. Research on graphene nanomaterials in dentistry, especially in caries, periodontitis therapy, and implant coatings, is progressing rapidly. Here, we review the development of graphene and its derivatives for dental disease therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanobiomaterials for Precision Medicinal Systems)

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