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Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare

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 (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 27034

Special Issue Editors

Dr. M. Sheikh Mohamed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Kawagoe 350-8585, Japan
Interests: nanoscience; nanotechnology; biomaterials; nanomaterials; nano-drug delivery; cell scaffolding; tissue engineering; cancer therapy; plant nanotechnology; green chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Toru Maekawa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Interdisciplinary New Science, Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Kawagoe 350-8585, Japan
Interests: bio-nano fusion science; nanotechnology; nanoscience; nanobioscience; materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The second edition of this Special Issue "Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare 2.0" is now open for submission.

The Special Issue “Nano and Micro Materials in Healthcare” aims to provide an exciting multidisciplinary platform for research in the application of nano- and micro-materials in the field of therapeutics for the improvement of human health. This Special Issue intends to cover a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research areas related to biomedicine, targeted drug delivery, theranostics and personalized medicine. Pharmacological and toxicological evaluations of nano- and micro-materials are also welcome.

The scope of this Special Issue will cover (but is not limited to) the application of nano- and micro-materials in the following key subject areas:

  • Medicine—studies on basic, pre-clinical, translational and clinical research in drug delivery (nano/microDDS), imaging, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, theranostics, gene therapy, immunotherapy, application in various health-related issues, such as cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic and infectious diseases, to name a few, along with applications in vaccines and precision medicine;
  • Biomaterials—such as biocompatible/degradable materials, nano/microfibers, hydrogels, composites, 2D materials, biomimetic hybrids, biopolymers;
  • Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine—including scaffolds, grafts and patches, cell and tissue engineering, tissue regeneration, wound healing;
  • Devices for biomedical applications—such as BioMEMS, organs/lab-on-a-chip, diagnostic devices, biosensors, wearables, microfluidics, implantable devices, nano/micro-robotics. 

Dr. M. Sheikh Mohamed
Prof. Dr. Toru Maekawa
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. 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

  • biomaterials
  • theranostics
  • therapeutics
  • drug delivery
  • nanomedicine
  • precision medicine
  • regenerative medicine
  • diagnostics
  • toxicology
  • vaccines
  • cancer
  • cardiovascular disease
  • immunotherapy
  • gene therapy
  • infectious disease therapy
  • tissue engineering
  • imaging
  • implants
  • nano/microfluidics
  • translational medicine
  • biosensors

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 8940 KiB  
Article
Biological Synthesis of Bioactive Gold Nanoparticles from Inonotus obliquus for Dual Chemo-Photothermal Effects against Human Brain Cancer Cells
by Ibrohimjon Shukurov, Mohamed Sheikh Mohamed, Toru Mizuki, Vivekanandan Palaninathan, Tomofumi Ukai, Tatsuro Hanajiri and Toru Maekawa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 2292; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23042292 - 18 Feb 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2950
Abstract
The possibility for an ecologically friendly and simple production of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) (Ch-AuNPs) is presented in this study. Chaga extract’s reducing potential was evaluated at varied concentrations and temperatures. The nanoparticles synthesized were all under [...] Read more.
The possibility for an ecologically friendly and simple production of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) (Ch-AuNPs) is presented in this study. Chaga extract’s reducing potential was evaluated at varied concentrations and temperatures. The nanoparticles synthesized were all under 20 nm in size, as measured by TEM, which is a commendable result for a spontaneous synthesis method utilizing a biological source. The Ch-AuNPs showed anti-cancer chemotherapeutic effects on human brain cancer cells which is attributed to the biofunctionalization of the AuNPs with Chaga bioactive components during the synthesis process. Further, the photothermal ablation capability of the as-prepared gold nanoparticles on human brain cancer cells was investigated. It was found that the NIR-laser induced thermal ablation of cancer cells was effective in eliminating over 80% of the cells. This research projects the Ch-AuNPs as promising, dual modal (chemo-photothermal) therapeutic candidates for anti-cancer applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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22 pages, 3949 KiB  
Article
Regeneration of Bone Defects in a Rabbit Femoral Osteonecrosis Model Using 3D-Printed Poly (Epsilon-Caprolactone)/Nanoparticulate Willemite Composite Scaffolds
by Latifeh Karimzadeh Bardeei, Ehsan Seyedjafari, Ghamartaj Hossein, Mohammad Nabiuni, Mohammad Hosein Majles Ara and Jochen Salber
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms221910332 - 25 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3075
Abstract
Steroid-associated osteonecrosis (SAON) is a chronic disease that leads to the destruction and collapse of bone near the joint that is subjected to weight bearing, ultimately resulting in a loss of hip and knee function. Zn2+ ions, as an essential trace element, [...] Read more.
Steroid-associated osteonecrosis (SAON) is a chronic disease that leads to the destruction and collapse of bone near the joint that is subjected to weight bearing, ultimately resulting in a loss of hip and knee function. Zn2+ ions, as an essential trace element, have functional roles in improving the immunophysiological cellular environment, accelerating bone regeneration, and inhibiting biofilm formation. In this study, we reconstruct SAON lesions with a three-dimensional (3D)-a printed composite made of poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and nanoparticulate Willemite (npW). Rabbit bone marrow stem cells were used to evaluate the cytocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation capability of the PCL/npW composite scaffolds. The 2-month bone regeneration was assessed by a Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scan and the expression of bone regeneration proteins by Western blot. Compared with the neat PCL group, PCL/npW scaffolds exhibited significantly increased cytocompatibility and osteogenic activity. This finding reveals a new concept for the design of a 3D-printed PCL/npW composite-based bone substitute for the early treatment of osteonecrosis defects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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16 pages, 4147 KiB  
Article
Photo-Polymerization Damage Protection by Hydrogen Sulfide Donors for 3D-Cell Culture Systems Optimization
by Silvia Buonvino, Matteo Ciocci, Dror Seliktar and Sonia Melino
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 6095; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22116095 - 5 Jun 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3319
Abstract
Photo-polymerized hydrogels are ideally suited for stem-cell based tissue regeneration and three dimensional (3D) bioprinting because they can be highly biocompatible, injectable, easy to use, and their mechanical and physical properties can be controlled. However, photo-polymerization involves the use of potentially toxic photo-initiators, [...] Read more.
Photo-polymerized hydrogels are ideally suited for stem-cell based tissue regeneration and three dimensional (3D) bioprinting because they can be highly biocompatible, injectable, easy to use, and their mechanical and physical properties can be controlled. However, photo-polymerization involves the use of potentially toxic photo-initiators, exposure to ultraviolet light radiation, formation of free radicals that trigger the cross-linking reaction, and other events whose effects on cells are not yet fully understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in mitigating cellular toxicity of photo-polymerization caused to resident cells during the process of hydrogel formation. H2S, which is the latest discovered member of the gasotransmitter family of gaseous signalling molecules, has a number of established beneficial properties, including cell protection from oxidative damage both directly (by acting as a scavenger molecule) and indirectly (by inducing the expression of anti-oxidant proteins in the cell). Cells were exposed to slow release H2S treatment using pre-conditioning with glutathione-conjugated-garlic extract in order to mitigate toxicity during the photo-polymerization process of hydrogel formation. The protective effects of the H2S treatment were evaluated in both an enzymatic model and a 3D cell culture system using cell viability as a quantitative indicator. The protective effect of H2S treatment of cells is a promising approach to enhance cell survival in tissue engineering applications requiring photo-polymerized hydrogel scaffolds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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Review

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24 pages, 4356 KiB  
Review
Nanomaterials Used in Fluorescence Polarization Based Biosensors
by Yingqi Zhang, Howyn Tang, Wei Chen and Jin Zhang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8625; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158625 - 3 Aug 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3064
Abstract
Fluorescence polarization (FP) has been applied in detecting chemicals and biomolecules for early-stage diagnosis, food safety analyses, and environmental monitoring. Compared to organic dyes, inorganic nanomaterials such as quantum dots have special fluorescence properties that can enhance the photostability of FP-based biosensing. In [...] Read more.
Fluorescence polarization (FP) has been applied in detecting chemicals and biomolecules for early-stage diagnosis, food safety analyses, and environmental monitoring. Compared to organic dyes, inorganic nanomaterials such as quantum dots have special fluorescence properties that can enhance the photostability of FP-based biosensing. In addition, nanomaterials, such as metallic nanoparticles, can be used as signal amplifiers to increase fluorescence polarization. In this review paper, different types of nanomaterials used in in FP-based biosensors have been reviewed. The role of each type of nanomaterial, acting as a fluorescent element and/or the signal amplifier, has been discussed. In addition, the advantages of FP-based biosensing systems have been discussed and compared with other fluorescence-based techniques. The integration of nanomaterials and FP techniques allows biosensors to quickly detect analytes in a sensitive and cost-effective manner and positively impact a variety of different fields including early-stage diagnoses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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17 pages, 2556 KiB  
Review
Bacteriophages as Solid Tumor Theragnostic Agents
by Srivani Veeranarayanan, Aa Haeruman Azam, Kotaro Kiga, Shinya Watanabe and Longzhu Cui
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010402 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3631
Abstract
Cancer, especially the solid tumor sub-set, poses considerable challenges to modern medicine owing to the unique physiological characteristics and substantial variations in each tumor’s microenvironmental niche fingerprints. Though there are many treatment methods available to treat solid tumors, still a considerable loss of [...] Read more.
Cancer, especially the solid tumor sub-set, poses considerable challenges to modern medicine owing to the unique physiological characteristics and substantial variations in each tumor’s microenvironmental niche fingerprints. Though there are many treatment methods available to treat solid tumors, still a considerable loss of life happens, due to the limitation of treatment options and the outcomes of ineffective treatments. Cancer cells evolve with chemo- or radiation-treatment strategies and later show adaptive behavior, leading to failed treatment. These challenges demand tailored and individually apt personalized treatment methods. Bacteriophages (or phages) and phage-based theragnostic vectors are gaining attention in the field of modern cancer medicine, beyond their bactericidal ability. With the invention of the latest techniques to fine-tune phages, such as in the field of genetic engineering, synthetic assembly methods, phage display, and chemical modifications, noteworthy progress in phage vector research for safe cancer application has been realized, including use in pre-clinical studies. Herein, we discuss the distinct fingerprints of solid tumor physiology and the potential for bacteriophage vectors to exploit specific tumor features for improvised tumor theragnostic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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24 pages, 3064 KiB  
Review
From Supramolecular Hydrogels to Multifunctional Carriers for Biologically Active Substances
by Joanna Skopinska-Wisniewska, Silvia De la Flor and Justyna Kozlowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(14), 7402; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22147402 - 9 Jul 2021
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4250
Abstract
Supramolecular hydrogels are 3D, elastic, water-swelled materials that are held together by reversible, non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, ionic, host–guest interactions, and metal–ligand coordination. These interactions determine the hydrogels’ unique properties: mechanical strength; stretchability; injectability; ability to self-heal; shear-thinning; and sensitivity [...] Read more.
Supramolecular hydrogels are 3D, elastic, water-swelled materials that are held together by reversible, non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, ionic, host–guest interactions, and metal–ligand coordination. These interactions determine the hydrogels’ unique properties: mechanical strength; stretchability; injectability; ability to self-heal; shear-thinning; and sensitivity to stimuli, e.g., pH, temperature, the presence of ions, and other chemical substances. For this reason, supramolecular hydrogels have attracted considerable attention as carriers for active substance delivery systems. In this paper, we focused on the various types of non-covalent interactions. The hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, ionic, coordination, and host–guest interactions between hydrogel components have been described. We also provided an overview of the recent studies on supramolecular hydrogel applications, such as cancer therapy, anti-inflammatory gels, antimicrobial activity, controlled gene drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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22 pages, 3347 KiB  
Review
Photosensitizer-Functionalized Nanocomposites for Light-Activated Cancer Theranostics
by Banendu Sunder Dash, Suprava Das and Jyh-Ping Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 6658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22136658 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 5255
Abstract
Photosensitizers (PSs) have received significant attention recently in cancer treatment due to its theranostic capability for imaging and phototherapy. These PSs are highly responsive to light source of a suitable wavelength for image-guided cancer therapy from generated singlet oxygen and/or thermal heat. Various [...] Read more.
Photosensitizers (PSs) have received significant attention recently in cancer treatment due to its theranostic capability for imaging and phototherapy. These PSs are highly responsive to light source of a suitable wavelength for image-guided cancer therapy from generated singlet oxygen and/or thermal heat. Various organic dye PSs show tremendous attenuation of tumor cells during cancer treatment. Among them, porphyrin and chlorophyll-based ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) dyes are employed for photodynamic therapy (PDT) by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals generated with 400–700 nm laser lights, which have poor tissue penetration depth. To enhance the efficacy of PDT, other light sources such as red light laser and X-ray have been suggested; nonetheless, it is still a challenging task to improve the light penetration depth for deep tumor treatment. To overcome this deficiency, near infrared (NIR) (700–900 nm) PSs, indocyanine green (ICG), and its derivatives like IR780, IR806 and IR820, have been introduced for imaging and phototherapy. These NIR PSs have been used in various cancer treatment modality by combining photothermal therapy (PTT) and/or PDT with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. In this review, we will focus on the use of different PSs showing photothermal/photodynamic response to UV-Vis or NIR-Vis light. The emphasis is a comprehensive review of recent smart design of PS-loaded nanocomposites for targeted delivery of PSs in light-activated combination cancer therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano & Micro Materials in Healthcare)
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