Polymeric biomaterial-inspired cell surface modulation for the development of novel anticancer therapeutics

Abstract Immune cell-based therapies are a rapidly emerging class of new medicines that directly treat and prevent targeted cancer. However multiple biological barriers impede the activity of live immune cells, and therefore necessitate the use of surface-modified immune cells for cancer prevention. Synthetic and/or natural biomaterials represent the leading approach for immune cell surface modulation. Different types of biomaterials can be applied to cell surface membranes through hydrophobic insertion, layer-by-layer attachment, and covalent conjugations to acquire surface modification in mammalian cells. These biomaterials generate reciprocity to enable cell–cell interactions. In this review, we highlight the different biomaterials (lipidic and polymeric)-based advanced applications for cell–surface modulation, a few cell recognition moieties, and how their interplay in cell–cell interaction. We discuss the cancer-killing efficacy of NK cells, followed by their surface engineering for cancer treatment. Ultimately, this review connects biomaterials and biologically active NK cells that play key roles in cancer immunotherapy applications. Graphical Abstrac

Biomaterial-Mediated Exogenous Facile Coating of Natural Killer Cells for Enhancing Anticancer Efficacy toward Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Natural killer (NK) cells exhibit a good therapeutic efficacy against various malignant cancer cells. However, the therapeutic efficacy of plain NK cells is relatively low due to inadequate selectivity for cancer cells. Therefore, to enhance the targeting selectivity and anticancer efficacy of NK cells, we have rationally designed a biomaterial-mediated ex vivo surface engineering technique for the membrane decoration of cancer recognition ligands onto NK cells. Our designed lipid conjugate biomaterial contains three major functional moieties: (1) 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE) lipid for cell membrane anchoring, (2) polyethylene glycol for intracellular penetration blocker, and (3) lactobionic acid (LBA) for cancer recognition. The biomaterial was successfully applied to NK cell surfaces (LBA-NK) to enhance recognition and anticancer functionalities, especially toward asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR)-overexpressing hepatocellular carcinoma. Highly efficient and homogeneous NK cell surface editing was achieved with a simple coating process while maintaining intrinsic properties of NK cells. LBA-NK cells showed potential ASGPR-mediated tumor cell binding (through LBA-ASGPR interaction) and thereby significantly augmented anticancer efficacies against HepG2 liver cancer cells. Thus, LBA-NK cells can be a novel engineering strategy for the treatment of liver cancers via facilitated immune synapse interactions in comparison with currently available cell therapies

Response of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) cv. Pusa Ruby

The present investigation entitles “Response of integrated nutrient management on growth of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) cv. Pusa Ruby” was carried out at department of Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), during the year 2020-21. The treatment comprised of twelve treatments i.e., T1 Control (No treatment), T2 RDF (100%), T3 FYM (100%), T4 Azotobacter (100%), T5 Azospirillum (100%), T6 RDF + FYM (50% each), T7 RDF + Azotobacter (50% each), T8 RDF + Azospirillum (50% each), T9 FYM + Azotobacter (50% each), T10 FYM + Azospirillum (50% each), T11 Azotobacter + Azospirillum (50% each) and T12 RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + Azospirillum (25% each). The experiment was laid out in Randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The results indicated that among maximum plant height ware recorded (16.15, 22.11, 26.59 and 30.53 cm), respectively, in treatment T12 at 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAT. The maximum number of branches were recorded (4.36 5.79, 6.31 and 7.04) in treatment T12 at 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAT. Minimum number of days required for flower blooming (32.44) in T12. A maximum number of flowers per plant (39.34) were recorded at T12 and also maximum number of clusters per plant was recorded (9.78) in T12

Recent Advances in Methods for Recovery of Cenospheres from Fly Ash and Their Emerging Applications in Ceramics, Composites, Polymers and Environmental Cleanup

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a major global pollutant produced by thermal power plants during the generation of electricity. A significant amount of coal fly ash is dumped every year in the near vicinity of the thermal power plants, resulting in the spoilage of agricultural land. CFA has numerous value-added structural elements, such as cenospheres, plerospheres, ferrospheres, and carbon particles. Cenospheres are spherical-shaped solid-filled particles, formed during the combustion of coal in thermal power plants. They are lightweight, have high mechanical strength, and are rich in Al-Si particles. Due to cenospheres’ low weight and high mechanical strength, they are widely used as ceramic/nanoceramics material, fireproofing material, and in nanocomposites. They are also used directly, or after functionalization, as an adsorbent for environmental cleanup—especially for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater. By utilizing this waste material as an adsorbent, the whole process becomes economical and eco-friendly. In this review, we have highlighted the latest advances in the cenospheres recovery from fly ash and their application in ceramics and wastewater treatment

A worldwide perspective on large carnivore attacks on humans.

Large carnivores have long fascinated human societies and have profound influences on ecosystems. However, their conservation represents one of the greatest challenges of our time, particularly where attacks on humans occur. Where human recreational and/or livelihood activities overlap with large carnivore ranges, conflicts can become particularly serious. Two different scenarios are responsible for such overlap: In some regions of the world, increasing human populations lead to extended encroachment into large carnivore ranges, which are subject to increasing contraction, fragmentation, and degradation. In other regions, human and large carnivore populations are expanding, thus exacerbating conflicts, especially in those areas where these species were extirpated and are now returning. We thus face the problem of learning how to live with species that can pose serious threats to humans. We collected a total of 5,440 large carnivore (Felidae, Canidae, and Ursidae; 12 species) attacks worldwide between 1950 and 2019. The number of reported attacks increased over time, especially in lower-income countries. Most attacks (68%) resulted in human injuries, whereas 32% were fatal. Although attack scenarios varied greatly within and among species, as well as in different areas of the world, factors triggering large carnivore attacks on humans largely depend on the socioeconomic context, with people being at risk mainly during recreational activities in high-income countries and during livelihood activities in low-income countries. The specific combination of local socioeconomic and ecological factors is thus a risky mix triggering large carnivore attacks on humans, whose circumstances and frequencies cannot only be ascribed to the animal species. This also implies that effective measures to reduce large carnivore attacks must also consider the diverse local ecological and social contexts

Main published literature.

Main published literature collected and analyzed regarding large carnivore attacks, organized by species. (PDF)</p

Main attack patterns.

Main characteristics and patterns of large carnivore attacks on humans documented in our study. (PDF)</p