Using Bioactive Glasses in the Management of Burns

The management of burn injuries is considered an unmet clinical need and, to date, no fully satisfactory solution exists to this problem. This mini-review aims to explore the potential of bioactive glasses (BGs) for burn care due to the therapeutic effects of their ionic dissolution products. BGs have been studied for more than 40 years and boast a long successful history in the substitution of damaged tissues, especially bone. Considering their exceptional versatility and attractive characteristics, these synthetic materials have also recently been proposed in the treatment of soft tissue-related disorders such as skin wounds. Specifically, improving fibroblast proliferation, inducing angiogenesis, and eliciting antibacterial activity (with the additional advantage of avoiding administration of antibiotics) are all considered as key added values carried by BGs in the treatment of burn injuries. However, some issues deserve careful consideration while proceeding with the research, including the selection of suitable BG compositions, appropriate forms of application (e.g., BG fibers, ointments or composite patches), as well as the procedures for reliable in vivo testing

Development of a New Indirect ELISA Method for Detection of Anti-Tuberculosis Antibodies in Human Serum

Background: Tuberculosis is a crucial health problem. Establishing a rapid, reliable and still inexpensive diagnostic method for tuberculosis seems to be substantial in developing countries where TB has very high incidence rate . Methods:  An Indirect  Enzyme-linked  immunosorbent  Assay (ELISA)  was established to detect serum antibodies against Mycobacterium  tuberculosis. Three kinds of antigens were used to prepare the solid phase for antibody as- say including: purified protein derivative (PPD), M. tuberculosis Bacilli, and Mycobacterium  bovis Bacillus  Calmette  Guerin  (BCG).  Sera  of two main following groups were investigated in this study: sera samples from smear- positive, culturepositive and Tuberculin Skin Test-positive TB patients and sera samples from smear-negative, culture negative and TST-negative healthy individuals. Results: Among the antigens used, BCG produced higher sensitivity and specificity in the assay. With PPD as the solid phase, higher sensitivity but low er specificity was observed in comparison with BCG. Both, low response and noise (non-specific binding) were observed with TB bacilli as the solid phase in the assay. Conclusion: Using BCG solid phase system in this method resulted in higher sensitivity in comparison to single antigen solid phase systems. In addition, we were able to circumvent  the problem of non-specific  bindings in more popular multi-antigenic solid systems such as PPD. By using this new indi- rect ELISA, a rapid, reliable and still inexpensive diagnosis of tuberculosis might be possible. Although, further investigations  are required to confirm our result

Recombinant Proteins: Hopes for Tissue Engineering

Proteins constitute a group of key molecules with many applications in tissue engineering. Use of proteins provided from natural sources has several limitations which are overcome by the use of recombinant proteins. So far, the recombinant forms of many proteins with tissue engineering applications have been developed including structural proteins, growth factors and cytokines. This technology has enabled the development of specifically designed proteins such as growth factors with matrix binding domains, and hybrid structural proteins with improved mechanical properties. Recombinant proteins are produced either ex vivo or in vivo, by local gene therapy protocols, and are of medical and economic benefits. Due to the high applicability of recombinant proteins in tissue engineering, it is recommended to include this platform as an infrastructural element in any tissue engineering program

Comparison of cell wall proteins in putative Candida albicans & Candida dubliniensis by using modified staining method & SDSPAGE

 Abstract Background: Candida species are among the most common causes of opportunistic fungal diseases. Among Candida species, Candida albicans is responsible for most infections. Having many strains, C. albicans is very polymorph. C. dubliniensis is very similar to albicans species both morphologically and physiologically. For an infection to occur, cell wall proteins play an important role as they enable yeast to adhere to host cells and begin pathogenesis. Therefore, we decided to extract these proteins and examine them through common molecular methods of protein analysis including SDS-PAGE. Methods: Initially cell wall proteins of two C. albicans strains (CBS 562 and PTCC6027) and one C. dubliniensis strain (CBS7987) were extracted by using a solution of beta-mercaptoethanol and ammonium carbonate. After dialysis against Tris-HCL buffer, SDS gel electrophoresis was performed on the proteins extract. Bands were then visualized by using three different staining methods among which one method provided improved detection. Results: By using Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining method, proteins with molecular weight of 42, 66.2 and 200 kDa were detected. By using Silver staining method, proteins with molecular weight of 21.5, 28.5 and 37 kDa were detected. However, using combined Coomassie Brilliant Blue & Sliver staining method visualized more bands resulting in improved detection. Conclusion: To answer many existing questions about fungal diseases, fungi cell wall proteins are necessary to be examined. To commence such examinations, a simple step may be an SDS-PAGE performance on as many strains as possible. A combined staining method can enhance bands detection

Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles for Improved Cancer Theranostics

Beyond their well-known applications in bone tissue engineering, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp NPs) have also been showing great promise for improved cancer therapy. The chemical structure of HAp NPs offers excellent possibilities for loading and delivering a broad range of anticancer drugs in a sustained, prolonged, and targeted manner and thus eliciting lower complications than conventional chemotherapeutic strategies. The incorporation of specific therapeutic elements into the basic composition of HAp NPs is another approach, alone or synergistically with drug release, to provide advanced anticancer effects such as the capability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancer cells through activating specific cell signaling pathways. HAp NPs can be easily converted to smart anticancer agents by applying different surface modification treatments to facilitate the targeting and killing of cancer cells without significant adverse effects on normal healthy cells. The applications in cancer diagnosis for magnetic and nuclear in vivo imaging are also promising as the detection of solid tumor cells is now achievable by utilizing superparamagnetic HAp NPs. The ongoing research emphasizes the use of HAp NPs in fabricating three-dimensional scaffolds for the treatment of cancerous tissues or organs, promoting the regeneration of healthy tissue after cancer detection and removal. This review provides a summary of HAp NP applications in cancer theranostics, highlighting the current limitations and the challenges ahead for this field to open new avenues for research

Functionalization and Surface Modifications of Bioactive Glasses (BGs): Tailoring of the Biological Response Working on the Outermost Surface Layer

Bioactive glasses (BGs) are routinely being used as potent materials for hard and soft tissue engineering applications; however, improving their biological activities through surface functionalization and modification has been underestimated so far. The surface characteristics of BGs are key factors in determining the success of any implanted BG-based material in vivo since they regulate the affinity and binding of different biological macromolecules and thereby the interactions between cells and the implant. Therefore, a number of strategies using chemical agents (e.g., glutaraldehyde, silanes) and physical methods (e.g., laser treatment) have been evaluated and applied to design properly, tailor, and improve the surface properties of BGs. All these approaches aim at enhancing the biological activities of BGs, including the induction of cell proliferation and subsequent osteogenesis, as well as the inhibition of bacterial growth and adhesion, thereby reducing infection. In this study, we present an overview of the currently used approaches of surface functionalization and modifications of BGs, along with discussing the biological outputs induced by these changes