Immune Cell Membrane-Coated Biomimetic Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Nanotechnology has provided great opportunities for managing neoplastic conditions at various levels, from preventive and diagnostic to therapeutic fields. However, when it comes to clinical application, nanoparticles (NPs) have some limitations in terms of biological stability, poor targeting, and rapid clearance from the body. Therefore, biomimetic approaches, utilizing immune cell membranes, are proposed to solve these issues. For example, macrophage or neutrophil cell membrane coated NPs are developed with the ability to interact with tumor tissue to suppress cancer progression and metastasis. The functionality of these particles largely depends on the surface proteins of the immune cells and their preserved function during membrane extraction and coating process on the NPs. Proteins on the outer surface of immune cells can render a wide range of activities to the NPs, including prolonged blood circulation, remarkable competency in recognizing antigens for enhanced targeting, better cellular interactions, gradual drug release, and reduced toxicity in vivo. In this review, nano-based systems coated with immune cells-derived membranous layers, their detailed production process, and the applicability of these biomimetic systems in cancer treatment are discussed. In addition, future perspectives and challenges for their clinical translation are also presented.Peer reviewe

Novel insights into the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection : An overview of current clinical trials

The emergence of the global pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has motivated scientists to find a definitive treatment or a vaccine against it in the shortest possible time. Current efforts towards this goal remain fruitless without a full understanding of the behavior of the virus and its adaptor proteins. This review provides an overview of the biological properties, functional mechanisms, and molecular components of SARS-CoV-2, along with investigational therapeutic and preventive approaches for this virus. Since the proteolytic cleavage of the S protein is critical for virus penetration into cells, a set of drugs, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, camostat mesylate have been tested in clinical trials to suppress this event. In addition to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the role of CD147 in the viral entrance has also been proposed. Mepolizumab has shown to be effective in blocking the virus's cellular entrance. Antiviral drugs, such as remdesivir, ritonavir, oseltamivir, darunavir, lopinavir, zanamivir, peramivir, and oseltamivir, have also been tested as treatments for COVID-19. Regarding preventive vaccines, the whole virus, vectors, nucleic acids, and structural subunits have been suggested for vaccine development. Mesenchymal stem cells and natural killer cells could also be used against SARS-CoV-2. All the above-mentioned strategies, as well as the role of nanomedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection, have been discussed in this review. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Molecular beacon strategies for sensing purpose

The improvement of nucleic acid probes as vital molecular engineering devices will cause a noteworthy contribution to developments in bioimaging, biosensing, and disorders diagnosis. The molecular beacon (MB) which was designed by Tyagi and Kramer in 1996, are loop-stem hairpin-designed oligonucleotides armed with a quencher and a dye (also named reporter groups) at the 30 or 50 ends. This construction allows that MBs in the absence of their target complementary molecules do not fluoresce. Through hybridization with their specific targets a spontaneous configuration change on MBs occur and the dye and quencher separate from each other, resulting in emitting the fluorescence. MBs are effective probes for biosensing because of their extraordinary target-specificity, unique structure, inherent fluorescent signal transduction mechanism, low background fluorescence emission, recognition without separation, and favorable thermodynamic properties. In comparison to other probes (such as linear DNA sequences), MBs with the same number of complementary nucleotides matching their target, are multitasking probes. They have advantages of thermodynamic and photostability, flexible ability for conjugation, higher efficient intrinsic signal switching, and ultra-sensitivity. MBs not only are useful for identifying a nucleic acid target but can also be employed for recognition of various non-nucleic acid goals, including heavy metals and cations, enzymes, cells, ATP, etc. Hence, this review highlights the potential of MBs in the improvement of biosensors and their usage in detection of different analytes such as miRNA, mRNA, cocaine, methamphetamine, actin, thrombin, heavy metal and cations and so on. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Antibacterial Activities of Kelussia odoratissima and Teucrium polium Essential Oils in Combination of Synthetic Silver Nanoparticles against Food- borne Pathogens

To study the interaction of silver nanoparticles with antibacterial effects of Kelussia odoratissima and Teucrium polium essential oils consolidated trial based on calculation of MIC and FIC index or differential inhibitory concentration and simple method checkboard designed and implemented. Essential oil of the plants extracted by hydro-distillation using clevenger apparatus. In this study, common food contaminant bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella enterica and Ps. aureogenosa were used. The results showed that the antibacterial properties of the essential oil of Teucrium is stronger (MIC between 0.16 to 1.25 mg/ ml) than of the oil of Kelussia (MIC between 0.3 to 2.5 mg/ml). Antibacterial properties of silver nanoparticles (MIC between 0.006 to 0.025 mg) were stronger significantly. Calculate the differential inhibitory concentration index (FICi) implies the existence of synergistic and additive effect between silver nanoparticles and oil of both plant which will depend on the type of pathogen. This means that the combined use of silver nanoparticles and essential oil of the plant especially Teucrium essential oils strong inhibitory effect with lower concentrations of the essential oils was observed. Antagonistic interaction between silver nanoparticles and oil treatments in any of these two plants were observed

Synergistic antibaterial activity of medicinal plants essential oils with biogenic silver nanoparticles

Objective(s): Development of a nanobiosystem by using plant essential oils with green synthesized silver nanoparticles that present synergistic antibacterial activity for overcoming antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. Material and Methods: Essential oils (EOs) of Kelussia odoratissima and Teucrium polium extracted by hydrodistillation were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Then leaf aqueous extract of K. odoratissima prepared and used for green synthesise of silver nanoparticles (SNPs).  The oils, and the colloidal preparations of silver nanoparticles, were then subjected to microdilution technique using ELISA reader to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella enterica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The type of interaction between EO and SNPs was also determined by calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration index and isibologram type. Results: GC-MS analysis of K. odoratissima EO showed (Z)-ligustilide, (Z)-3-butylidene-phthalide,  limonene and β-phellandren as main constiuents, while T. polium EO has β-caryophylene, germacrene D, γ-cadinene, (Z)-nerolidol, camphor, β-pinene, α- camphene, linalool and α-humulene. T. polium EO has more potent antibacterial property at MIC of 0.16-1.25 mg/ml compared to K. odoratissima (MIC of 0.3-2.5 mg/ml). Silver nanoparticles showed a potent antibacterial property (MIC of 0.006-0.025 mg/ml), and its colloidal suspension with plant EOs revealed a pathogen-dependent synergistic and additive effect based on calculated fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi)

Recent advances in development of nano-carriers for immunogene therapy in various complex disorders

Immunotherapy is a novel preference for the treatment of various complex diseases. Considering the application of varying agents for suppression or activation of the immune system, immunogene therapy was confirmed to stand as a proper alternative for other immunotherapeutic strategies due to its capability in targeting cells with more specificity that leads to controlling the expression of therapeutic genes. This method facilitates the local and single-dose application of most gene therapies that result in the usage of high therapeutic doses with a low risk of systemic side effects while being cost-efficient in long-term administrations. However, the existing barriers between the administration site and cell nucleus limited the clinical uses of genetic materials. These challenges can be overcome through the promising method of exerting non-carriers with high stability, low toxicity/immunogenicity, and simple modifications. In this study, we attempted to review the potential of nanoparticle application throughout the immunogene therapy of different diseases including cancer, microbial diseases, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory infections. We included the outline of some challenges and opportunities in regards to the delivery of genetic materials that are based on nano-systems through immunotherapy of these disorders. Next to the promising future of these vectors, more detailed analyses are required to overcome the current limitations in clinical approaches. © 2022 Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

The Chemical Assessment of Seed Essence of Three Native Medicinal Plants of Yazd Province (Bunium Premium, ‌Cuminum Cyminum, Trachyspermum Copticum) and the Comparison of Their Antioxidant Properties

Introduction: Trachyspermum copticum, Bunium persicum and Cuminum cyminum involve the most important medicinal plants in Apiaceae family in Iran which can be observed in different natural habitats of Yazd province. Therefore, these three native medicinal plants of Yazd province were assessed in regard with the components and antioxidant properties of their seed essences. Methods: In this experimental-lab trial, all experiments were performed in triplicate. The essence of the collected seeds were extracted by hydro-distillation, and fractionated by GC/MS method. Then, the compounds were identified. The DPPH test was used to estimate antioxidant properties. The Follin-Ciocalteu method was applied in order to estimate the quantity of Phenolic compounds. Results: The analysis revealed that the main components of Trachyspermum copticum were γ-Terpinene, β-pinene, cymene and thymol. Regarding Cuminum cyminum, the main components were propanal, 1-phenyl-1-butanol and benzene methanol. For Bunium persicum, the results revealed that the –γTerpinene had the highest percentage of the essence. The IC50 of Bunium persicum, Trachyspermum copticum and Cuminum cyminum were 2.85, 1.49 and 0.711 µg.mg-1 and the phenolic component percentage were 117.09, 90.22 and 162.62mg.g-1, respectively. Conclusion: The study results, with respect to antioxidant properties, demonstrated the highest antioxidant properties for Trachyspermum copticum, whereas the lowest antioxidant properties were regarded for Bunium persicum. The highest phenolic components were observed in Bunium persicum, Trachyspermum copticum, and Cuminum cyminumt, respectively