Carbon nanotubes for organ regeneration: an electrifying performance

Tissue regeneration research is advancing rapidly, thanks to the innovation potential of stem cells and nanomaterials. In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown an unmatched performance in conductive tissue regeneration. When grown in contact with CNTs, conducting cells become \u201celectrified\u201d, i.e., electrically more active, mature, and better interconnected. The challenges inherent in translating these concepts into 3D printing of whole organs for biomedical use are being addressed worldwide

The Glitter of Carbon Nanostructures in Hybrid/Composite Hydrogels for Medicinal Use

In recent years, we have witnessed to fast developments in the medicinal field of hydrogels containing various forms of integrated nanostructured carbon that adds interesting mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. Besides key advances in tissue engineering (especially for conductive tissue, such as for the brain and the heart), there has been innovation also in the area of drug delivery on-demand, with engineered hydrogels capable of repeated response to light, thermal, or electric stimuli. This mini-review focusses on the most promising developments as applied to the gelation of protein/ peptide (including self-assembling amino acids and low-molecular-weight gelators), polysaccharide, and/or synthetic polymer components in medicine. The emerging field of graphene-only hydrogels is also briefly discussed, to give the reader a full flavor of the rising new paradigms in medicine that are made possible through the integration of nanostructured carbon (e.g., carbon nanotubes, nanohorns, nanodiamonds, fullerene, etc.). Nanocarbons are offering great opportunities to bring on a revolution in therapy that the modern medicinal chemist needs to master, to realise their full potential into powerful therapeutic solutions for the patient

GADA titer-related risk for organ-specific autoimmunity in LADA subjects subdivided according to gender (NIRAD study 6).

CONTEXT: Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) includes a heterogeneous population wherein, based on glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) titer, different subgroups of subjects can be identified. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate GADA titer-related risk for β-cell and other organ-specific autoimmunity in LADA subjects. METHODS: Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes subjects (n=236) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) subjects (n=450) were characterized for protein tyrosine phosphatase (IA-2IC and IA-2(256-760)), zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8), thyroid peroxidase, (TPO), steroid 21-hydroxylase (21-OH), tissue transglutaminase (tTG), and antiparietal cell (APC) antibodies. RESULTS: High GADA titer compared to low GADA titer showed a significantly higher prevalence of IA-2IC, IA-2(256-760), ZnT8, TPO, and APC antibodies (P≤0.04 for all comparison). 21-OH antibodies were detected in 3.4% of high GADA titer. A significant decreasing trend was observed from high GADA to low GADA and to T2DM subjects for IA-2(256-760), ZnT8, TPO, tTG, and APC antibodies (P for trend≤0.001). TPO was the only antibody showing a different prevalence between gender; low GADA titer and T2DM female patients had a higher frequency of TPO antibody compared to males (P=0.0004 and P=0.0006, respectively), where the presence of high GADA titer conferred an odds ratio of 8.6 for TPO compared to low GADA titer. After subdividing high and low GADA titer subjects according to the number of antibodies, we observed that 73.3% of high GADA titer subjects were positive for at least one or more antibodies, compared to 38.3% of low GADA titer (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In LADA subjects, high GADA titer was associated with a profile of more severe autoimmunity and, in male gender, specifically predisposed to thyroid autoimmunity. A regular screening for other antibodies is recommended in LADA patients according to GADA titer and gender

Diverse Applications of Nanomedicine

The design and use of materials in the nanoscale size range for addressing medical and health-related issues continues to receive increasing interest. Research in nanomedicine spans a multitude of areas, including drug delivery, vaccine development, antibacterial, diagnosis and imaging tools, wearable devices, implants, high-throughput screening platforms, etc. using biological, nonbiological, biomimetic, or hybrid materials. Many of these developments are starting to be translated into viable clinical products. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine and highlight the current challenges and upcoming opportunities for the field and translation to the clinic. \ua9 2017 American Chemical Society

Properties and behavior of carbon nanomaterials when interfacing neuronal cells: How far have we come?

In the last two decades, an increasing amount of studies have investigated the use of components based on carbon-(nano)materials in the engineering of neural interfaces, to improve the performance of current state of the art devices. Carbon is an extremely versatile element, characterized by a variety of allotropes and structures with different properties due to their sp, sp2 or sp3 hybridization. Among the diverse carbon nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes and graphene are naturally excellent electrical conductors, thus representing ideal candidates for interfacing electrical-excitable tissues. In addition, their dimensional range holds the potential to enhance the material interactions with bio-systems. Successful interfacing of the nervous system with devices that record or modulate neuronal electrical activity requires their stable electrical coupling with neurons. The efficiency of this coupling can be improved significantly by the use of conductive, ad hoc designed, nanomaterials. Here we review different carbon-based nanomaterials currently under investigation in basic and applied neuroscience, and the recent developments in this research field, with a special focus on in vitro studies

Synthesis of 6-deoxy-6-chloro and 6-deoxy-6-bromo derivatives of scleroglucan as intermediates for conjugation with methotrexate and other carboxylate containing compounds

Polysaccharides are widely used as carriers in the field of drug delivery. We present a methodology to obtain water soluble drug-conjugates based on scleroglucan. Selective C-6 halogenation gives access to C-6 esters; conjugates between methotrexate and scleroglucan are described, potentially useful for antitumour therapy or in rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Photophysical properties of novel water soluble fullerene derivatives

6nonenoneS. FOLEY; S. BOSI; C. LARROQUE; PRATO M.; J.-M. JANOT; P. SETAS., Foley; Bosi, Susanna; C., Larroque; Prato, Maurizio; J. M., Janot; P., Set

Synthesis of 6-amino-6-deoxyhyaluronan as an intermediate for conjugation with carboxylate-containing compounds: application to hyaluronan-camptothecin conjugates

A novel methodology for making drug conjugates using hyaluronan as a carrier was developed. This strategy involves a completely regioselective two-step synthesis of 6-amino-6-deoxyhyaluronan, which is then easily functionalized with drugs through a suitable linker. The case of hyaluronan\u2013camptothecin conjugates is described, making use of a simple succinate linker. The antitumor activity of new hyaluronan derivatives prepared is at present under evaluation