Nanocellulose derived from agricultural biowaste by-products–Sustainable synthesis, biocompatibility, biomedical applications, and future perspectives: A review

Cellulose, a natural linear biopolymer composed of hierarchically arranged cellulose nanofibrils, presents a compelling avenue for sustainable nanocellulose synthesis from agricultural by-products. This innovative approach both mitigates organic waste and landfill disposal and unlocks the latent potential of nanocellulose, transforming agricultural residue into valuable resources. This paradigm shift towards sustainability resonates across diverse industrial sectors, particularly in biomedical research and development. In recent years, the remarkable attributes of nanocellulose, including its biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and exceptional water-holding capacity for cell immobilization, have propelled its adoption in various medical applications. From drug delivery systems to wound healing, tissue engineering, and antimicrobial treatments, nanocellulose has emerged as a versatile biomaterial. Moreover, the strategic integration of nanocellulose into composites and its structural functionalization enable customizing its properties for specific functions, further expanding its utility. This comprehensive review explores prominent types of nanocellulose—including cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, and microbial or bacterial cellulose—elucidating their biomedical applications. This review underscores the sustainability principles underpinning its utilization by exploring the cellulose sources derived from biowaste and industrial processes for nanocellulose production. As a crucial component in a wide array of biomedical materials, nanocellulose both drives innovation and propels the advancement of biomedicine toward sustainability

Inhibitory effects of Ganoderma lucidum spore oil on rheumatoid arthritis in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model

Holistic healthcare practitioners have now started to focus on specific traditional medicinal mushrooms to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is one of the oldest mushrooms that have been used in ancient Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory ailments, including autoimmune diseases such as RA. Spores from this mushroom have specific effects on immunomodulation, aging, and cancer. However, the effect of G. lucidum spores (GLS) on arthritis remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of GLS oil in a collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis (CIA) model. Metabolomics analysis revealed that GLS oil contains ten acids, of which oleic acid (52.12%) and linoleic acid (16.77%) predominated. The GLS oil-treated CIA mice had a significantly lower clinical score (p = 0.0384) for RA than the control CIA mice. Moreover, GLS oil reduced CIA-induced cartilage degeneration and synovial membrane inflammation in the knee. The GLS oil group showed significantly reduced knee eosinophilia (p = 0.0056). Immunostaining of neutrophils revealed that neutrophils infiltrated the CIA group; however, infiltrated neutrophils were significantly reduced in the GLS oil group in both the knees (p = 0.0006) and ankles (p = 0.0023). GLS oil treatment substantially suppressed LPS- or TNF-α–induced IL-6 mRNA expression in primary cultured chondrocytes. IL-6 immunohistochemistry results showed that the protein levels of IL-6 were attenuated in the GLS oil group compared to the CIA group. These findings suggest that GLS oil may be useful for the development of RA drugs. Further clinical research is required to identify significant improvements

Innate Immune Response Analysis in Meniscus Xenotransplantation Using Normal and Triple Knockout Jeju Native Pigs

Although allogenic meniscus grafting can be immunologically safe, it causes immune rejection due to an imbalanced tissue supply between donor and recipient. Pigs are anatomically and physiologically similar to adult humans and are, therefore, considered to be advantageous xenotransplantation models. However, immune rejection caused by genetic difference damages the donor tissue and can sometimes cause sudden death. Immune rejection is caused by genes; porcine GGTA1, CMAH, and B4GLANT2 are the most common. In this study, we evaluated immune cells infiltrating the pig meniscus transplanted subcutaneously into BALB/c mice bred for three weeks. We compared the biocompatibility of normal Jeju native black pig (JNP) meniscus with that of triple knockout (TKO) JNP meniscus (α-gal epitope, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), and Sd (a) epitope knockout using CRISPR-Cas 9). Mast cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, and macrophages were found to have infiltrated the transplant boundary in the sham (without transplantation), normal (normal JNP), and test (TKO JNP) samples after immunohistochemical analysis. When compared to normal and sham groups, TKO was lower. Cytokine levels did not differ significantly between normal and test groups. Because chronic rejection can occur after meniscus transplantation associated with immune cell infiltration, we propose studies with multiple genetic editing to prevent immune rejection