Membrane Coatings Research Articles

Self‐Oxygenated Biomimetic Nanozyme for Tumor Catalytic Immunotherapy

AbstractThe treatment of solid tumors remains a significant challenge due to the complex, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This manuscript introduces the self‐oxygenated biomimetic nanozyme system, SS‐MSN@Au‐BOM, which innovatively combines catalytic therapy with immunotherapy to modulate the TME for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Employing mesoporous silicon nanoparticles doped with disulfide bonds, the system integrates gold nanozymes that exhibit glucose oxidase (GOx)‐like and peroxidase (POD)‐like activities, along with a catalase (CAT) function derived from bacterial outer membrane (BOM) coatings. SS‐MSN@Au‐BOM significantly disrupted tumor growth by catalyzing endogenous hydrogen peroxide to generate cytotoxic ROS and essential oxygen, enhancing intratumoral ROS levels while alleviating hypoxia. This catalytic action facilitates immunogenic cell death, enhances dendritic cell maturation, and T‐cell activation. Notably, the system shows excellent biocompatibility, effective tumor targeting, and prolonged systemic circulation. SS‐MSN@Au‐BOM offers a dual‐functional approach that effectively disrupts the TME and promotes robust antitumor immunity. This study paves the way for further clinical investigation and the development of enzyme‐based therapeutics, potentially transforming the landscape of cancer treatment.

Cell-membrane coated nanoparticles: Role of machine learning and applications in diagnosis and therapy

The advancement of biomedical technologies has introduced a promising approach for targeted drug delivery—utilizing nano and microscale systems. These compounds provide the potential for precise drug delivery to specific tissues, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy, thereby minimizing off-target effects and improving site-specific accumulation. They enable controlled release of therapeutic agents, reducing the systemic toxicity often associated with conventional drugs. This review particularly highlights the critical role of cell membrane-decorated nanocompounds (CDCs), which represent a significant innovation in this field. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the precision of CDCs, utilizing advanced algorithms to predict optimal delivery routes and release mechanisms. Moreover, AI-driven analytics are instrumental in the real-time monitoring and adjustment of drug release rates, ensuring maximum efficacy and patient safety. This review delves into the applications of CDCs, exploring their characterization, drug delivery potential, and future prospects, with a specific focus on how cell membrane coatings can revolutionize the landscape of drug delivery. Furthermore, the integration of AI in these processes is emphasized, particularly in how it can significantly impact future therapeutic strategies.

Effect of Polymer and Cell Membrane Coatings on Theranostic Applications of Nanoparticles: A Review.

The recent decade has witnessed a remarkable surge in the field of nanoparticles, from their synthesis, characterization, and functionalization to diverse applications. At the nanoscale, these particles exhibit distinct physicochemical properties compared to their bulk counterparts, enabling a multitude of applications spanning energy, catalysis, environmental remediation, biomedicine, and beyond. This review focuses on specific nanoparticle categories, including magnetic, gold, silver, and quantum dots (QDs), as well as hybrid variants, specifically tailored for biomedical applications. A comprehensive review and comparison of prevalent chemical, physical, and biological synthesis methods are presented. To enhance biocompatibility and colloidal stability, and facilitate surface modification and cargo/agent loading, nanoparticle surfaces are coated with different synthetic polymers and very recently, cell membrane coatings. The utilization of polymer- or cell membrane-coated nanoparticles opens a wide variety of biomedical applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hyperthermia, photothermia, sample enrichment, bioassays, drug delivery, etc. With this review, the goal is to provide a comprehensive toolbox of insights into polymer or cell membrane-coated nanoparticles and their biomedical applications, while also addressing the challenges involved in translating such nanoparticles from laboratory benchtops to in vitro and in vivo applications. Furthermore, perspectives on future trends and developments in this rapidly evolving domain are provided.

Oral Heterojunction Coupling Interventional Optical Fiber Mediates Synergistic Therapy for Orthotopic Rectal Cancer.

Catalytic therapy has shown great potential for clinical application. However, conventional catalytic therapies rely on reactive oxygen species (ROS) as "therapeutic drugs," which have limitations in effectively inhibiting tumor recurrence and metastasis. Here, a biomimetic heterojunction catalyst is developed that can actively target orthotopic rectal cancer after oral administration. The heterojunction catalyst is composed of quatrefoil star-shaped BiVO4 (BVO) and ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) nanosheets through an in situ direct growth technique. Poly-norepinephrine and macrophage membrane coatings afford the biomimetic heterojunction catalyst (BVO/ZIS@M), which has high rectal cancer targeting and retention abilities. The coupled optical fiber intervention technology activates the multicenter coordination of five catalytic reactions of heterojunction catalysts, including two reduction reactions (O2→·O2 - and CO2→CO) and three oxidation reactions (H2O→·OH, GSH→GSSG, and LA→PA). These catalytic reactions not only induce immunogenic death in tumor cells through the efficient generation of ROS/CO and the consumption of GSH but also specifically lead to the use of lactic acid (LA) as an electron donor to improve catalytic activity and disrupt the LA-mediated immunosuppressive microenvironment, mediating synergistic catalysis and immunotherapy for orthotopic rectal cancer. Therefore, this optical fiber intervention triggered the combination of heterojunction catalytic therapy and immunotherapy, which exhibits prominent antitumor effects.

Reactive oxygen species-responsive nanotherapy for the prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury

Vascular recanalization intervention is the primary recommended approach for the treatment of ischemic stroke. However, the damage caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) poses a significant challenge for effective treatment. The aim of this study was to address this challenge by developing multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs). Cu4.6O NP was encapsulated by zein-Se-Se-DHA (Dz), the diselenide bond-conjugated zein and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and then coated by platelet membrane (PLTM) to form Cu4.6O@Dz@PLTM (MDzCu) NP. MDzCu with the PLTM coating showed strong targeting ability to the cerebral ischemic lesions in the rat model of cerebral I/R injury. Furthermore, in the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich brain microenvironment, both Cu4.6O and DHA are released from MDzCu, exerting ROS scavenging, promoting microglia polarization, and providing neuroprotective effects, ultimately alleviating cerebral I/R injury. This study presents several novel findings, such as the use of Cu0/Cu+ NPs for brain-related diseases, ROS scavenger-assisted DHA therapy for the central nervous system (CNS), and the application of stimuli-responsive NPs with diselenides to treat I/R injuries. This study provides insights into the development of stimuli-responsive nanomedicines with cell membrane coatings for the targeted treatment of brain diseases.

Erythrocyte Membrane Coating Alleviate Immune Response and Promoted Adipogenesis in Adipose Matrix.

Xenotransplantation of acellular adipose matrix (AAM) has come to prominence as an intriguing option for soft tissue reconstruction. However, the presence of immunogenic antigens within AAM can trigger unfavorable immune reactions, leading to inadequate invivo regeneration outcomes. Therefore, the development of advanced technology capable of modulating immune responses is crucial for the therapeutic implementation of AAM xenografts. In this work, an innovative technique is created to bypass the immune system by covering the surface of both AAM and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide-modified AAM xenografts with autologous red blood cell (RBC) membrane. The RBC membrane coating remained persistent and exhibited no significant decline even after 21 days. Moreover, it effectively reduced the expression of antigen major histocompatibility complex class 1 (MHC1) on the AAM surface. Following xenogeneic transplantation, the RBC-coated xenografts demonstrated increased expression of the adipogenic factor PPAR-γ, Adipoq, Fabp4, Fasn, and Plin1 and higher numbers of adipocytes. In addition, they exhibited decreased expression of immunological factors, including IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α, and fewer inflammatory cells. These findings indicate that RBC membrane coating successfully suppressed immune responses and promoted increased adipogenesis in AAM xenografts. Therefore, AAM camouflage coating with RBC has a lot of potential as a biomaterial for soft tissue reconstruction in clinical settings.

Dendritic Cell Immune Modulation via Polyphenol Membrane Coatings.

Cellular hitchhiking is an emerging strategy for the in vivo control of adoptively transferred immune cells. Hitchhiking approaches are primarily mediated by adhesion of nano and microparticles to the cell membrane, which conveys an ability to modulate transferred cells via local drug delivery. Although T cell therapies employing this strategy have progressed into the clinic, phagocytic cells including dendritic cells (DCs) are much more challenging to engineer. DC vaccines hold great potential for a spectrum of diseases, and the combination drug delivery is an attractive strategy to manipulate their function and overcome in vivo plasticity. However, DCs are not compatible with current hitchhiking approaches due to their broad phagocytic capacity. In this work, we developed and validated META (membrane engineering using tannic acid) to enable DC cellular hitchhiking for the first time. META employs the polyphenol tannic acid (TA) to facilitate supramolecular assembly of protein drug cargoes on the cell membrane, enabling the creation of cell surface-bound formulations for local drug delivery to carrier DCs. We optimized META formulations to incorporate and release protein cargoes with varying physical properties alone and in combination and to preserve DC viability and critical functions such as migration. We further show that META loaded with either a pro- or anti-inflammatory cargo can influence the carrier cell phenotype, thus demonstrating the flexibility of the approach for applications from cancer to autoimmune disease. Overall, this approach illustrates a new platform for the local control of phagocytic immune cells as a next step to advance DC therapies in the clinic.

Recent Research on Pore Sealing

Abstract: The article underscores the pivotal significance of sealing membrane pores in augmenting material performance and delves into the foundational principles governing membrane pore sealing. It thoroughly scrutinizes the evolution of membrane pore sealing technology, with a particular emphasis on anodization and micro-arc oxidation processes. Methods for sealing membrane pores are classified into hydration, organic, inorganic techniques, and other approaches to foster comprehension. Furthermore, the article deliberates on novel techniques for sealing membrane coatings, assesses their merits and demerits, and proposes enhancement strategies. These endeavors are geared towards propelling the advancement of membrane pore sealing technology, thereby enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and multifunctionality.

Intrabacterial Nitroreductase‐Activated Imaging and Persistently Illuminated Photodynamic Therapy for Intracellular Infection Theranostics

AbstractIntracellular bacterial (ICB) infection is one of the most life‐threatening cases of drug resistance, and photodynamic therapy (PDT) is challenged by limited light penetration into tissues and unspecific toxicity to host cells. Herein, theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) are developed to facilitate on‐demand activation of photosensitizers inside ICBs and persistent PDT of deep‐tissue ICB infections. Mechanoluminescent SrAl2O4:Eu2+ and persistence luminescent CaS:Eu2+ are sequentially deposited on mesoporous silica to prepare mSC, followed by encapsulation by bacterial membranes with loaded nitroreductase (NTR)‐activatable methylene blue (nMB) to obtain mSC‐nMB@BM NPs. The fluorescence quenching of nMB with mSC offers few cytotoxicities even under ultrasonication, and bacterial membrane coatings mediate the specific NP internalization into ICB‐infected macrophages. Bacterial pore‐forming toxins trigger nMB release from NPs, and intrabacterial NTR rejuvenates methylene blue probes from nMB for real‐time imaging of ICB infections. Ultrasonication of NPs continuously excites the rejuvenated methylene blue to generate reactive oxidative species and reduce viable ICBs by 3.54 log magnitude folds. NP treatment on ICB‐infected mice exhibits full survival and restores viscera functions without any pathological abnormality. Therefore, this concise NP design demonstrates capabilities of bacterial membrane‐mediated specific internalization, bacterial toxin‐triggered release and intrabacterial NTR‐rejuvenation of fluorescent probes, and persistent internal light‐illumination for ICB theranostics.

The Effects of the Coating and Aging of Biodegradable Polylactic Acid Membranes on In Vitro Primary Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness in developed countries. The replacement of dysfunctional human retinal pigment epithelium (hRPE) cells by the transplantation of in vitro-cultivated hRPE cells to the affected area emerges as a feasible strategy for regenerative therapy. Synthetic biomimetic membranes arise as powerful hRPE cell carriers, but as biodegradability is a requirement, it also poses a challenge due to its limited durability. hRPE cells exhibit several characteristics that putatively respond to the type of membrane carrier, and they can be used as biomarkers to evaluate and further optimize such membranes. Here, we analyze the pigmentation, transepithelial resistance, genome integrity, and maturation markers of hRPE cells plated on commercial polycarbonate (PC) versus in-house electrospun polylactide-based (PLA) membranes, both enabling separate apical/basolateral compartments. Our results show that PLA is superior to PC-based membranes for the cultivation of hRPEs, and the BEST1/RPE65 maturation markers emerge as the best biomarkers for addressing the quality of hRPE cultivated in vitro. The stability of the cultures was observed to be affected by PLA aging, which is an effect that could be partially palliated by the coating of the PLA membranes.

Comparison between Waterproofing Sheets Membrane and Polyurea Waterproofing Coating Methods

This research aims to compare between Waterproofing Sheets Membrane and Polyurea Waterproofing Coating Methods, and know the waterproofing methods applying time, cost, weight, materials durability, and the waterproofing methods materials fire resistance properties. The research used qualitative analysis techniques to compare the two waterproofing methods objectively, Through lab testing, researchers found that: the polyurea waterproofing coating method usually takes between 1 to 2 working days to apply while the traditional sheet membrane waterproofing method takes between 5 to 7 working days applying time, and the polyurea waterproofing coating method can be more expensive than the traditional waterproofing sheet membranes method. Applying polyurea requires specialized equipment and trained personnel for proper handling and application, Both methods' materials weight are considered relatively light but the polyurea coating method materials are lighter, the polyurea waterproofing coating system lasts up to 30 years. Rather than the traditional system which durability is up to 20 years, the polyurea waterproofing coating system is considered a good fire resistance system rather than traditional sheet membrane system. It is recommended to clean and clear the surface before the commence of the waterproofing process. and the surface needs to be tested for at least 3 full days to confirm that the waterproofing system was applied successfully and without missing any openings.

Fiber Bragg grating sensor for accurate and sensitive detection of carbon dioxide concentration

To accurately, sensitively, and rapidly detect carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, a novel fiber Bragg grating (FBG) CO2 sensor was fabricated based on a polysulfone (PSF)/polyimide (PI) material, surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG), and temperature-compensated FBG unit. The results indicate that the response sensitivity of the sensor is affected by the PI doping ratio, and the surfactant PEG can effectively shorten the response time of CO2 sensing. The sensitivity and response time of the sensor are positively correlated with the thickness of the PSF/PI/PEG CO2-selective coating. The hydrophobic coating can prevent water molecules from moving into the CO2-sensitive film, and the FBG temperature-compensation unit can effectively eliminate the interference of temperature on CO2 detection. When the PI doping ratio was 10 wt%, the surfactant doping ratio was 0.1 wt%, the thickness of the CO2-sensitive membrane was 49 µm, and the number of superhydrophobic membrane coatings was 15. In addition, the sensor could accurately measure the CO2 concentration in the temperature range of 25–50 °C and relative humidity of 35–80%RH. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor was 3.39 pm/mM, response time was 310 s, limit of detection was 0.087 mM, maximum relative error was less than 7.28%, and the sensor exhibited high selectivity and long service life.

Targeted Therapy of Acute Liver Injury via Cryptotanshinone-Loaded Biomimetic Nanoparticles Derived from Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Driven by Homing.

Acute liver injury (ALI) has the potential to compromise hepatic function rapidly, with severe cases posing a considerable threat to human health and wellbeing. Conventional treatments, such as the oral administration of antioxidants, can inadvertently lead to liver toxicity and other unwanted side effects. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can target therapeutic agents directly to inflammatory sites owing to their homing effect, and they offer a promising avenue for the treatment of ALI. However, the efficacy and feasibility of these live cell products are hampered by challenges associated with delivery pathways and safety concerns. Therefore, in this work, MSC membranes were ingeniously harnessed as protective shells to encapsulate synthesized PLGA nanoparticle cores (PLGA/MSCs). This strategic approach enabled nanoparticles to simulate endogenous substances and yielded a core-shell nano-biomimetic structure. The biomimetic nanocarrier remarkably maintained the homing ability of MSCs to inflammatory sites. In this study, cryptotanshinone (CPT)-loaded PLGA/MSCs (CPT@PLGA/MSC) were prepared. These nanoparticles can be effectively internalized by LO2 cells. They reduced cellular oxidative stress and elevated inflammatory levels. In vivo results suggested that, after intravenous administration, CPT@PLGA/MSCs significantly reduced uptake by the reticuloendothelial system and immune recognition compared to PLGA nanoparticles without MSC membrane coatings, subsequently resulting in their targeted and enhanced accumulation in the liver. The effectiveness of CPT@PLGA/MSCs in alleviating carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in a mouse model was unequivocally demonstrated through comprehensive histological examination and liver function tests. This study introduces a pioneering strategy with substantial potential for ALI treatment.

Charge-adhered microfibrillar cellulose multilayer as a flow-modulating membrane coating: Solute separation by shape

Functional microfibrillar cellulose coatings for ultrafiltration membranes were prepared and characterized. For this purpose, a strategy for converting cotton cellulose into microfibres by incubation in a deep eutectic solvent of choline chloride and malonic acid, with no mechanical disintegration step, was created. The microfibres were furthermore modified to possess either cationic or anionic surface charges to allow charge-assisted adhesion of the fibres on ultrafiltration membrane surface. The adhesion was significantly improved by the electrostatic attraction, and it allowed building durable multilayer coatings by Layer-by-Layer methodology for membrane filtration purposes. The polyelectrolyte-inspired Layer-by-Layer strategy for depositing microfibrillar celluloses onto a membrane makes it possible to create coatings out of pure, only slightly derived cellulose, with no need for incorporating hazardous cross-linkers or synthetic polymers into the matrix. The deposited multilayer introduces a shear-force modulating functionality to the membrane which furthermore allows the permeation of molecules that have larger Stokes-Einstein radii than the membrane pore radius. This permeation is selective towards a linear polymer (poly(ethylene glycol)), while a more globular model substance with a similar molar mass (lignin) is highly rejected. The resulting filtration properties can furthermore be easily tuned by controlling the coating thickness.

An engineered lymph node comprising porous collagen scaffold with hybridized biological signals embedded in B cell membrane coatings

Complications can arise from damaging or removing lymph nodes after surgeries for malignant tumours. Our team has developed an innovative solution to recreate lymph nodes via an engineering approach. Using a Type II collagen scaffold coated with B cell membranes for the sake of attracting T cells in different regions, we could mimic the thymus-dependent and thymus-independent areas in vitro. This engineering strategy based on biophysical mimicry has a great potential for clinical applications. By further conjugating biological signals, anti-CD3/28, onto the scaffold coated with the B cell membrane, we achieved an 11.6-fold expansion of T cells within 14 days of in vitro culture while ensuring their activity, phenotype homeostasis, and differentiation capacity kept intact. Artificial lymph nodes had excellent biocompatibility and caused no pathological or physiological adverse effects after implantation into C57BL6 mice. In vivo assays also demonstrated that this artificial lymph node system positively adhered to omental tissues, creating an environment that fostered T cell growth and prevented cellular failure and death. Additionally, it induced vascular and lymphatic vessel invasion, which was beneficial to the migration and circulation of T cells between this system and peripheral blood. Due to the porous collagen fibre structure, it also facilitated the infiltration of host immune cells. This work opens new avenues to immune organ regeneration via a tissue engineering approach.

Magnetic Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanoplatform with Platelet Membrane Coating as a Synergistic Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Inhibitor against Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors are the most common immune-checkpoint inhibitors and considered promising drugs for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, in clinical settings, they have a low objective response rate (15%-20%) for patients with HCC; this is because of the insufficient level and activity of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs). The combined administration of oxymatrine (Om) and astragaloside IV (As) can increase the levels of TILs by inhibiting the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and improve the activity of TILs by enhancing their mitochondrial function. In the present study, we constructed a magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF)-based nanoplatform with platelet membrane (Pm) coating (PmMN@Om&As) to simultaneously deliver Om and As into the HCC microenvironment. We observed that PmMN@Om&As exhibited a high total drug-loading capacity (33.77 wt %) and good immune escape. Furthermore, it can target HCC tissues in a magnetic field and exert long-lasting effects. The HCC microenvironment accelerated the disintegration of PmMN@Om&As and the release of Om&As, thereby increasing the level and activity of TILs by regulating CAFs and the mitochondrial function of TILs. In addition, the carrier could synergize with Om&As by enhancing the oxygen consumption rate and proton efflux rate of TILs, thereby upregulating the mitochondrial function of TILs. Combination therapy with PmMN@Om&As and α-PD-1 resulted in a tumor suppression rate of 84.15% and prolonged the survival time of mice. Our study provides a promising approach to improving the antitumor effect of immunotherapy in HCC.

A new method to treat persistent corneal erosions after high-risk keratoplasty

Purpose: to compare the effectiveness of conventional preserved amnion and amnion saturated with platelet-rich (PRP) plasma lysate for the treatment of persistent corneal erosions (PCE) after high-risk keratoplasty.Materials and methods. 40 patients with persistent corneal erosions after high-risk penetrating keratoplasty, followed up for 12 months, were divided into two clinical groups of 20 people each. The main group of patients, aged 34 to 84, received Flexamer amniotic membrane + PRP lysate, while the comparison group, aged 41 to 80, received Flexamer amniotic membrane only. Amniotic membrane coating was used in persistent corneal erosions of penetrating keratoplasty after unsuccessful conservative treatment. The amnion was sewn 2 mm from the limb with a continuous suture and covered with a soft contact lens. As a source of platelets, we used the blood of healthy volunteers, from which platelet-rich plasma with platelet concentration of over 1000 thousand/µl was taken, which was then frozen at -40 °C and defrosted at 0…4 °C to obtain PRP lysate. The criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of both groups were the times of epithelialization, the number of amniotic membrane coatings, and the number of preserved transplants at the end of the follow-up.Results. Lyophilized amniotic membrane saturated with autologous PRP lysate growth factors was shown to be biocompatible. It was found to be safe for the patients, to reduce the epithelialization time, to reduce the number of operations required to cover the PÑE with the amnion, and to increase the likelihood of successful transparent and translucent engraftment of a penetrating keratograft.Conclusion. The use of a lyophilized amniotic membrane enriched with growth factors of autologous PRP lysate is a promising method for the treatment of PCE of the penetrating corneal graft after high-risk keratoplasty.

One-Step Modification of Poly(vinyl alcohol) with Benzophenone and Sulfonic Acid Groups for Waterborne and UV-Curable Humidifier Membrane Coatings

One-Step Modification of Poly(vinyl alcohol) with Benzophenone and Sulfonic Acid Groups for Waterborne and UV-Curable Humidifier Membrane Coatings

Macrophage Membrane‐Coated, Nanostructured Adsorbent Surfaces in a Microfluidic Device for Extracorporeal Blood Cleansing in Bacterially Induced Sepsis

AbstractSepsis is a dysregulated host response to infection that can lead to life‐threatening organ failure. Circulating bacterial toxins, termed pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and excess cytokines produced by the immune system play a key role in the response that can progress into organ failure. Yet, no therapy is available to effectively remove these PAMPs and cytokines from the circulation or effectively block their action. Macrophage membrane coatings possess a natural blood compatibility, ideal for coating of adsorbent surfaces in extracorporeal blood‐cleansing. Here, the ability of Escherichia coli‐activated macrophage membrane coatings on silicon nanowired (SiNW) surfaces in a microfluidic device to remove PAMPs and cytokines from blood is determined. In vitro, such membrane‐coated SiNW adsorbent surfaces remove significantly more PAMPS or cytokines from spiked human blood than achieved by hemofiltration. Cleansing of plasma from patients with bacterial sepsis using membrane‐coated SiNW adsorbent surfaces reduces cytokine concentrations to healthy levels. In vivo, this coincides with two‐fold better restoration of healthy cytokine levels after 4 h of extracorporeal blood‐cleansing in rats with lipopolysaccharides (LPS)‐induced sepsis and four‐fold higher survival rates. Collectively, blood‐cleansing microfluidic devices using bacterially activate macrophage membrane‐coated SiNW surfaces are more effective than hemofiltration for therapeutic intervention in septic patients.

Neural cell membrane-coated DNA nanogels as a potential target-specific drug delivery tool for the central nervous system

A major bottleneck in drug/gene delivery to enhance tissue regeneration after injuries is to achieve targeted delivery to the cells of interest. Unfortunately, we have not been able to attain effective targeted drug delivery in tissues due to the lack of efficient delivery platforms. Since specific cell-cell interactions exist to impart the unique structure and functionality of tissues and organs, we hypothesize that such specific cellular interactions may also be harnessed for drug delivery applications in the form of cell membrane coatings. Here, we employed neural cell-derived membrane coating technique on DNA nanogels to improve target specificity. The efficacy of neural cell membrane-coated DNA nanogels (NCM-nanogels) was demonstrated by using four types of cell membranes derived from the central nervous system (CNS), namely, astrocytes, microglia, cortical neurons, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). A successful coating of NCMs over DNA nanogels was confirmed by dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy. Subsequently, an overall improvement in cellular uptake of NCM-nanogels over uncoated DNA nanogels (p < 0.005) was seen. Additionally, we observed a selective uptake of OPC membrane-coated DNA nanogels (NCM-O mem) by oligodendrocytes over other cell types both in vitro and in vivo. Our quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results also showed selective and effective gene knockdown capacity of NCM-O mem for OPC transfection. The findings in this work may be beneficial for future drug delivery applications targeted at the CNS.