Heterologous production and evaluation of the wound healing potential of Pangasius hypophthalmus Annexin A4.

The amyloidogenic C-terminal region of TMEM106B modulates lipid membrane biophysical properties: Functional and pathological insights.

Amorphous calcium carbonate loaded multilamellar vesicles within Amphistegina (Rotaliida) foraminifera.

Study of the antibacterial peptide P8.1: Effect on anionic vesicles using spectroscopic techniques.

Composites of lyotropic liquid crystals with biocompatible luminescent nanoparticles represent multifunctional materials with high potential for application in molecular diagnostics and biomedicine. Their integration with microfluidics is a new and scarcely studied approach that offers unique opportunities for tuning properties of such nanomaterials and simulating the biological environment of their application. This paper analyzes the impact of the governing microfluidic factors, including wall effects and flow dynamics, on the intermolecular structure and optical properties of the mesogenic luminescent nanocomposite of tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether and carbon dots. The nanoscale and microscale surface structure of microchannel walls was found to be the dominating factor for additional near-wall ordering of the intrinsic lamellar structure of the composite. A combination of controlled shear stress with heating–cooling cycles allowed for a gradual and reversible transformation of multilamellar vesicles into the axial lamellar structure, and provided the composite with anisotropic luminescence capabilities according to the study of the luminescent behavior of carbon dots. The collected experimental datasets, comprising hundreds of texture images, allowed for training the neural network for subsequent accurate recognition of the composite nanoscale organization and dynamic properties in straight and serpentine microchannels. The results will contribute to developing AI-powered microfluidic chips with integrated biocompatible nanocomposite materials for testing drug delivery systems and simulating biological capillary environment in organ-on-chip prototypes.

Optimizing the antimicrobial photodynamic efficacy of curcumin liposomes to treat pulmonary infections caused by gram-positive bacteria.

Design of messenger RNA vaccines based on lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Self-assembly in poly(ethylene oxide, EO)-poly(propylene oxide, PO)-based highly hydrophobic block copolymer (BCPs) with 10%EO content (L31, L61, L81, L101, and L121) is investigated in the presence of urea, thiourea and alkyl ureas (methyl urea, dimethyl urea, and tetramethyl urea) using clouding, scattering, photophysical and computational simulation approach. This work explores BCPs with significantly lower %EO content, unreported in different areas, that highlight the novelty of our investigation. The results of our study conveyed an increase in the clouding phenomenon, the extent of which was dependent on the molecular characteristics of the BCPs. High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry was employed to investigate the thermodynamics of micellization. Fourier Transform Infrared spectral profile presented the involved interactions within the examined copolymeric systems. Two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy provided spatial correlation signals, confirming close molecular proximities and specific interactions in the micellar environment. Computational simulations were performed using the DFT/B3LYP method with the 3-21G basis set in Gaussian 5.0.9, and the optimized descriptors were evaluated. Interestingly, urea, thiourea, and alkyl urea, especially tetramethyl urea, significantly impacted the micellar structure, leading to demicellization in some BCPs. Here, the dimension expressed as hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) and micelle size changes in the observed system were monitored using dynamic light scattering analysis with the normalized intensity autocorrelation functions providing complementary information on size-dependent scattering dynamics. Furthermore, small-angle neutron scattering studies revealed that ureas enhance the solubility of the EO segments, inducing the structural transitions from multilamellar vesicles to unilamellar vesicles to spherical or Gaussian chains, attributed to the accumulation of water molecules in the micellar proximity. The effect of varying urea concentrations on the fluorescence behavior of Nile Blue A perchlorate (NBA) dye in 1%w/v L81 vesicles at 30 °C was investigated through absorbance, fluorescence emission, excitation, and lifetime decay measurements. Here, absorbance spectra exhibited a bathochromic shift with increasing urea concentration, indicating a change in micellar polarity. The fluorescence emission also showed bathochromic shift, suggesting the migration of NBA into a more hydrophobic environment within the micellar core as urea disrupted the micelle structure. Fluorescence emission lifetime decay analysis revealed complex decay at low urea concentrations, reflecting a heterogeneous dye environment, which simplified at higher urea concentrations due to micelle collapse or dye aggregation. These findings provide insight into the role of urea in altering micelle behavior and dye aggregation, with implications for micelle-based drug delivery systems.

Raman spectroscopy characterization of interbilayer water of hydrated phospholipid multibilayers.

Permeapad® is an artificial biomimetic barrier for in vitro permeation experiments, which has an intricate nano- and microstructure consisting of two cellulose hydrate sheets enclosing a layer of phospholipids forming multiple, multilamellar vesicles in contact with the assay medium. Due to this structure, transport across this barrier can be regarded as complex deserving further attention. Until now, only Permeapad® with phosphatidylcholine, the most abundant phospholipid in cell membranes, has been described in literature. However, from biological systems and other artificial barriers, it is known that permeation properties can vary with phospholipid composition. This study presents a combination of experimental and computational techniques to study and explain the transport of molecules across the Permeapad® barrier. For this, we investigated Permeapad® variants with other phospholipid compositions including phosphatidylethanolamine, the second most abundant phospholipid in cell membranes, and phosphatidylglycerol, representing a phospholipid with a negatively charged headgroup by measuring the permeability of three drugs, metoprolol (a weak base), naproxen (a weak acid) and hydrocortisone (a non-ionizable drug). Phospholipid composition only affected the permeability of metoprolol significantly. We used molecular dynamics simulations to understand the underlying mechanisms of the permeability differences extracting several descriptors of membrane properties and predicting permeability. Surprisingly, an almost inverse relationship between experimental and computational permeability was observed. Permeapad®'s highly compartmentalized structure was hypothesized to cause this observation. This study offers a deeper understanding of the functionality of the Permeapad® barrier.

Design of thermo-responsive self-assembly of PEGylated fatty acids: Switching reversibly from tubes or vesicles to micelles at physiological temperature.

Bio-based materials regulating interfacial behavior of multiphase systems during CO2 geological utilization and storage: A review.

DODAB-ODN lipoplex structure is highly dependent on ODN concentration: A multitechnique experimental study

Cancer treatment demands the development of multifunctional diagnostic tools and therapeutic agents with low toxicity and a high therapeutic index. The current work aimed to design multifunctional quercetin (QTN)-encapsulated Dy3+-doped magneto-liposomes as theranostic agents. Fe3O4 and Dy3+-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized with the aid of Punica granatum L fruit peel extract. The thin film hydration technique employed to encapsulate Dy3+-doped iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) in liposomes resulted in a small multilamellar vesicle size of ∼50 nm. The antioxidant capacity of QTN-encapsulated liposomes displayed improved efficacy and better radical oxygen scavenging (ROS) ability. The saturation magnetization initially increased upon Dy3+ addition, followed by a significant reduction at higher Dy3+ concentrations due to the formation of a mixed phase. Magnetic hyperthermia studies on Dy3+-doped magneto-liposomes revealed a superior heating efficiency of ∼95.0 ± 5.9 W/gFe at a biomedically relevant field-frequency range. Dy3+-doped magneto-liposomes increased both T1 and T2 contrast, especially with Dy3+ playing an effective role to shorten T2. The presence of Dy3+ in magneto-liposomes induced an enhanced X-ray attenuation of ∼22.7 HU. In vitro studies on MG-63 cell lines envisaged better efficacy against cancer cells (∼20%), while negligible cytotoxicity has been revealed from tests conducted on noncancerous HEK293 cells. The results clearly showed the multimodal theranostic applications of quercetin-loaded Dy3+-doped magneto-liposomes.

Diclofenac, a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), treats acute pain and chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, oral administration often leads to gastrointestinal side effects. This research aims to develop an effective transdermal delivery system of diclofenac-loaded flexible membrane vesicles (DIC-loaded FMVs) to address these limitations. DIC-loaded FMVs were prepared using the thin-film hydration technique. Preformulation studies were conducted, and the composition was optimized. The optimized formulation produced negatively charged multilamellar vesicles with a particle size of 301.6 ± 5.800 nm, polydispersity index of 0.258 ± 0.033, and zeta potential of −24.7 ± 2.100 mV. TEM images confirmed the spherical morphology of DIC-loaded FMVs. Rheological analysis showed pseudoplastic behavior with yield value of 29,551 Pa and a consistency index of 118.4392 Pa·s^n, suggesting suitability for transdermal application. Spreadability tests demonstrated acceptable spreadability, with no significant adhesion observed. Additionally, an ex-vivo permeation study showed that drug permeation from plain FMVs (81.83 ± 3.10%) was higher compared to the FMVs gel (77.24 ± 2.92%) and the marketed gel formulation (60.7 ± 1.59%). Notably, dermatokinetic studies indicated that the FMVs gel formulation achieved 2.79-fold greater retention than the marketed gel and 1.18-fold greater retention than the FMVs suspension, underscoring the formulation’s superior retention properties. Skin Permeation studies performed by confocal laser scanning microscopic studies showed that FMV-GEL formulation is efficient in the transdermal delivery of QUE drug. Thus, the current study effectively illustrated the innovative approach of using FMVs for enhanced transdermal delivery of DIC, aiming to improve patient compliance.

Understanding the interaction between brain lipid membranes and therapeutic molecules is essential for unravelling the action mechanism of a drug. This study investigates the influence of amitriptyline hydrochloride (AMT), a tricyclic antidepressant, on lipid monolayers and multilamellar vesicles composed of brain sphingomyelin (BSM) and cholesterol (Chol). Using Langmuir monolayer and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques, it reveals that AMT alters the rigidity, packing density, surface potential, and structural parameters of a phospholipid membrane. The presence of cholesterol in the lipid membrane not only enhances the hydrophobicity and structural stability of the membrane but also magnifies the effect of the AMT. SAXS analyses demonstrate that AMT incorporation increases bilayer thickness while reducing the water layer between successive bilayers, highlighting its altering effects on inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonding. These findings provide insights into the molecular interactions between antidepressants and cholesterol-rich biomimetic brain lipid membranes, which may pave the way to a better design of drug molecules.

Investigation of the effect of resveratrol lyo-nanograft on the bone regeneration process of osseous bony defects in rabbits.

A recent microfluidic-based small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurement intriguingly suggested the transient formation of multilamellar structures during the mixing of unilamellar vesicles with ethanol in an aqueous solution. This study explores a possible molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon, primarily through coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations. We first examined lipid aggregate morphology as a function of ethanol concentration in an aqueous solution. Even though vesicles were observed in pure aqueous solution, increasing ethanol concentrations led to more frequent pore formation in vesicular membranes. At ethanol concentrations above 52%, vesicles destabilized and transformed into worm-like micelles. We hypothesized that the transient multilamellar structures might arise from vesicle stacking due to variations in the effective interactions between vesicles. However, a series of potential of mean force (PMF) calculations consistently showed repulsive interactions between vesicles, regardless of ethanol concentration, ruling out this possibility. In contrast, once lipid aggregates transformed into worm-like micelles, the PMF barrier between them dropped (∼5kBT), promoting fusion. Our CG-MD simulations further demonstrated that lipid aggregates (micelles) readily fused and grew in high ethanol concentrations. Upon subsequent exposure to lower ethanol levels, these enlarged aggregates reorganized into vesicles with internal lamellar structure─multilamellar vesicles. These findings suggest that the heterogeneous mixing of unilamellar vesicular solutions with ethanol in a microfluidic device plays a key role in the emergence of transient multilamellar structures.

Osteoarthritis (OA) leads to the progressive degeneration of articular cartilage, yet there is currently no effective treatment available for both the early and late stages of osteoarthritis. Cartilage regeneration requires the action and prolonged retention of multiple drugs at injured sites to recruit endogenous cells and facilitate cartilage formation. Here, we propose a cartilage-binding-peptide-modified lipid nanoparticle as a drug carrier to achieve sustained release of protein (TGF-β3) and small molecular drugs (KGN) for one month. Through systematic screening of multiple peptides targeting collagen II or chondrocytes, we identify a decorin-derived-peptide-modified lipid nanoparticle with precise targeting and prolonged retention capability in cartilage. Improved nanoparticle stability, high drug loading, and sustainable dual-drug release are achieved through interbilayer cross-linking of adjacent lipid bilayers within multilamellar vesicles. In a surgical model of rat OA, the nanoparticle loading with TGF-β3 and KGN protects injured cartilage from degeneration progression. For severe cartilage injury (full-thickness defects) in a rabbit model, the nanoparticle facilitates the regeneration of high-quality hyaline-like cartilage, which is a rare achievement in full-thickness cartilage regeneration through nanoparticle-based drug delivery. This work presents a strategy for the rational design of bioinspired cartilage-binding peptide-modified lipid-based drug carriers to promote hyaline-like cartilage regeneration.

Spanlastic is an innovative drug delivery system that traps drugs in a core cavity with a double-layer structure. The term spanlastic comes from the combination of Span and elastic, first introduced in 2011. This plastic is a development of liposomes and niosomes that have been modified sophisticatedly; several types of spanlastic include Multi Lamellar Vesicles (MLV) with a bilayer structure, size 0.5-1.0 microns, easy to make, frequently used, and long-term stable. Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUV) measuring 100 nm-1 μm have a high water or lipid ratio and can accommodate more drugs; Small Unilamellar Vesicles (SUV) measuring 20 nm-50 μm, prepared from MLV by sonication. The growing interest in spanlastics for various administrative strategies has been evident. These nanovesicles, composed of a surfactant, are highly elastic and adaptable, encapsulating an aqueous solute solution. Studies have shown that spanlastics exhibit greater chemical stability and address several limitations of conventional dosage forms. They enhance drug delivery by enabling targeted distribution and controlled release of natural medicinal components, among other advantages. Spanlastics overcome many challenges associated with traditional drug formulations by facilitating the precise delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients and regulating their release rate. This review highlights their significance, penetration mechanism, preparation methods, and applications.