PB NPs Research Articles

Bimodal Antimicrobial Surfaces of Phytic Acid-Prussian Blue Nanoparticles-Cationic Polymer Networks.

Surface modification plays a pivotal role in tailoring the functionalities of a solid material. Introduction of antimicrobial function on material surfaces can provide additional protection against life-threatening bacterial infections. Herein, a simple and universal surface modification method based on surface adhesion and electrostatic interaction of phytic acid (PA) is developed. PA is first functionalized with Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) via metal chelation and then conjugates with cationic polymers (CPs) through electrostatic interaction. With the aid of surface adherent PA and gravitation effect, the as-formed PA-PB-CP network aggregates are deposited on the solid materials in a substrate-independent manner. Synergistic bactericidal effects of "contact-killing" induced by the CPs and localized photothermal effect caused by the PB NPs endow the substrates with strong antibacterial performance. Membrane integrity, enzymatic activity, and metabolism function of the bacteria are disturbed in contact with the PA-PB-CP coating under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The PA-PB-CP modified biomedical implant surfaces exhibit good biocompatibility and synergistic antibacterial effect under NIR irradiation, and eliminate the adhered bacteria both in vitro and in vivo.

Hollow Nanoporous Prussian Blue Nanocubes Enriched with Cu2+ and Loaded with Quercetin for Synergistic Tumor Therapy

Combination therapy based on Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) is particularly effective in cancer because of their outstanding photothermal properties and excellent biocompatibility. However, the application of PB in tumor therapy is hindered by their poor reactive oxygen species (ROS) production capacity, and low drug loading rate. More importantly, PB NPs could activate heat shock proteins (HSPs) in photothermal therapy, which induces the self-protection of tumor cells. Structural and functional modulation improved antitumor efficacy by enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inhibiting heat shock protein expression. In this work, we synthesized Cu2+-enriched hollow nanoporous PB nanocubes (Cu-HNPB NCs) that enhanced the •OH generating capability of PB as Cu hybridization increases the oxidation potential of PB. Moreover, in the tumor milieu, Cu2+ release depletes glutathione (GSH) and converts to Cu+, further improving ROS levels. Excess ROS amplifies cellular oxidative stress and destroys the heat-induced formation of HSPs, thus breaking the self-protection mechanism of tumor cells. To enhance the therapeutic efficiency, quercetin (QUE) was loaded in Cu-HNPB NCs (Cu-HNPB@QUE NCs). Surprisingly, the large specific surface area (127.79 m2 g–1) endowed Cu-HNPB NCs with ultrahigh loading capacity (57.25%). As the nanoplatform enhances synergistic therapeutic effects, this study provides a new approach for designing multimodal combination nanomedicine.

Versatile hybrid nanoplatforms for treating periodontitis with chemical/photothermal therapy and reactive oxygen species scavenging

Given the limitations of clinical curettage for periodontitis, the thorough removal of dental plaque at deep periodontal pockets and periodontal tissue repair require improvement with the assistance of appropriate medical therapy. Despite the significant developments of various local drug delivery systems (LDDSs) for adjuvant periodontitis therapy, several issues exist, such as the relatively low anti-biofilm effect and the tissue damage caused by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS). To address the issues, we fabricated the versatile nanoplatforms (PPM NPs) via coating polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of monodispersed Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) through the facile yet efficient self-polymerization of dopamine (PP NPs), and then loading minocycline (Mino). Notedly, these integrative nanocomposites-based PB NPs as photothermal agents enhanced the therapeutic effect of plaque biofilms in vitro utilizing the antibacterial photothermal therapy (PTT) under irradiation of NIR laser. Further, the designed nanocomposites efficiently scavenged ROS over oxidative-stress Raw267.4 cells and human periodontal ligament cells, attributing to the enzyme-like activity of PB nanozymes and the reducibility of catechol in PDA. In vitro and in vivo consequences demonstrate the significantly augmented antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects from the live/dead staining of biofilms and western blot results of inflammatory factors compared with free Mino solution in periodontitis. Our fabricated nanoplatforms-based PB NPs conveniently modified with PDA not only significantly improved the antibacterial effect via the combinational therapies but also efficiently scavenged cellular ROS utilizing the enzyme-like activity of nanozymes contributing to the treatment of periodontitis.

Prussian blue nano-enzyme-assisted photodynamic therapy effectively eradicates MRSA infection in diabetic mouse skin wounds.

Antibiotic therapy can induce the generation of severe bacterial resistance, further challenging the usability of currently available drugs and treatment options. Therefore, it is essential to develop new strategies to effectively eradicate drug-resistant bacteria. Herein, we have reported a combinational strategy for the eradication of drug-resistant bacteria by using chlorin e6 (Ce6) loaded Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs). This nanocomplex showed strong catalase activity and photodynamic properties. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CPB-Ce6 NPs effectively kill MRSA by generating ROS under laser irradiation. Meanwhile, the nano-enzyme activity of CPB NPs can decompose H2O2 in the bacterial microenvironment to upregulate the O2 level, which in turn alleviates hypoxia in the microenvironment and improves the antibacterial effect of PDT. In vivo results demonstrated that CPB-Ce6 NPs with laser irradiation effectively cleared MRSA and promoted infected wound repair in a diabetic mouse model and normal mice through upregulating VEGF. Moreover, CPB-Ce6 NPs showed excellent biosafety profiles in vitro and in vivo. From our point of view, this PDT based on PB NPs with nano-enzyme activity may provide an effective treatment for infections associated with drug-resistant microbes and tissue repair.

Influence of the chemically reduced graphene oxide interface on the antioxidant multienzyme properties of Prussian blue nanoparticles

Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) stabilized with surface capping agents as functional mimics of major antioxidant enzymes are attracting attention for use in reactions mediated by reactive oxygen species. However, influence of a stabilizing agent or interface on the enzyme-like properties of the nanomaterial remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the effect of the chemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) interface on the morphology, stability, and multienzymatic activity of PB NPs. The rGO stabilized PB NPs nanocomposite (PB/rGO) demonstrated different morphology, dynamics of the superoxide scavenging, and lower peroxidase- and catalase-mimicking activities in comparison with the non-stabilized PB NPs. Electrochemical studies showed improved immobilization of PB/rGO on the graphite felt, while the sensitivity of hydrogen peroxide determination was higher for the non-stabilized PB NPs. This study enhances our understanding of the role of the rGO structuring interface in altering the properties of nanomaterials for oxidation protection and nanozyme-based sensing approaches.

Separation and Removal of Radionuclide Cesium from Water by Biodegradable Magnetic Prussian Blue Nanospheres

As the main component of radioactive wastewater, the cesium ion has seriously endangered the environment and human health. Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) are used as adsorbents for the purification of cesium-containing wastewater because of their ability to selectively adsorb cesium ions. In this work, novel magnetic Prussian blue nanospheres (MPBNs) were developed from polylactic acid nanospheres as a carrier, loaded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) inside and PB NPs outside for the removal of cesium ions with the help of magnetic separation. Meanwhile, the effects on the adsorption efficiency of MPBNs, such as pH, time, temperature and initial concentration of cesium ion solution, were studied. The adsorption isotherms, kinetic models and adsorption thermodynamics were investigated to research the absorption mechanism. The results showed that MPBNs were spherical with a rough surface, and their particle size, iron content and saturation magnetization were 268.2 ± 1.4 nm, 40.01% and 41.71 emu/g, which can be recovered by magnetic separation. At 293 K, MPBNs could reduce the cesium ion solution from 40 mg/L to 4.8 mg/L, and its cesium ion removal rate and adsorption capacity were 82.46% and 16.49 mg/g, respectively. The optimum pH of MPBNs for cesium ion adsorption was 5~9, the adsorption equilibrium time was 60 min, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 17.03 mg/g. In addition, MPBNs were separated rapidly by an external magnetic field, and the adsorption process was an endothermic reaction. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of MPBNs were in accordance with the Freundlich model and quasi-second-order fitting model, respectively, and the adsorption process of MPBNs was controlled by the diffusion step in particles. Notably, these MPBNs could be effectively separated from water by a magnetic field, facilitating engineering applications in cesium-containing wastewater.

Paper-based colorimetric glucose sensor using Prussian blue nanoparticles as mimic peroxidase

A novel paper-based colorimetric glucose sensor was proposed employing Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) as mimic peroxidase. The sensor was manufactured by spraying solution containing PB NPs, glucose oxidase and chromogenic agents into a paper, then coating the filter layer and spreading layer on the top. The layer-by-layer structure enabled the sensor detect glucose in whole blood, as well as elimination of the coffee-ring effect which ensure the performance. As a powerful alternative to natural peroxidase, PB NPs showed the mimic enzymatic activity well preserved in dry environment. The manufacture process of the sensor is easy to be industrialized. Under optimal conditions, the sensor exhibited a linear range from 2.5 mM to 25 mM for glucose in blood with satisfactory reproducibility (the coefficient of variant <4%), great storage stability (1 month at 45 °C) and excellent linearity compared with those commercial kits (R > 0.99). Coupled with a handhold device, the PB NPs-based test strip realized the goal of personal operation, user-friendly control, automatic readouts, and data storage, and able to link the Cloud, showing unique potential in clinical application, especially in community-level medical scenarios.

Fabrication of a novel electrochemical immunosensor for the sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen using a double signal attenuation strategy

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), an acidic protein, is a characteristic antigen produced by the tumor of various cancers (eg, breast, cervical, rectal, lung, etc.). Therefore, the detection of cancer antigens is very important for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this study, a novel of “signal off” strategy for electrochemical immunosensor was developed to detect CEA. To this end, Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs), an electroactive substance, were used as the immunological platform. In addition, CuO2@SiO2 nanocomposites, which release Cu2+ and H2O2 under acidic conditions, were synthesized. The generated Cu2+ can replace the high spin iron (FeIII) in PB NPs, which in turn reduces the oxidation peak current of PB NPs. Due to the peroxidase-like nature of PB NPs, they can react with self-generated H2O2 to generate hydroxyl radicals (·OH), which can further convert 4-chloro-1 naphthol (4-CN) into a non-conductive polymer that accumulates on the electrode surface, this leads to a further reduction in the electrical signal of the PB NPs. Moreover, the self-generated Cu2+ and H2O2 can reduce the introduction of exogenous substances and improve the detection accuracy. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) revealed that the electrical signal of PB NPs gradually decreased with increasing CEA concentration. In addition, the electrical signal of PB NPs exhibited a good linearity in the range from 0.01 pg mL−1 to 80 ng mL−1, where in the logarithm of CEA concentration and the detection limit was as low as 0.0032 pg mL−1.

Self-Assembled Nanoparticles of a Prodrug Conjugate Based on Pyrimethanil for Efficient Plant Disease Management.

Self-assembled nanotechnology is a promising strategy for improving the effective utilization of pesticides due to its distinct advantages. Herein, an amide-bonded prodrug conjugate based on pyrimethanil (PYR) and butyric acid (BA) was successfully synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution reaction and subsequently self-assembled into spherical nanoparticles (PB NPs) with an average size of 85 nm through the solvent exchange method without using any toxic adjuvant. The results showed that PB NPs based on PYR and BA had a synergistic antimicrobial activity against S. sclerotiorum on plant leaves due to good photostability, low volatilization, good surface activity, and improved retention. Additionally, PB NPs could be used by plant cells as nutrients to promote the growth of plants and thus reduced the toxicity of PYR to plant. Therefore, this prodrug conjugate self-assembly nanotechnology would provide a promising strategy for improving the effective utilization rates of pesticides and reducing their toxicities to plants.

High-efficiently capturing trace thallium (Ι) from wastewater via the prussian blue@polytetrafluoroethylene hybrid membranes

The exploitation of advanced material technology with high selectivity, efficiency, and separability for thallium (Tl) removal remains challenging. In this work, a hybrid polytetrafluroethylene membrane with polydopamine (PDA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) co-supported Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) was successfully fabricated and denoted as PB@PDA/PEI-M−1. The PB@PDA/PEI-M−1 displayed a high-efficient capture for Tl(I) during a continuous flowing operation. Based on the pseudo-second-order model, its dynamic Tl(I)-adsorption constant (k) and maximum capacity (qe) are 1.8 min−1 and 460.4 mg/m2 respectively, which are both much higher than the static adsorption and many previous studies. Tl(I)-adsorption capacity of PB@PDA/PEI-M−1 was slightly decreased by the disturbances of many accompanying impurity ions (H+, Ca2+ or Mg2+), but it still reached a high level. The density functional theory (DFT) revealed the most prominent binding ability of membrane surface-loaded PB with Tl(I) via ion exchanges, contributing to the high selectivity of PB@PDA/PEI-M−1 in capturing trace Tl(I). As for the macromolecular organic matter, humic acid (HA) facilitated the Tl(I)-capture ability of PB@PDA/PEI-M−1 due to the formation of Tl-HA complexes and their high adsorption on membrane surface. By virtue of those advantages, our as-prepared membranes exhibit excellent ability in remedying the actual Tl(I)-polluted pearl river water, and in the meantime, membrane structure robustness was well maintained. All results verified that PB@PDA/PEI-M−1 provided a feasible technology for Tl(I) removal in a complicated environment.

Multifunctional nanoparticles of sinomenine hydrochloride for treat-to-target therapy of rheumatoid arthritis via modulation of proinflammatory cytokines.

Sinomenine is a bioactive alkaloid isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant of Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehd.et Wils. Currently, sinomenine hydrochloride (SIN) preparations, classified as a natural disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (nDMARD), have been used for therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the efficacy of SIN was seriously limited by its short half-life, low bioavailability, and dose-dependent adverse reactions. In this study, a biomimetic nanocomplex based on Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) was developed for overcoming clinical limitations of SIN and accordingly improving its efficacy. In vitro studies showed that the nanocomplexes significantly inhibited abnormal proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibiting secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. In vivo imaging demonstrated that the improved immune-escape properties of the nanocomplexes resulted in markedly increased half-life of circulation and levels of accumulated drugs at arthritic sites of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats. Notably, the nanocomplexes significantly suppressed joint inflammation and protected against bone destruction of AIA rats by inhibiting inflammatory cytokine secretion of the synovial macrophages and FLSs. These results indicate that the nanocomplexes provide an excellent carrier for controlled release and targeted accumulation of SIN within the arthritic sites, which consequently achieve disease-remitting effects of SIN on RA.

One-Pot Synthesis Bodipy Nano-Precipitations for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Here in this study, we proposed a polystyrene maleic anhydride (PSMA) stabilized Bodipy nanoparticles (PB NPs) in a one-pot approach for the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of prostate cancer. The nanoparticle formed by precipitation method was then employed to treat PC-3 cells and PC-3 tumor bearing nude mice model. It was shown that this platform showed promising anticancer performance than free bodipy with reduced side effects.

Paper-based sensor depending on the Prussian blue pH sensitivity: Smartphone-assisted detection of urea

Depending on the pH sensitivity of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) and the specificity of urease-catalyzed urea, a paper-based colorimetric sensor was developed using urease, PB NPs, and cellulose filter paper. With the assistance of a smartphone, the rapid detection of urea can be realized. Under the optimal conditions, the linear range of the paper-based sensor for detection of urea is 0.5–5.0 mM, and the limit of detection is 0.27 mM. The RSD values of within-batch and between-batch repeatability are 2.5 % and 0.9 %, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the detection of urea in spiked milk samples and artificial urine sample, and the recoveries are in the range of 91.8–107.9%. The developed paper-based colorimetric sensor is a simple, economic, and rapid method that can be used for the determination of urea in real samples, particularly in resource-poor regions.

In-situ formed Prussian blue nanoparticles supported by porous biochar as highly efficient removal of cesium ions

The pollution of cesium ions (Cs+) in radioactive wastewater has attracted an increasing attention, it is important to develop new materials for highly efficient removal of Cs+. In this study, Prussian blue/biomass activated carbon composites (PB/AC) were prepared by an cost-effective and facile strategy through controllable growth of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) on the surface of soybean pods as a precursor of carbon matrix, and its physicochemical properties and Cs+ removal performance compared with that of PB NPs grown on the surface of commercial activated carbon (PB/CAC). The results exhibited that PB NPs were uniformly dispersed on the surface of porous biochar. It was worth noting that PB NPs grafting towards porous biochar could avoid PB NPs aggregation, and thus enhanced the adsorption capacity of porous biochar to Cs+. The maximum adsorption amount of PB/AC reached up to 207.20 mg/g. In comparison with the PB/CAC, the adsorption amounts of PB/AC were elevated by 53.10 mg/g. Meanwhile, PB/AC also demonstrated significant high activity in a broad pH range from 4.0 to 10.0. Moreover, they still have high selectivity toward Cs+ in the presence of competing ions like K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+. In addition, the kinetic adsorption experiment showed that PB/AC reached adsorption equilibrium within 30 min. After three cycles of regeneration, PB/AC could maintain 99.01% of the original adsorption capacity. Besides, the MTT test and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining showed that PB NPs had good biosafety, and the cell survival rate of HUVECs was still higher than 83.23 ± 6.41% after exposure for 24 h culture with high concentration of PB NPs (0.50 mg/mL). In brief, the low-cost and highly efficient PB/AC showed great removal efficiencies to Cs+ in radioactive water.

Supramolecular hydrogel-loaded Prussian blue nanoparticles with photothermal and ROS scavenging ability for tumor postoperative treatments

The need for tumor postoperative treatments aimed at recurrence prevention and tissue regeneration have raised wide considerations in the context of the design and functionalization of implants. Supramolecular hydrogel is an ideal choice due to its compatibility, injectability, and ease of functionalization. Herein, we developed supramolecular hydrogel-loaded Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) for postoperative treatments. Biocompatible gellan gum was modified with host (cyclodextrin) or guest (adamantane) molecules to form supramolecular hydrogels (GEL) for local therapy. Hollow mesoporous Prussian blue nanoparticles (HMPB NPs) were prepared for use as photothermal agents and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. Further supramolecular hydrogels containing HMPB NPs loading doxorubicin ([email protected]) were designed as multifunctional postoperative implants to ensure effective residual tumor elimination and oxidative relief. In vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to verify the elimination of cancer cells and tumor recurrence prevention through combinational chemotherapy/photothermal therapy with [email protected] The tissue regeneration acceleration and in vivo ROS scavenging of [email protected] were verified using diabetic mouse models of wound healing. The findings thus show that, because of the effective tumor recurrence prevention and wound healing acceleration of the multifunctional hydrogels developed here, they are promising for application in tumor postoperative treatments.

An efficiently engineered electrochemical biosensor as a novel and user-friendly electronic device for biosensing of Streptococcus Pneumoniae bacteria

We have constructed a novel electrochemical biosensor for detection and quantification of the Streptococcus Pneumoniae bacteria (SPB) based on change in electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) responses of the biosensing system. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was chosen as the platform of the biosensor and it was modified with lead nanoparticles (Pb NPs) and then, DNA-[FAM]CGC AAT CTA GCA GAT GAA GCA GGA AAA AAA AAA [Thiol] (DNA-FAM-S) was loaded onto Pb NPs as a selective probe for sensitive and selective determination of the SPB. After electrochemical and microscopic characterization of the modifications applied to the GCE, analytical characterization of the biosensor was performed. The biosensor had a limit of detection of 0.0022 ng/ml ~ 622 SPBs and a sensitivity of 3432.9 Ω (ng/ml)−1 or 3432.9 Ω (2.9 × 105 SPBs)−1. The biosensor response was selective, sensitive, stable, repeatable and reproducible in determination of the SPB. The biosensor performance for determination of the SPB was comparable with the NanoDrop method which encouraged us to recommend it for practical purposes.

Alkaline phosphatase-triggered dual-signal immunoassay for colorimetric and electrochemical detection of zearalenone in cornmeal

Zearalenone (ZEN), as one of the most important foods and feeds pollutant mycotoxins, is threatening human and animal health. Here, we have developed a dual-signal immunoassay triggered by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) for detecting ZEN in cornmeal. The immobilized ZEN-bovine serum albumin and free ZEN in the sample were competitively bound to an anti-ZEN monoclonal antibody (McAb). Then, the ALP labeled goat anti-mouse IgG (ALP-IgG) combined with the McAb. ALP catalyzed ascorbic acid 2-phosphate to produce L-ascorbic acid (AA). AA converted potassium ferricyanide (K3[Fe(CN)6]) to potassium ferrocyanide (K4[Fe(CN)6]), which reacted with ferric ion (III) to promote the formation of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs). Consequently, the solution appeared multicolor changes. Meanwhile, PB NPs had a maximum absorption peak at 700 nm. It could be monitored by an UV–vis spectrometer. As an electron transfer medium, K3[Fe(CN)6] was consumed gradually along with PB NPs formation. Therefore, electrochemical detection was also used for detecting ZEN. Under the optimum conditions, the logarithm of ZEN concentration showed a good linear relationship with the absorbance from 0.2 to 0.8 ng/mL (R2 = 0.987) and the differential pulse voltammetry peak current from 0.125 to 0.5 ng/mL (R2 = 0.993). The limits of detection of colorimetric and electrochemical methods were 0.04 and 0.08 ng/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of ZEN from cornmeal samples were in the range of 80–120%, and relative standard deviations were lower than 10%. The results demonstrated that the dual-signal immunoassay has a high sensitivity for ZEN detection in corn samples.

Designed formation of Prussian Blue/CuS Janus nanostructure with enhanced NIR-I and NIR-II dual window response for tumor thermotherapy

Designing photothermal transducing agents (PTAs) with enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) holds essential importance for photothermal tumor eradication applications. Currently, it is an effective way to improve the photothermal efficiency by designing the energy level transition leading to the enhancement of UV absorption. To address the challenge, we develop novel Prussian blue@polyacrylic acid/copper sulfide Janus nanoparticles (PB@PAA/CuS JNPs) via selective coating of PAA nano-hemisphere on one of the surfaces of PB NPs followed by the further formation of CuS on the PAA template. The experiments show that the energy level transition occurs between Janus structure. Besides, it offers enhanced absorption over NIR-I and NIR-II dual windows. The muscle tissue penetration studies suggest that the PB@PAA/CuS JNPs have deeper tissue penetration in the 1064 nm laser irradiation group, indicating their potential for treating deep-tissue-seated tumors. In a word, the unique PB@PAA/CuS JNPs show an enhanced tumor inhibitory effect over the NIR-I and NIR-II dual windows, which will open up new opportunities for improving PTT efficiency by the rational nanostructural design of PTAs.

Biomimetic Hybrid Membrane-Coated Xuetongsu Assisted with Laser Irradiation for Efficient Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease underlying a cascade of chronic inflammatory processes. Over the past decades, the response rate of effective RA treatments has remained scarce despite numerous advancements in the current therapeutic interventions, owing largely to the associated off-target adverse events and poor accumulation in the inflamed joints. Recently, there is a high interest in the development of targeted drug delivery system by using nanotechnology, as it can provide a handle to improve the therapy efficacy of RA. Here, multifunctional HA@RFM@PB@SE nanoparticles (HRPS NPs) are developed by loading schisanlactone E (SE, also called with xuetongsu), an anti-RA compound isolated from Tujia ethnomedicine xuetong, into Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) and further camouflage of RBC-RAFLS hybrid membrane with HA modification onto PB@SE NPs (PS NPs). We demonstrated that the modification of RFM makes PB NPs ideal decoys for targeting inflammatory mediators of arthritis due to the homing effects of the parental cells. Moreover, the encapsulation of RFM on the PB@SE NPs extended the blood circulation time and improved its targeting ability, which accordingly achieved optimal accumulation of SE in arthritic rat paws. In vitro and in vivo assay demonstrated the outstanding performance of HRPS NPs for synergistic chemo-/photothermal therapy of RA without side effects to healthy tissues. Molecular mechanism exploration indicated that the ultrastrong inhibition of synovial hyperplasia and bone destruction was partly via suppressing NF-κB signaling pathway and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases. In summary, the nanodrug delivery system showed controllable release behavior, targeted accumulation at arthritic sites and systemic regulation of immunity, hence improved therapeutic efficacy and clinical outcomes of the disease without attenuating safety.

Artemisinin and Procyanidins loaded multifunctional nanocomplexes alleviate atherosclerosis via simultaneously modulating lipid influx and cholesterol efflux

The development of new reagents combining with nanotechnology has become an efficient strategy for improving the immune escaping ability and increasing local drug concentration for natural compounds with low therapy efficiency. In this study, we prepared biomimetic membrane-coated Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) for the treatment of atherosclerosis, using the function of Artemisinin (ART) and Procyanidins (PC) on the lipid influx and cholesterol efflux of macrophages, two logical steps involved in the plaque progression. In vitro results indicated that the prepared nanocomplexes have significant scavenging effect on ROS and NO, followed by inhibiting NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, leading to the suppression of lipid influx. Meanwhile, they can notably reduce the uptake and internalization of oxLDL through significantly enhancing AMPK/mTOR/autophagy pathway, accompanied by promoting cholesterol efflux. In vivo study showed that the improved biocompatibility and immune-escape ability of nanocomplexes allowed less drug clearance during the circulation and high drug accumulation in the atherosclerotic plaque of ApoE−/− mice model. More importantly, the ART and PC co-loaded nanocomplexes showed the high efficacy against atherosclerosis of ApoE−/− mice model with both 8-week low dosage treatment or 1-week high dosage treatment. These findings indicated that ART and PC co-loaded nanocomplexes was promising for the targeted treatment of atherosclerosis.