Biomaterials Science最新文献

Traditional silk sutures are widely used in clinical practice due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, their intrinsic lack of bioactivity limits their efficacy in combating bacterial infections and managing excessive inflammation during wound healing. To address these challenges, we synthesized two chiral copper-cysteine nanoparticles (Cu-L-Cys and Cu-D-Cys NPs) and systematically evaluated their chirality-dependent biological functions. Although both NPs exhibited comparable enzyme-like activities, Cu-D-Cys NPs exhibited superior antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria compared to Cu-L-Cys NPs. Moreover, Cu-D-Cys NPs demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility, effective intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability and pronounced angiogenic activity within the therapeutic concentration range for tissue repair. Leveraging these properties, Cu-D-Cys NPs were stably immobilized onto silk sutures through physical adsorption. In vivo animal experiments further showed that these functionalized silk sutures significantly accelerated infected wound closure and improved tissue repair by promoting the formation of granulation tissue, re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, and orderly collagen deposition. Overall, this work presents a robust strategy for developing chiral bioactive sutures, highlighting their promising potential for functional surgical and tissue repair applications.

Bioactive coatings are designed to regulate interfacial interactions between biomaterials and host tissues, and represent an important strategy for improving the anti-infective capacity, immunomodulation, and tissue integration of biomaterials. However, current bioactive coatings still face challenges in precise molecular design, long-term interfacial retention, and functional maintenance under complex physiological conditions. Self-assembling peptides (SAPs), owing to their sequence programmability, supramolecular assembly capability, modular functional integration, and environmental responsiveness, provide a versatile platform for constructing designable and controllable bioactive coatings. This review systematically summarizes the unique advantages of SAPs in bioactive coating construction and discusses their design logic from three key dimensions: peptide sequence design, assembly behavior, and interfacial presentation. Recent advances in SAP-based coatings are further reviewed in the contexts of anti-infection and mineralization protection, inflammatory microenvironment modulation, tissue-specific integration, and regenerative repair. Finally, the key issues limiting their precise design and clinical translation are analyzed, including interfacial retention under physiological conditions, the balance between assembly stability and functional motif exposure, and the maintenance of durable coating functions in complex interfacial environments. Overall, SAP-based coatings are evolving from passive surface-modification materials into programmable, functionally tunable, and mechanistically interpretable biointerfaces, offering new perspectives for the development of next-generation biomedical materials.

Malignant tumors remain a persistent global challenge in public health, with conventional treatment modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy suffering from inherent limitations including high recurrence rates, systemic toxicity, and damage to healthy tissues. The emergence of nanomedicine has brought revolutionary breakthroughs in tumor therapy, among which Prussian blue (PB, Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃) and its derivatives have garnered significant attention due to their unique photothermal conversion properties, catalytic activity, and excellent biocompatibility. However, the therapeutic efficacy of PB is constrained by structural factors such as crystal phase and composition. Metal ion doping (e.g., Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺) can optimize the performance of PB by modulating its electronic structure, not only significantly enhancing its physicochemical properties but also leveraging the biological characteristics of the doped metal ions. This review summarizes recent advances in metal-doped PB nanomaterials for tumor therapy. First, we discuss synthetic strategies for PB doped with different metal ions. Next, we examine the regulatory mechanisms of doping on material properties and their applications in tumor treatment. Finally, we address key scientific challenges, including material stability, in vivo metabolic pathways, and biocompatibility, while proposing future research directions. This work aims to provide both theoretical foundations and technical guidance for developing highly efficient and safe PB-based nanotheranostic agents.

Breast cancer relapse and therapeutic resistance recurrence are mainly due to the presence of breast cancer-associated cancer stem cells (bCSCs), which are inadequately eradicated by conventional chemotherapeutic agents. To mitigate these challenges, we engineered an injectable in situ-forming gelatin hydrogel capable of the sustained, localized co-delivery of resveratrol (RES) and salinomycin (SAL), thereby simultaneously targeting both cancer cells and bCSCs. Further, the gelatin hydrogel gels under physiological conditions without UV or toxic crosslinking agents, and it provides tunable mechanical strength and degradation kinetics. The 10% optimized gelatin hydrogel showed the controlled, sustained release of RES and SAL, with minimal initial burst and prolonged release extending to 30 days. In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that treatment with RES or SAL alone resulted in approximately 40%-50% reduction in cancer cell viability; in contrast, the combination hydrogel (GelVS-RES + SAL) resulted in nearly 90% cell death. Mammosphere assays revealed a pronounced decrease in both the number and size of the mammospheres, indicating the strong suppression of bCSCs' intrinsic self-renewal capacity. Correspondingly, the gene expression levels of key bCSC-linked stemness biomarkers were decreased by approximately 3-fold compared with those observed in the individual drug, free-drug, and control conditions. Flow cytometry analysis further demonstrated a significant increase in apoptosis within the bCSC-enriched cell fraction upon exposure to GelVS-RES + SAL. In vivo evaluation using a 4T1 murine breast cancer model confirmed that the localized, sustained delivery of RES and SAL from the injectable gelatin hydrogel produced a synergistic antitumor effect, markedly inhibiting tumor progression while substantially mitigating systemic toxicity relative to free-drug administration. Collectively, the sustained co-delivery from the in situ injectable gelatin hydrogel efficiently targets both the bulk tumor population and bCSCs, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic strategy to diminish bCSC-driven recurrence and improve overall breast cancer treatment efficacy.

Peptides have been shown to self-assemble into non-centrosymmetric structures exhibiting piezoelectricity. However, the piezoelectricity of peptide self-assemblies remains underexplored. Herein, for the first time, we have explored the piezoelectricity of a natural glutathione (GSH) peptide-based crystalline material for power harvesting and biosensing. The crystal structure indicated that GSH self-assembles to form an antiparallel staggered supramolecular stacking pattern. Density functional theory calculations showed that GSH self-assemblies exhibited a maximum piezoelectric coefficient of 64.3 pC N^-1, which was one of the highest predicted values among peptide-based self-assemblies. The GSH assembly-based piezoelectric nanogenerator generated an open-circuit voltage of 5.02 V under an external force of 45 N, while maintaining stability over 6000 continuous press-release cycles. Furthermore, the GSH crystal-based self-powered sensor was successfully developed for effective monitoring of human joint bending. This study developed a novel natural tripeptide piezoelectric self-assembly, promoting the advancement of biomolecule-based piezoelectric supramolecular materials.

Therapeutic resistance in breast cancer, driven by tumor-intrinsic adaptive mechanisms and microenvironmental survival cues, remains a critical barrier to curative treatment. To address this dual challenge, we developed a redox-responsive polymeric micelle system (TPSP) functionalized with telmisartan for simultaneous targeting of angiotensin II type 1 receptor-overexpressing tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). This platform co-encapsulates doxorubicin (DOX), a classic topoisomerase IIα (Topo IIα) poison, and aconitine linoleate (L29), a novel catalytic Topo IIα inhibitor with a distinct mechanism of action compared with conventional agents. The TPSP micelles exhibit dual therapeutic synergism: (1) L29 disrupts DNA replication through G1/S cell cycle arrest via Topo IIα catalytic inhibition, complementing DOX's DNA double-strand break induction to counter acquired resistance, and (2) telmisartan-mediated CAF depletion disrupts stromal-mediated drug resistance by eliminating metabolic symbiosis and biomechanical barriers. In vivo evaluations across resistant breast cancer models revealed superior tumor growth inhibition (>72%) with CAF ablation. This combinatorial nanomedicine strategy pioneers a paradigm shift in overcoming multidrug resistance by concurrently targeting tumor plasticity and microenvironmental protection, providing a clinically translatable blueprint for treatment-refractory malignancies.

Cryopreservation by vitrification prevents ice formation during cooling but requires rapid and uniform rewarming to avoid devitrification and sample damage. Laser nanowarming using plasmonic nanoparticles has emerged as a promising solution. Yet, gold nanorods (GNRs), a widely used plasmonic nanomaterial for laser nanowarming, are limited by high cost, surfactant dependence, and reduced stability in cryoprotectant (CPA) solutions. Here, we evaluate titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs) as an alternative for nanowarming 1 µL vitrified CPA droplets containing Artemia salina cysts and investigate the role of surface modification to enable direct comparison with ligand-stabilized GNRs. Bare TiN, TiN methoxy polyethylene glycol silane (mPEG-Silane), and TiN (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) NPs enabled efficient rewarming across a broad range of conditions, with bare TiN achieving near-control hatchability (∼85%) at 400 µg mL^-1 under 2 ms pulse durations (∼3 J). Surface modification improved dispersion and tuned heating behavior, with TiN-mPEG-Silane reducing the optimal concentration to 300 µg mL^-1 and TiN-APTES providing more consistent performance across conditions, demonstrating that modifying TiN enhances colloidal stability and promotes a more favorable absorption-to-scattering balance for uniform heating. Additionally, all TiN formulations remained stable in CPA for 14 days and exhibited minimal toxicity to live Artemia for up to 48 hours. In contrast, under the CPA formulation investigated, the GNR formulation required substantially higher mass concentrations to achieve successful laser nanowarming and cyst hatching. Overall, TiN nanomaterials provide a cost-effective, thermally robust, and tunable platform for laser nanowarming. Under the experimental conditions investigated, TiN formulations achieved comparable or improved nanowarming outcomes while requiring substantially lower concentrations than the GNR formulation evaluated, offering a practical pathway to advance vitrification-based cryopreservation.

The refractory healing of diabetic wounds represents a major clinical challenge, primarily attributed to a vicious cycle formed by persistent bacterial infection, excessive oxidative stress, and a dysregulated immune microenvironment. To simultaneously address multiple pathological barriers, an intelligent composite nanoplatform was designed and constructed in this study, integrating near-infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, antimicrobial activity, and immunomodulation. A mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) core was loaded with chlorogenic acid (CGA), a natural antioxidant, and further coated with a copper-zinc bimetallic organic framework (Cu/Zn-MOF) to fabricate Cu/Zn-MOF@CGA@MPDA NPs, exhibiting pH-responsive dissociation in the acidic infected wound microenvironment. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the fabricated NPs showed excellent photothermal performance, efficiently eliminating bacteria and biofilms in vitro. They also scavenged ROS to relieve oxidative damage and promoted macrophage polarization from the pro-inflammatory M1 to pro-healing M2 phenotype. In a diabetic rat model of infected full-thickness skin wounds, the nanoplatform achieved antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects simultaneously. Such synergistic functions promoted collagen deposition and re-epithelialization, thereby accelerating diabetic wound healing. Histological and hematological tests verified its good biocompatibility and biosafety. This work developed a synergistic single-platform strategy for precise regulation of diabetic wound microenvironments, providing a promising therapeutic alternative for refractory diabetic wound treatment.

Chronic diabetic wounds remain a major clinical challenge owing to persistent bacterial infection, prolonged inflammation, excessive exudation, and impaired tissue regeneration. Herein, an injectable thermosensitive hydrogel was developed by integrating N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium)propyl] chitosan chloride with aldehyde-functionalized Pluronic F127 for epidermal growth factor (EGF) delivery and diabetic wound repair. The hydrogel forms a dual-crosslinked network through temperature-induced micellization and dynamic Schiff base bonding, exhibiting rapid gelation under physiological conditions, shear-thinning behavior, and self-healing properties. In vitro, the hydrogel provides a sustained release profile of EGF exhibiting effective antibacterial activity against Gram-positive S. aureus. In vivo studies in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats demonstrate significantly accelerated wound healing, achieving 83% wound closure within 14 days compared to 45% in the control group, along with enhanced tissue regeneration characteristics, including improved collagen deposition. This multifunctional hydrogel provides a promising strategy for diabetic wound management by integrating antibacterial potential and tissue regeneration.

Excessive fibrosis and implant-associated infections remain major challenges in wound healing and post-surgical tissue repair, often resulting in impaired regeneration and long-term complications. Although gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels are widely used in regenerative medicine due to their biocompatibility and tunable physicochemical properties, they intrinsically lack antifibrotic and antibacterial functionality. Herein, we report a dual-functional GelMA-based hydrogel (GelMA-AMP/AFP) achieved by the covalent co-conjugation of an antifibrotic peptide (DR8) and a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide (P9-4), enabling simultaneous regulation of fibrotic responses and bacterial colonization within a single biomaterial platform. The peptide-functionalized GelMA hydrogels preserved their porous microarchitecture, mechanical integrity, and swelling behavior while providing a sustained peptide release profile over 14 days. In a TGF-β1-induced in vitro fibrotic fibroblast model, the dual-functional hydrogel significantly suppressed fibroblast proliferation and migration, reduced collagen deposition, and downregulated key profibrotic markers, including COL1A1, ACTA2, FN1, and TGF-β1, at both gene and protein levels. In parallel, the same GelMA-AMP/AFP platform effectively inhibited bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation by multidrug-resistant pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA), without inducing cytotoxicity. This study reports a GelMA-based biomaterial to simultaneously integrate covalently conjugated antifibrotic and antimicrobial peptides, thereby achieving concurrent suppression of fibrosis and inhibition of biofilm formation within a single material system, in vitro. By combining complementary biological functionalities without compromising material properties, this study presents a chemically driven strategy for multifunctional biomaterial design. This strategy may provide a useful foundation for future studies targeting advanced wound dressings, post-surgical adhesion prevention, and infection-prone tissue repair, pending further in vivo validation.