In article number 1904282, Jin Woong Kim, Sang‐Yup Lee, and co‐workers report a Boston ivy disc‐inspired biomimetic strategy that enables fabrication of pressure‐mediated adhesive film patches. They ...demonstrate that such adhesive patches are able to structurally and chemically mimic the tendril disc of a mature Boston ivy, thus opening up a new type of biomimetic material system based on the botanical synergetic interplays characterized by improved biological adhesion performance.
Among autophagy-related molecules, p62/SQSTM1 is an adaptor for identifying and delivering intracellular cargo for degradation. Since ubiquitination is reversible, it has a switch role in autophagy. ...Ubiquitination is also involved in regulating autophagy in a timely manner. This study aimed to elucidate how p62-mediated autophagy is regulated in human endothelial cells and macrophages under atherosclerotic conditions, focusing on the lysosomal and proteasomal pathways. Co-cultured HUVECs and THP-1 cells were exposed to oxLDL (50 μg/mL) and autophagy was assessed. To downregulate p62, siRNA was administered, and the E3 ligases were inhibited by Heclin or MLN4924 treatment under the condition that cellular inflammatory processes were stimulated by oxLDL simultaneously initiated autophagy. Downregulating p62 induced an alternative degradation system, and the E3 ligases were found to be involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. Collectively, the present study demonstrated that the endothelial lipid accumulation under atherosclerotic conditions was caused by lysosomal dysfunction associated with autophagy.
This study introduces a facile method to hybridize metal nanoparticles with lipid vesicles, which allows us to control over their membrane micro-fluidity. We have fabricated these hybrid liposomes by ...directly hybridizing metal nanoparticles with lipid bilayers solely consisting of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC). For this, we have used the dehydration and rehydration method. Characterizing their morphology and micro-fluidity, in which we have used electron microscopy and fluorescence anisotropy spectroscopy, enables us to demonstrate that metal nanoparticles with different surface properties create interactions with either phosphorus end groups or hydrophobic tails of DPPC, thereby resulting in decrease in micro-fluidity of the assembled lipid membranes, especially for the hydrophobic layers. Our approach to hybridize metal nanoparticles in between lipid layers offers a flexible means that allows us to obtain a liposome system with more controllable membrane properties.
In this study, Mo3Se3 – single-chain atomic crystals (SCACs) with atomically small chain diameters of ∼0.6 nm, large surface areas, and mechanical flexibility were synthesized and investigated as an ...extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking scaffold material for tissue engineering applications. The proliferation of L-929 and MC3T3-E1 cell lines increased up to 268.4 ± 24.4% and 396.2 ± 8.1%, respectively, after 48 h of culturing with Mo3Se3 – SCACs. More importantly, this extremely high proliferation was observed when the cells were treated with 200 μg mL–1 of Mo3Se3 – SCACs, which is above the cytotoxic concentration of most nanomaterials reported earlier. An ECM-mimicking scaffold film prepared by coating Mo3Se3 – SCACs on a glass substrate enabled the cells to adhere to the surface in a highly stretched manner at the initial stage of cell adhesion. Most cells cultured on the ECM-mimicking scaffold film remained alive; in contrast, a substantial number of cells cultured on glass substrates without the Mo3Se3 – SCAC coating did not survive. This work not only proves the exceptional biocompatible and bioactive characteristics of the Mo3Se3 – SCACs but also suggests that, as an ECM-mimicking scaffold material, Mo3Se3 – SCACs can overcome several critical limitations of most other nanomaterials.
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•Enhanced skin adhesion system using cell penetrating peptide is reported.•The BCNFBac7 adhered to cells as well as skin via attraction with the cell membrane.•The BCNFBac7 showed the ...ability to retard water evaporation upon topical application.
Bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs), possessing excellent biocompatibility as well as hygroscopicity, are receiving high interest as a biomaterial for biomedical and healthcare treatments, since they exert various interactions with tissues after surface modification with biochemicals such as peptides, proteins, and catechols. Herein, we report a BCNF-based skin adhesion system, wherein cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-conjugated BCNFs were employed to enhance the attraction to the skin under wet conditions. For this, we conjugated Bac7, a type of CPP, with the carboxylate of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-oxidized BCNFs. We showed that Bac7-conjugated BCNFs exhibited both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with the cell membrane, which eventually led to the remarkable adhesion against the skin surface. Furthermore, we demonstrated that such tailored skin attraction played a key role in improving skin water retention.
Familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) is an autosomal dominant channelopathy characterized by episodic attacks of muscle weakness and hypokalemia. Mutations in the calcium channel gene, ...CACNA1S, or the sodium channel gene, SCN4A, have been found to be responsible for HOKPP; however, the mechanism that causes hypokalemia remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of this mechanism by investigating the expression of calcium-activated potassium (KCa) channel genes in HOKPP patients.
We measured the intracellular calcium concentration with fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester in skeletal muscle cells of HOKPP patients and healthy individuals. We examined the mRNA and protein expression of KCa channel genes (KCNMA1, KCNN1, KCNN2, KCNN3, and KCNN4) in both cell types.
Patient cells exhibited higher cytosolic calcium levels than normal cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the mRNA levels of the KCa channel genes did not significantly differ between patient and normal cells. However, western blot analysis showed that protein levels of the KCNMA1 gene, which encodes KCa1.1 channels (also called big potassium channels), were significantly lower in the membrane fraction and higher in the cytosolic fraction of patient cells than normal cells. When patient cells were exposed to 50 mM potassium buffer, which was used to induce depolarization, the altered subcellular distribution of BK channels remained unchanged.
These findings suggest a novel mechanism for the development of hypokalemia and paralysis in HOKPP and demonstrate a connection between disease-associated mutations in calcium/sodium channels and pathogenic changes in nonmutant potassium channels.
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•Low-density μPFPs are fabricated using piezoelectric inkjet technology.•Kinetically stable μPFPs can be transformed into Janus and core-shell particles.•The porosity of μPFPs can be ...controlled by selectively removing one polymer phase.
We report fabrication of low-density polymeric microparticles (micropolymofoam particles μPFPs) using the piezoelectric inkjet method. After ejecting a polymer solution prepared by dissolving polymers in a volatile organic solvent, microdroplets are periodically generated through an inkjet nozzle in the air. Rapid evaporation of the solvent as it falls through the air leads to a highly porous surface and internal morphology. Optical microscope observation confirms that the inside of the μPFPs is filled with air. Notably, the use of more than two different polymers results in kinetically stable particles, in which the heterogeneous polymer chains are randomly entangled. Shape transformation of the kinetically stable μPFPs occurs upon adding a swelling solvent, spontaneously changing their geometry from porous and rugged-shaped to a Janus-like structure with a clear phase boundary. This transformation is directly monitored using an optical microscope. The surface free energy calculation reveals that particles are transformed to adopt a thermodynamically stable structure; this is achieved by imparting fluidity to the randomly entangled polymer chains, which is energetically unfavorable. In addition, porosity control can be possible by selectively removing one polymer phase of kinetically stable particles comprising two different polymers. Furthermore, the developed inkjet method can be applied for producing composite particles encapsulated with functional nanoparticles and coating or patterning them directly onto a substrate.
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