Colloids And Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
A taxifolin-zinc nanozyme with SOD-like activity attenuates oxidative-stress-induced senescence and extends lifespan in C. elegans.
Tang X, Luo F, Chen T … +8 more , Zhou X, Hu S, Chen X, Chi X, Shi Q, Lin A, Cui B, Hu J
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42214949 · Publisher ↗
Oxidative stress is a key driver of cellular senescence and functional decline. However, many natural polyphenols have limited bioavailability because they are difficult to formulate into stable systems. Here, we report...
Oxidative stress is a key driver of cellular senescence and functional decline. However, many natural polyphenols have limited bioavailability because they are difficult to formulate into stable systems. Here, we report a polyphenol-metal coordination nanozyme prepared by coordinating zinc with taxifolin and using L-arginine to regulate assembly. The resulting Tax-Zn nanozyme formed a well-dispersed nanoscale system with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 57.53 nm. Functionally, the nanozyme exhibited broad antioxidant capacity in several assays and showed slightly stronger activity than Tax in selected assays. In MEFs, Tax-Zn nanozyme showed low cytotoxicity and markedly suppressed intracellular ROS under HO challenge, accompanied by improved mitochondrial function and attenuation of senescence-associated phenotypes. In C. elegans, Tax-Zn nanozyme extended lifespan and improved healthspan-related indicators. Collectively, these results support the nanozyme as a natural-product-derived coordination platform that mitigates oxidative-stress-related senescence phenotypes and supports the development of antioxidant nano-formulations.
Modular antibody-functionalized poly(β-amino ester) polyplexes: Colloidal and interfacial design for targeted mRNA delivery to human T cells.
Loukanov A, Baena JC, Filipov C … +2 more , Nikolova S, Emin S
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42214948 · Publisher ↗
The rational design of polymer-nucleic acid nanoparticles requires precise control over colloidal stability, interfacial structure, and assembly under biologically relevant conditions. Here, we report a hierarchically as...
The rational design of polymer-nucleic acid nanoparticles requires precise control over colloidal stability, interfacial structure, and assembly under biologically relevant conditions. Here, we report a hierarchically assembled, antibody-functionalized polyplex nanoplatform for targeted messenger RNA (mRNA) delivery. A biodegradable cationic poly(β-amino ester) (PβAE-447) enables efficient condensation of in vitro-transcribed mRNA into nanoscale polyplexes. To enhance stability and introduce modular functionality, polyplexes were coated with a poly(γ-glutamic acid)-avidin (PGA-avidin) corona, forming a core-shell structure that suppresses aggregation and provides a chemically addressable interface. Biotinylated antibodies were conjugated via avidin-biotin interactions, enabling modular targeting without altering the nanoparticle core. The resulting nanoparticles exhibit controlled size, charge reversal, and buffering behavior in the endosomal pH range. Using CCR4-IRES-ZsGreen mRNA, antibody-functionalized nanoparticles demonstrated receptor-dependent uptake and expression in human T cells. Although delivery efficiency varied with biological conditions, the system reveals a balance between transfection efficiency and cytocompatibility. The reported study establishes a modular design framework for polymer-mRNA nanoparticles with tunable interfaces, supporting targeted and non-viral gene delivery applications.
Construction of structural-varied macrophage hitchhiking delivery systems and targeting performance validation via a microfluidic chemotaxis model.
Lv Q, Zhao J, Wang R … +6 more , Wang M, Du Y, Guo F, Zhang H, Xia X, Hong W
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42214947 · Publisher ↗
Macrophage-based drug delivery systems (MDDSs) have garnered significant interest due to their inherent chemotactic properties. However, systematic methodologies for evaluating their migration and the effects of differen...
Macrophage-based drug delivery systems (MDDSs) have garnered significant interest due to their inherent chemotactic properties. However, systematic methodologies for evaluating their migration and the effects of different drug-loading strategies remain insufficient. In this study, two structurally distinct MDDSs were developed to address this gap. Curcumin-loaded hollow silica nanoparticles (Cur-SHS) were utilized for intracellular endocytosis (Mφ-Cur-SHS), while their lipid-coated counterparts (Cur-SHS@lip) were anchored to the macrophage surface (Mφ-Cur-SHS@lip). A microfluidic chip platform mimicking normal and tumor-associated inflammatory microenvironments was established to dynamically evaluate the chemotactic behavior of both MDDSs. Assays demonstrated that the surface-bound system (Mφ-Cur-SHS@lip) achieved significantly higher targeting efficiency than the endocytosed system. The surface-anchored configuration reduced cytotoxicity and better preserved the intrinsic motility of macrophages, whereas excessive nanodrug loading impaired migration, underscoring the necessity of optimizing drug loading in macrophages. Furthermore, biodistribution study in tumor-bearing mice confirmed that both MDDSs effectively targeted tumor tissues. These findings provide critical insights into how structural configuration and drug loading influence the performance of MDDSs, and establish a robust microfluidic platform for the systematic evaluation and optimization of macrophage-based biomimetic delivery systems.
Whey protein isolate-procyanidin lutein microcapsules against blue light-induced retinal damage.
Li Y, Li J, Liu K … +4 more , Su W, Abd El-Aty AM, Bai Y, Tan M
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42208274 · Publisher ↗
The increasing prevalence of prolonged exposure to electronic devices has made ocular health risks a major public health concern. Natural food pigments, such as procyanidins (PCs) and lutein, exhibit excellent antioxidan...
The increasing prevalence of prolonged exposure to electronic devices has made ocular health risks a major public health concern. Natural food pigments, such as procyanidins (PCs) and lutein, exhibit excellent antioxidant properties, but their poor stability greatly limits their bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, a noncovalent whey protein isolate-procyanidin complex (WPI-PC) was designed and its binding interactions were investigated using FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy. After high-pressure homogenization and spray drying, the lutein retention rate in the resulting microcapsules reached 83.2%. Structural characterization showed that microcapsules prepared with 3 wt% WPI-PC had higher total oil content, lower surface oil content, lower hygroscopicity and water activity and good powder fluidity. Moreover, the lutein microcapsules remained stable under simulated gastric conditions and were efficiently digested in simulated intestinal fluid, supporting lutein release and potential intestinal absorption. In vitro and in vivo experiments further demonstrated that lutein microcapsules effectively reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation and inflammatory factor secretion and ultimately alleviated blue light-induced retinal damage in mice. Overall, these microcapsules represent promising nutraceutical formulations that synergistically enhance the stability, bioaccessibility and ocular protective efficacy of lutein and PCs, showing potential for dietary interventions related to eye health.
A self-assembling manganese-peptide hydrogel bridges metabolic modulation and STING pathway activation for cancer immunotherapy.
Yan J, Peng L, Zhang J … +4 more , Wang C, Shen M, Wang Y, Zheng Z
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42208273 · Publisher ↗
The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy is frequently limited by immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments and a lack of advanced delivery systems capable of spatiotemporal immunomodulation. Herein, we report the rational d...
The efficacy of cancer immunotherapy is frequently limited by immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments and a lack of advanced delivery systems capable of spatiotemporal immunomodulation. Herein, we report the rational design of a stimuli-responsive, self-assembling peptide hydrogel (Nap-ss-FFYK, N-ss-F) engineered to co-deliver manganese ions (Mn) while acting as an intrinsic metabolic modulator. The supramolecular N-ss-F@Mn hydrogel features a structural disulfide bridge that undergoes rapid cleavage upon exposure to the glutathione (GSH)-rich tumor microenvironment. This stimuli-responsive disassembly serves a dual therapeutic function: it facilitates the sustained release of Mn to potently activate the cGAS-STING pathway, and it actively disrupts tumor redox homeostasis. The chemical reduction of the hydrogel depletes intracellular GSH, downregulating glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) to induce ferroptosis. Concurrently, the compensatory GSH regeneration response heavily consumes intracellular NADPH, triggering actin cytoskeleton collapse and inducing disulfidptosis. By seamlessly integrating a biomimetic peptide scaffold with targeted metabolic disruption and STING-mediated immune priming, the N-ss-F@Mn hydrogel effectively reverses the "cold" tumor microenvironment. This multifunctional biomaterial platform demonstrates robust efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis, highlighting the potential of metabolically active supramolecular assemblies in advancing cancer immunotherapy.
pH-Responsive 7,8-DHF/HZIF-8@PLGA microspheres for modulating the osteoporotic microenvironment: Osteogenesis, immunomodulation, and ROS scavenging.
He Y, Sun Q, Hu K … +5 more , Xiao Z, Zhao H, Zhou L, Cao S, Tang B
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42208272 · Publisher ↗
Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disorder driven by impaired osteogenesis, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress within an acidic bone microenvironment. To address this complex pathology, we developed an in...
Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disorder driven by impaired osteogenesis, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress within an acidic bone microenvironment. To address this complex pathology, we developed an intelligent, pH-responsive drug delivery system comprising 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF)/hollow zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (HZIF-8) encapsulated in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres (7,8-DHF/HZIF-8@PLGA). This hierarchical platform integrates three therapeutic modalities: (i) 7,8-DHF activates the TrkB/Wnt/β-catenin pathway to promote osteoblast differentiation; (ii) Zn²⁺ released from HZIF-8 enhances osteogenesis and drives M2 macrophage polarization; and (iii) tannic acid (TA), used to construct the hollow structure, scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppresses pro-inflammatory signaling. The system exhibits sustained, pH-triggered release over 20 days, with significantly accelerated payload release under acidic conditions (pH 5.5) that mimic the osteoclastic resorption lacunae. In vitro, 7,8-DHF/HZIF-8@PLGA rescues osteoblasts from acid-induced apoptosis, significantly upregulates alkaline phosphatase activity and osteogenic gene expression, and reprograms macrophages toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, it demonstrates robust ROS-scavenging capacity, effectively mitigating oxidative damage. By simultaneously targeting osteogenesis, inflammation, and redox imbalance in a microenvironment-responsive manner, this multifunctional platform represents a promising strategy for the precision therapy of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases.
Tetrandrine nanocrystals development for enhanced transdermal delivery and anti-psoriatic activity on imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model.
Liu Y, Gao J, Cheng Y … +2 more , Han Y, Zheng Y
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42202510 · Publisher ↗
Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease marked by erythema, swelling, keratinocyte hyperproliferation, and abnormal epidermal differentiation. Accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of regulatory...
Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease marked by erythema, swelling, keratinocyte hyperproliferation, and abnormal epidermal differentiation. Accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in suppressing pathological inflammation in psoriasis development. Tetrandrine (TET), a natural alkaloid, has shown anti-psoriasis potential by promoting immunosuppressive CD4Foxp3 Tregs via the mTNF-TNFR2 pathway. To overcome poor aqueous solubility/dissolution and limited skin penetration, this project has developed tetrandrine nanocrystals (TET-NCs) for topical delivery. The wet milling process was optimized in terms of milling parameters on particle size and polydispersity index (PDI). The obtained TET-NCs had uniform particle size and good storage stability. After loading them into hyaluronic acid gels (TET-NCs gel), the formulations were stable in rheological properties under refrigerated conditions. In vitro release experiments showed that the nanocrystals exhibited moderately enhanced release at slightly acidic pH. In vitro and ex vivo transdermal evaluations demonstrated enhanced skin penetration. The therapeutic efficacy of TET-NCs gel was evaluated on imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like model, and results demonstrated that psoriatic skin treated with TET-NCs gel exhibited improvements in both phenotypic and histopathological characteristics. Compared with the imiquimod group, levels of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23 were significantly reduced and the proportion of Tregs had increased. This study provides an effective nanocrystal strategy to overcome the transdermal delivery of tetrandrine for psoriasis treatment.
Impact of membrane-lipid additives on the structure and morphology of nanoerythrosomes.
Bóta A, Kiss T, Wacha A … +8 more , Ilyés K, Pinkas D, Varga Z, Pálmai M, Horváth I, Máthé D, Szigeti K, Mihály J
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42202509 · Publisher ↗
The synthetic forms of natural lipid components are advantageous additives in the size and shape tailoring of erythrosomes for making them more apt for various purposes, including medical drug carrying and biosensors. Th...
The synthetic forms of natural lipid components are advantageous additives in the size and shape tailoring of erythrosomes for making them more apt for various purposes, including medical drug carrying and biosensors. The cell membranes of emptied erythrocytes, known as ghosts, undergo structural and morphological rearrangement on the uptake of additional amounts of their characteristic lipids. The different morphologies, observed by freeze-fractured transmission electron microscopy, are associated with the changes of lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions on the atomic scale, as shown by infrared spectroscopy. The shape of the occurring nanoparticles is strongly dependent on the types of added lipids. Lipids from the inner leaflet (phosphatidylethanolamines and -serines) induce flat layer fragments - which can not consider as erythrosomes -, while those characteristic for the outer leaflet (phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins) cause the formation of vesicle-like spherical nanoerythrosomes and alter the conformation of ghost-membrane proteins, witnessed by the increase of the helix to sheet ratio by 30%. Addition of all four characteristic membrane lipids induces less regularly shaped nanoerythrosomes, indicating the effects of both lipid groups. Despite the different shapes of the occurring objects, their sizes are in a similar domain, thus further 3D information, readily provided by freeze-fractured transmission electron microscopy, is necessary to distinguish the shape and type of these nanoparticles.
Nanocomposites integrating antigen release and presentation for treatment of sarcoma.
Wu J, Zhou X, Miao F … +8 more , Zheng J, Tang M, Mi Y, Liu Z, Geng G, Wang Q, Li W, Jiang J
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42202508 · Publisher ↗
Soft-tissue sarcomas present a significant clinical challenge owing to their high postoperative recurrence rates and poor responsiveness to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The insufficient infiltration of immune cells int...
Soft-tissue sarcomas present a significant clinical challenge owing to their high postoperative recurrence rates and poor responsiveness to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The insufficient infiltration of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment further limits the efficacy of immunotherapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells by releasing tumor-associated antigens. These antigens can be used to activate dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro and extract DC vesicles. These vesicles can activate T cells in a more effective and specific manner, promoting their maturation and tumor infiltration, thereby achieving effective tumor immunotherapy. After delivering photosensitizers to the tumor site via nanocarriers, the tumor antigens generated in situ by PDT can further enhance tumor accumulation and the anti-tumor immune response of these T cells. Based on this rationale, we developed a cell membrane-based nanoplatform that integrates PDT and T cell activation. Nanoparticles were fabricated by coating indocyanine green-loaded mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles with a hybrid membrane derived from DCs activated by PDT-released antigens and tumor cells (DTM-MI). In vitro, DTM-MI demonstrated efficient tumor cell targeting and laser irradiation, produced abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS), and induced tumor cell death and release of ICD-related molecules. DTM-MI selectively accumulated in tumors of tumor-bearing mice in vivo Combined with PD-L1 antibody and laser irradiation, DTM-MI significantly inhibited tumor growth while elevating serum levels of immune-related cytokines, confirming anti-tumor immune activation. Lymph nodes showed increased T-cell and CD8 + T-cell populations, and tumor sites exhibited enhanced CD8 + T-cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) infiltration. The dual targeting of tumor cells and T cells by DTM-MI coupled with DC membrane-mediated T-cell activation and homing to PDT-treated regions facilitated potent tumor killing. Laser-triggered immunogenic cell death and antigen release further amplify T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity, presenting a promising therapeutic approach for sarcomas.
A copper-engineered MnO₂ nanoplatform for potentiating STING activation and antitumor immunity in colorectal cancer.
Sun J, Zhao Z, Li Y … +4 more , Wang X, Li J, Huang Z, Xu H
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42184673 · Publisher ↗
The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway plays a central role in antitumor immunity but is frequently compromised by tumor hypoxia and metabolic immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment. Here, we dev...
The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway plays a central role in antitumor immunity but is frequently compromised by tumor hypoxia and metabolic immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment. Here, we developed a multifunctional nano-STING inducer based on hollow manganese dioxide (MnO₂) nanoparticles loaded with the STING agonist DMXAA and surface-modified with a copper-polyphenol nanonetwork and hyaluronic acid. Upon accumulation in tumors, this nanoplatform undergoes acid-responsive degradation, enabling controlled DMXAA release and STING activation. Concurrently, MnO₂ catalyzes tumor-derived hydrogen peroxide to generate oxygen, alleviating hypoxia and suppressing lactate production, thereby relieving lactate-mediated inhibition of STING signaling. In addition, released copper ions promote tumor cell death with immunogenic features, further facilitating immune activation. In an orthotopic colorectal cancer model, MnO₂@Cu-HA robustly activates intratumoral STING signaling, reduces immunosuppressive myeloid and regulatory T cell populations, promotes dendritic cell maturation and macrophage reprogramming, and enhances CD8⁺ T cell infiltration. Collectively, this nano-STING inducer remodels the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and elicits coordinated innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses, providing an effective strategy to overcome metabolic and hypoxic barriers to STING-based cancer immunotherapy.
Oral liver-targeted delivery systems for anti-hyperglycemic therapy: From passive to active targeting strategies.
Zhang Y, Sun Y, Liu J … +7 more , Dong J, Cao C, Qi M, Li S, Zhang H, Gao Z, Song H
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42184672 · Publisher ↗
Diabetes is a highly prevalent chronic disease worldwide. Traditional insulin injection is inconvenient, driving oral insulin as a promising research area. However, oral insulin delivery encounters multiple physiological...
Diabetes is a highly prevalent chronic disease worldwide. Traditional insulin injection is inconvenient, driving oral insulin as a promising research area. However, oral insulin delivery encounters multiple physiological barriers in the gastrointestinal tract. As an indispensable organ for glucose metabolism, the liver serves as one of the key targets for insulin to exert its hypoglycemic effects. Thus, the development of liver-targeted delivery systems provides a novel strategy for improving insulin efficacy and reducing side effects. This technology is expected to promote the preferential utilization of insulin in the liver by mimicking physiological insulin secretion patterns, thereby effectively enhancing hypoglycemic effects while lowering the risk of hypoglycemia. This article reviewed the research progress in oral liver-targeted insulin delivery and its application in the treatment of diabetes and related complications, highlighting active and passive liver-targeting strategies. Passive liver targeting mainly relies on the synergy between the physicochemical properties of nanocarriers and the unique anatomical characteristics of the liver, achieving non-specific accumulation of insulin in hepatocytes. In contrast, active liver targeting is accomplished by modifying specific ligands on the carrier surface, which mediate receptor-mediated endocytosis via specific recognition and binding between ligands and receptors on the hepatocyte surface, thereby enabling precise enrichment of insulin in targeted hepatocytes. The advantages and application prospects of these two targeting strategies were analyzed to provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of oral insulin formulations, facilitate their clinical translation, and offer more effective and convenient therapies for diabetic patients.
Oral ROS-responsive hydrogel with sulfur-doped ginger carbon dots for modulating oxidative stress and restoring gut homeostasis in inflammatory bowel disease.
Liu B, Rui S, Bian D … +8 more , Wang J, Feng S, Liu Z, Yang Y, Gong W, Wan L, Zhang J, Zhao Q
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42184671 · Publisher ↗
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves a complex inflammatory environment marked by excessive oxidative stress, impaired barrier function, and microbial imbalance. These interconnected pathologies are difficult to add...
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves a complex inflammatory environment marked by excessive oxidative stress, impaired barrier function, and microbial imbalance. These interconnected pathologies are difficult to address with conventional single-target therapies. To tackle these challenges, this study developed an intelligently responsive oral hydrogel delivery system based on sulfur-doped ginger carbon dots (SGCDs). SGCDs, synthesized via a hydrothermal method, not only exhibited remarkable antioxidant capacity but also demonstrated multiple enzyme-like activities, including SOD-like and CAT-like, along with stable fluorescence imaging properties. Simultaneously, thiolated hyaluronic acid (HS), exhibiting ROS-responsive gelation properties, was synthesized via chemical modification and employed as the gel matrix. The oral precursor system (HS@SGCDs), constructed by loading SGCDs into the HS solution, underwent ROS-triggered in situ gelation upon reaching the colonic inflammatory region. This transformation formed a physical barrier, prolonged retention time, and enabled controlled release of SGCDs. This system significantly alleviated pathological symptoms through multiple mechanisms, including efficient scavenging of excessive ROS, modulation of the immune microenvironment, amelioration of intestinal barrier dysfunction, and amelioration of dysbiosis with a trend toward recovery of a more balanced microbial community. Through disease-directed and source-based innovation, the system combined targeted material design with multifunctional therapeutic capabilities. Thus, HS@SGCDs provided an innovative and comprehensive solution for the treatment of IBD.
Assessment of carbohydrates binding with their receptors on the cell membrane and carbohydrates targeted nano-drugs entry cell.
Yang Y, Zhang Z, Wang H … +4 more , Yang D, Ma X, Li S, Shan Y
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42184670 · Publisher ↗
Carbohydrate ligand-targeted nano-drugs attracted considerable interest in recent years, especially mannose (Man) and galactose (Gal) have been identified as the primary ligands targeting mannose receptor (MR) and asialo...
Carbohydrate ligand-targeted nano-drugs attracted considerable interest in recent years, especially mannose (Man) and galactose (Gal) have been identified as the primary ligands targeting mannose receptor (MR) and asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), respectively. Herein, the capability of mannose and galactose binding with their cell membrane receptor was systemically assessed, furthermore, the cellular uptake dynamic mechanism of the mannose and galactose targeted nano-drugs was analyzed at single particle level. The super-resolution direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) imaging demonstrated that ASGPR cluster is fewer but larger distributed on the HepG2 cell membrane compared to MR. The more accessible binding site leads to the higher probability for galactose binding with ASGPR, while, the binding is not stable with low binding affinity. However, on A549 cell membrane the binding affinity is similar for Man-MR and Gal-ASGPR, the binding dynamics is cell line dependent. The inhibition effect of calcium ion on the binding of Man-MR and Gal-ASGPR can exert the optimal effects by combining pre-treatment and treatment on site. Because of the higher binding probability of Gal-ASGPR, the Gal-PEI-DOX was found to be easier to entry cell. This study will provide potential strategy for designing appropriate carbohydrate-targeted nano-drugs with high delivery efficiency.
Metal tungstates as antifungal and antibiofilm agents againstCandida albicans.
Shaik S, Lee JH, Thamaraiselvi K … +2 more , Kim YG, Lee J
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42177901 · Publisher ↗
Multidrug-resistant fungal infections caused by Candida albicans, particularly those associated with biofilm formation and virulence, represent a growing clinical challenge and demand alternative antifungal strategies be...
Multidrug-resistant fungal infections caused by Candida albicans, particularly those associated with biofilm formation and virulence, represent a growing clinical challenge and demand alternative antifungal strategies beyond conventional drugs. In this study, we investigated ultrasonically synthesized metal tungstates as antifungal and antibiofilm agents against multi-azole-resistant C. albicans. A series of metal tungstates (AgWO, BaWO, CaWO, CoWO, MnWO, and ZnWO) were synthesized via sonication. This yielded phase-pure microstructures with distinct morphologies, homogeneous elemental distribution, and high crystallinity. Comparative screening against multiple Candida species revealed AgWO as the most potent antifungal material. It showed fungicidal activity at 5 µg/ml and exhibited 93% biofilm inhibition and altered hyphal morphogenesis at 0.5 µg/ml. ZnWO displayed 97% biofilm inhibition and antifungal activity at 300 µg/ml, whereas other tungstates showed minimal biological effects. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that AgWO and ZnWO increased intracellular ROS production and decreased metabolic activity, accompanied by alterations in fungal morphology. Notably, AgWO displayed additive interactions with conventional antifungal drugs and showed no resistance development during serial passaging for 15 days. Toxicity assessments using plant, nematode, blood cell, and liver cell line models confirmed favorable biocompatibility within antifungally effective concentration ranges. ZnWO showed lower toxicity than AgWO, with IC values of 5193 and 63 µg/ml against HepG2 cells. Overall, this work establishes AgWO and ZnWO as antivirulence-oriented, resistance-mitigating antifungal materials for combating persistent, drug-resistant fungal infections.
Synergistic gastric retention of rebamipide via hollow bioadhesive microspheres for enhanced ulcer therapy.
Dou TR, Xu J, Liu BC … +2 more , Piao JS, Piao MG
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42177900 · Publisher ↗
To address the low oral bioavailability and frequent dosing requirement of rebamipide, this study developed hollow bioadhesive microspheres based on a synergistic gastroretentive mechanism. The formulation utilizes ethyl...
To address the low oral bioavailability and frequent dosing requirement of rebamipide, this study developed hollow bioadhesive microspheres based on a synergistic gastroretentive mechanism. The formulation utilizes ethyl cellulose/ Eudragit® EPO as the matrix to achieve buoyancy and is modified with a glyceryl monooleate coating to impart bioadhesion. The optimized microspheres exhibited a regular morphology, demonstrating excellent sustained floating and mucoadhesive properties in vitro. Animal studies confirmed significantly prolonged gastric residence time. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a 226% increase in relative bioavailability compared to commercial tablets. In an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer rat model, the system effectively reduced ulcer indices by prolonging local drug exposure, and showed comprehensive therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and enhanced mucosal defense activities, with no observed significant toxicity. This study provides an effective and safe drug delivery strategy for the local and sustained treatment of gastric ulcers.
Multifunctional hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle enabling resveratrol and siRNA co-delivery for enhanced cutaneous wound repair.
Morais MF, Silvestrini AVP, Depieri LV … +3 more , da Silva UJ, Ramos AP, Bentley MVLB
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42177899 · Publisher ↗
Chronic ulcers impose a significant global healthcare burden due to the limited availability of effective and durable treatments. Impaired spatial and temporal coordination of immune, epithelial, and endothelial response...
Chronic ulcers impose a significant global healthcare burden due to the limited availability of effective and durable treatments. Impaired spatial and temporal coordination of immune, epithelial, and endothelial responses contributes to persistent inflammation and defective tissue repair. To address this complexity, in this study, we report the rational design and characterization of a hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle (HLPN) platform for prolonged topical co-delivery of resveratrol (RSV), targeting oxidative and inflammatory pathways, and siRNA against matrix metalloproteinase-9 (siMMP9), a key mediator of chronicity. The optimized HLPNs exhibited a mean diameter of ∼180 nm, low polydispersity (PDI <0.2), and positive surface charge (∼20 mV), with high RSV encapsulation efficiency (98%). Surface-complexed siRNA remained protected from RNase degradation for up to 24 h. Incorporation of HLPNs into a hydroxyethylcellulose hydrogel resulted in favorable colloidal properties, leading to enhanced penetration and retention of the therapeutic agents in both intact and barrier-impaired skin. HLPN effectively mediated the cellular uptake of siRNA, resulting in significant MMP-9 gene silencing (≈11-36.5-fold reduction). The co-delivery system also markedly decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 (≈3.8 and 12.9-fold). Importantly, lipopolysaccharide-induced impairment of fibroblast migration was reversed, with the HLPN-RSV-siMMP9 formulation increasing cell migration compared with untreated inflamed controls. Together, these findings demonstrate that the multifunctional HLPN platform developed enables effective multimodal modulation of inflammatory and proteolytic pathways, representing a promising nanotherapeutic strategy for chronic wound management.
Tyrosine-based melanin-like multifunctional nanocomplexes for combined photothermal/photodynamic therapy of tumors.
Fu K, Pan L, Zhang X … +10 more , Li X, Deng H, Tang M, Xu Y, Zhang X, Shen J, Xu L, Zhang L, Wang S, Kong X
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42176644 · Publisher ↗
Photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have shown great potential for tumor treatment owing to their high spatiotemporal selectivity and minimally invasive characteristics; however, conventional inorga...
Photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have shown great potential for tumor treatment owing to their high spatiotemporal selectivity and minimally invasive characteristics; however, conventional inorganic photothermal agents often suffer from limited biocompatibility, and PDT efficacy is severely compromised by tumor hypoxia. To overcome these challenges, we developed a multifunctional nanocomposite (MNP@TCPP/Pt) for synergistic PTT/PDT. Melanin-like nanoparticles (MNP) were synthesized via tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of L-tyrosine, followed by surface grafting of the photosensitizer tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP) and in situ reduced of platinum nanoparticles. MNP@TCPP/Pt exhibited a uniform particle size of ∼180 nm with a near-neutral zeta potential (-10 mV). Upon laser irradiation, the MNP component efficiently converted light energy into heat, resulting in a temperature increase of approximately 28 °C within 300 s to enable effective PTT. Meanwhile, TCPP generated abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light activation to achieve PDT. Notably, the surface-decorated Pt nanoparticles displayed catalase-like activity, continuously decomposing hydrogen peroxide to generate oxygen, with an oxygen production level of 6 mg L, thereby alleviating tumor hypoxia and enhancing PDT efficacy. In vitro experiments demonstrated that MNP@TCPP/Pt under laser irradiation significantly induced apoptosis in CT26 cells and maintained high ROS generation under hypoxic conditions, accompanied by a pronounced downregulation of HIF-1α expression. Furthermore, in vivo studies confirmed effective tumor growth inhibition after laser treatment without noticeable systemic toxicity. Overall, MNP@TCPP/Pt provides a promising and biocompatible platform for synergistic PTT/PDT in hypoxic tumor therapy.
Patchouli oil microemulsion-in-gel system for topical treatment of psoriasis.
Gong S, Shen M, Liao L … +6 more , Zhang Y, Tu B, Zhang C, Li W, Liu E, Huang Y
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42176643 · Publisher ↗
Psoriasis is a common chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease that can hardly be cured by current treatments. Patchouli oil (PAO) is an essential oil with anti-inflammatory activity, with the potential for treatment...
Psoriasis is a common chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease that can hardly be cured by current treatments. Patchouli oil (PAO) is an essential oil with anti-inflammatory activity, with the potential for treatment of psoriasis. However, due to its unstable and oily properties, the development of PAO formulations remains challenging. In this work, a microemulsion-in-gel (MEG) of PAO was developed to enhance transcutaneous delivery and treat psoriasis. The formulation was characterized by the dual functions of PAO serving as both the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the oil phase. The thus-prepared microemulsion (ME) benefited from high PAO content (up to 10%, w/w) and the elimination of the use of external carrier oils. This optimized ME was subsequently incorporated into a hydrogel matrix to formulate the MEG. In vitro results showed that PAO MEG effectively improved the stability of PAO, and enhanced the transcutaneous retention of patchouli alcohol and pogostone. In vivo studies using an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis mouse model demonstrated that PAO-MEG effectively ameliorated skin lesions, reduced PASI scores, mitigated body weight loss, decreased spleen index, and attenuated epidermal thickness, indicating substantial therapeutic efficacy. This developed PAO microemulsion-in-gel represents a promising topical delivery system that enhances both the stability and transcutaneous efficiency of PAO, offering a novel therapeutic strategy for psoriasis management.
AI-enabled, enzyme-integrated photonic crystal sensor for real-time noninvasive visual uric acid detection.
Ke A, Chen H, Li C … +2 more , Shen H, Zhang X
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42176642 · Publisher ↗
Since uric acid (UA) serves as a critical biomarker for diagnosing metabolic disorders such as gout and hyperuricemia, developing noninvasive optical sensors for UA analysis provides significant advantages. However, conv...
Since uric acid (UA) serves as a critical biomarker for diagnosing metabolic disorders such as gout and hyperuricemia, developing noninvasive optical sensors for UA analysis provides significant advantages. However, conventional visual detection sensors encounter challenges, including insufficient long-term stability, low selectivity against interferents, and limited colorimetric resolution. Herein, we present a UA-responsive photonic crystal (PC) sensor that transduces enzymatic recognition into vivid structural color shifts. By integrating a crack-free polystyrene@graphene oxide (PS@GO) template with an enzyme-incorporated responsive hydrogel, the UA-PC sensor exhibits a rapid response (∼20 min), high sensitivity with a detection limit of 5 μM, and excellent anti-interference performance against common urinary constituents. The robust structural color enables intuitive visual readout, and an AI-enabled machine learning strategy is further introduced to capture images in color, enabling quantitative UA analysis via a smartphone-based platform. The system establishes a proof-of-concept visual sensing platform for daily health screening and home-based biochemical self-monitoring, addressing persistent limitations in stability, selectivity, and visual clarity.
Lipid-based nanocarriers for oral delivery of natural anticancer bioactive compounds: A comprehensive review on mechanisms and approaches.
Dima C, Assadpour E, Nechifor A … +1 more , Jafari SM
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces · 2026 May · PMID 42172816 · Publisher ↗
The exponential increase in the number of people with cancer has led researchers from different fields to investigate new treatment strategies that include, on the one hand, the testing of new molecules, the understandin...
The exponential increase in the number of people with cancer has led researchers from different fields to investigate new treatment strategies that include, on the one hand, the testing of new molecules, the understanding of the mechanisms of formation, proliferation and inhibition of the growth of malignant cells, and on the other hand the development of innovative nanoformulas administered by different routes, including oral route. The tumor-targeted therapy is an emerging strategy based on the use of nanodelivery systems for the selective targeting of cancer cells and their organelles. A wide variety of anticancer nanomedicines have been tested, of which lipid-based nanocarriers (LBNCs) have shown high performances, such as increasing oral bioavailability and improving the pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered chemoterpeutics. This study provides an overview of the results published in the last decade regarding the role of natural bioactive compounds loaded within LBNCs in the prevention and treatment of cancer. The involvement of dietary compounds in the main processes that take place in the evolution of cancer is highlighted, e.g., cellular signaling pathways, apoptosis, autophagy, angiogenesis, oxidative stress and the multidrug resistance effect. Also, the main physiological barriers of the gastrointestinal tract (pH and chemical composition of gastrointestinal fluids, intestinal mucus, intestinal epithelial layer, intestinal metabolism, etc.) and tumor barriers (vascular endothelium, interstitial fluidic pressure, extracellular matrix, tumor microenvironment) are analyzed. Finally, the main types of LBNCs loaded with natural anticancer bioactives, including nanoliposomes, niosomes, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers are discussed.
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