bims-mricoa 2022-02-13 papers

Issue of 2022–02–13
six papers selected by
Merve Yavuz, Bilkent University

ACS Omega. 2022 Feb 01. 7(4): 3134-3150

Approaches on Ferrofluid Synthesis and Applications: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Oscar Oehlsen, Sussy I Cervantes-Ramírez, Pabel Cervantes-Avilés, Illya A Medina-Velo.

Ferrofluids are colloidal suspensions of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) within aqueous or nonaqueous liquids that exhibit strong magnetic properties. These magnetic properties allow ferrofluids to be manipulated and controlled when exposed to magnetic fields. This review aims to provide the current scope and research opportunities regarding the methods of synthesis of nanoparticles, surfactants, and carrier liquids for ferrofluid production, along with the rheology and applications of ferrofluids within the fields of medicine, water treatment, and mechanical engineering. A ferrofluid is composed of IONPs, a surfactant that coats the magnetic IONPs to prevent agglomeration, and a carrier liquid that suspends the IONPs. Coprecipitation and thermal decomposition are the main methods used for the synthesis of IONPs. Despite the fact that thermal decomposition provides precise control on the nanoparticle size, coprecipitation is the most used method, even when the oxidation of iron can occur. This oxidation alters the ratio of maghemite/magnetite, influencing the magnetic properties of ferrofluids. Strategies to overcome iron oxidation have been proposed, such as the use of an inert atmosphere, adjusting the Fe(II) and Fe(III) ratio to 1:2, and the exploration of other metals with the oxidation state +2. Surfactants and carrier liquids are chosen according to the ferrofluid application to ensure stability. Hence, a compatible carrier liquid (polar or nonpolar) is selected, and then, a surfactant, mainly a polymer, is embedded in the IONPs, providing a steric barrier. Due to the variety of surfactants and carrier liquids, the rheological properties of ferrofluids are an important response variable evaluated when synthesizing ferrofluids. There are many reported applications of ferrofluids, including biosensing, medical imaging, medicinal therapy, magnetic nanoemulsions, and magnetic impedance. Other applications include water treatment, energy harvesting and transfer, and vibration control. To progress from synthesis to applications, research is still ongoing to ensure control of the ferrofluids' properties.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.1c05631

J Heat Transfer. 2022 Mar;pii: 030801. [Epub ahead of print]144(3):

Magnetic Nanoparticle-Mediated Heating for Biomedical Applications.

Elyahb Allie Kwizera, Samantha Stewart, Md Musavvir Mahmud, Xiaoming He.

Magnetic nanoparticles, especially superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs), have attracted tremendous attention for various biomedical applications. Facile synthesis and functionalization together with easy control of the size and shape of SPIONS to customize their unique properties, have made it possible to develop different types of SPIONs tailored for diverse functions/applications. More recently, considerable attention has been paid to the thermal effect of SPIONs for the treatment of diseases like cancer and for nanowarming of cryopreserved/banked cells, tissues, and organs. In this mini-review, recent advances on the magnetic heating effect of SPIONs for magnetothermal therapy and enhancement of cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and organs, are discussed, together with the non-magnetic heating effect (i.e., high Intensity focused ultrasound or HIFU-activated heating) of SPIONs for cancer therapy. Furthermore, challenges facing the use of magnetic nanoparticles in these biomedical applications are presented.

Keywords: HIFU; Magnetic nanoparticles; SPIONs; cancer; cryopreservation; hyperthermia; magnetothermal; nanowarming

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053007

Pharm Nanotechnol. 2022 Feb 10.

Theranostic applications of stimulus-responsive systems based on Fe2O3.

Mehrab Pourmadadi, Mohammad Javad Ahmadi, Homayoon Soleimani Dinani, Narges Ajalli, Farid Dorkoosh.

According to the interaction of nanoparticles with biological systems, enthusiasm for nanotechnology in biomedical applications has been developed in the past decades. Fe2O3 nanoparticles, as the most stable iron oxide, have special merits that make them useful widely for detecting diseases, therapy, drug delivery, and monitoring the therapeutic process. This review presents the fabrication methods of Fe2O3-based materials and their photocatalytic and magnetic properties. Then, we highlight the application of Fe2O3-based nanoparticles in diagnosis and imaging, different therapy methods, and finally, stimulus-responsive systems, such as pH-responsive, magnetic-responsive, redox-responsive, and enzyme-responsive, with an emphasis on cancer treatment. In addition, the potential of Fe2O3 to combine diagnosis and therapy within a single particle called theranostic agent will be discussed.

Keywords: Diagnosis; Fe2O3; Nanoparticles; Stimuli-responsive; Theranostic; Therapy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2174/2211738510666220210105113

J Struct Biol X. 2022 ;6 100062

Recent advances in the structural biology of encapsulin bacterial nanocompartments.

Timothy Wiryaman, Navtej Toor.

Large capsid-like nanocompartments called encapsulins are common in bacteria and archaea and contain cargo proteins with diverse functions. Advances in cryo-electron microscopy have enabled structure determination of many encapsulins in recent years. Here we summarize findings from recent encapsulin structures that have significant implications for their biological roles. We also compare important features such as the E-loop, cargo-peptide binding site, and the fivefold axis channel in different structures. In addition, we describe the discovery of a flavin-binding pocket within the encapsulin shell that may reveal a role for this nanocompartment in iron metabolism.

Keywords: Compartmentalization; Cryo-electron microscopy; Encapsulin; Nanocompartments; Structural biology; X-ray crystallography

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjsbx.2022.100062

Cancer Commun (Lond). 2022 Feb;42(2): 88-116

Ferroptosis in cancer and cancer immunotherapy.

Lei Zhao, Xiaoxue Zhou, Feng Xie, Lei Zhang, Haiyan Yan, Jun Huang, Chong Zhang, Fangfang Zhou, Jun Chen, Long Zhang.

The hallmark of tumorigenesis is the successful circumvention of cell death regulation for achieving unlimited replication and immortality. Ferroptosis is a newly identified type of cell death dependent on lipid peroxidation which differs from classical programmed cell death in terms of morphology, physiology and biochemistry. The broad spectrum of injury and tumor tolerance are the main reasons for radiotherapy and chemotherapy failure. The effective rate of tumor immunotherapy as a new treatment method is less than 30%. Ferroptosis can be seen in radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and tumor immunotherapy; therefore, ferroptosis activation may be a potential strategy to overcome the drug resistance mechanism of traditional cancer treatments. In this review, the characteristics and causes of cell death by lipid peroxidation in ferroptosis are briefly described. In addition, the three metabolic regulations of ferroptosis and its crosstalk with classical signaling pathways are summarized. Collectively, these findings suggest the vital role of ferroptosis in immunotherapy based on the interaction of ferroptosis with tumor immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, thus, indicating the remarkable potential of ferroptosis in cancer treatment.

Keywords: cancer; ferroptosis; immunotherapy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cac2.12250

FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2022 Feb 09. pii: fiac011. [Epub ahead of print]

Exposure to lysed bacteria can promote or inhibit growth of neighbouring live bacteria depending on local abiotic conditions.

Fokko Smakman, Alex R Hall.

Microbial death is extremely common in nature, yet the ecological role of dead bacteria is unclear. Dead cells are assumed to provide nutrients to surrounding microbes, but may also affect them in other ways. We found adding lysate prepared from dead bacteria to cultures of E. coli in nutrient-rich conditions suppressed their final population density. This is in stark contrast with the notion that the primary role of dead cells is nutritional, although we also observed this type of effect when we added dead bacteria to cultures that were not supplied with other nutrients. We only observed the growth-suppressive effect of our dead-bacteria treatment after they had undergone significant lysis, suggesting a key role for cellular contents released during lysis. Transcriptomic analysis indicated changes in gene expression in response to dead cells in growing populations, particularly in genes involved in motility. This was supported by experiments with genetic knockouts and copy-number manipulation. Because lysis is commonplace in natural and clinical settings, the growth-suppressive effect of dead cells we describe here may be a widespread and previously unrecognized constraint on bacterial population growth.

Keywords: Cell death; Ecology; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiac011