Current antitumor monotherapies have many limitations, and developing novel synergistic anticancer strategies with low side effects and high antitumor efficiency remains a significant challenge. Herein, we developed a pH and GSH dual-responsive pillar[5]arene-based amorphous bimetallic metal-organic framework (DOX@Fe/CuPH) for synergistic antitumor therapy involving ferroptosis, cuproptosis and apoptosis. The hydrazide-functionalized pillar[5]arene derivatives were coordinated with Cu to form irregular nanoparticles, which were subsequently etched and surface-coordinated using Fe. Finally, doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded onto the structures, followed by surface decoration with hyaluronic acid (HA) to yield the multifunctional DOX@Fe/CuPH. The porous structure and amorphous nature of Fe/CuP, and the specific binding of HA to CD44 overexpressed in cancer cells endowed the DOX@Fe/CuPH with a high drug-loading capacity and effective targeting ability, while simultaneously reducing its toxicity to normal cells. DOX@Fe/CuPH can dissociate in the tumor microenvironment, rapidly releasing DOX to induce apoptosis. Excess Fe and Cu deplete intracellular GSH, leading to a redox imbalance. The accumulation of Fe further promotes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxide (LPO), triggering ferroptosis. Additionally, FDX1 regulates cellular protein lipoylation, while Cu binds to lipoylated proteins, causing acute proteotoxic stress and inducing cellular cuproptosis. Therefore, the rationally designed pillar[5]arene-based amorphous bimetallic metal-organic framework provides a safe and high-performance platform for enhancing the efficacy of multimodal synergistic anticancer therapies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health concern. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent severe complication of DM and therapy is urgently needed. Adipose tissue (AT) plays a crucial role in the energy mediation through glycolipid metabolism. Mirabegron is a specific β3-adrenergic receptor agonist, which can activate thermogenesis in adipocytes, improve energy consumption, and increase insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Therefore, mirabegron may play a role in DKD pathogenesis. However, its effects and precise mechanisms remain unclear.

Several lines of evidence point to the presence of both, cellulose and chitin as structural constituents of the Chlorella vulgaris cell wall. These biopolymers are favourable building blocks for many sustainable industrial applications for instance as biocompatible and biodegradable packaging materials with useful mechanical and barrier properties. However, no feasible strategy is yet available for selectively enhancing the productivity of these biopolymers for future commercial applications. Here, we present some simple and cost-effective abiotic stress approaches to remarkably increase the cell wall thickness in C. vulgaris thereby significantly improving the biopolymer productivity by a factor of three. Using a double staining approach, we reveal for the first time the structural organization of chitin and cellulose in alternating layers under specific stress conditions, presumably contributing to a higher cell wall stability. Our results may help to foster innovative processes using chitin and cellulose composite materials from a photosynthetic organism.

Wound infections can cause inflammation and delay healing, which becomes an important obstacle to wound recovery. To overcome this issue, various antibacterial agents have been integrated into wound dressings to prevent infection. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are promising candidates due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activities and no drug resistance. In this study, Dio-AgNPs were initially obtained by biological synthesis using the flavonoid compound diosmetin (Dio) as a reducing and capping agent. Dio-AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli by destroying the bacterial membrane structure and inducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), finally leading to bacterial death. Furthermore, the composite sponges (SP-1, SP-2, and SP-3) for preventing wound infection were formulated using chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with different concentrations of Dio-AgNPs incorporated. The prepared sponges exhibited interconnected porous structures with water absorption capacities of >33 times their own weight. The wound healing experiments showed that after 14 days, the SP-3 sponge promoted complete wound healing by preventing wound infection, which is comparable to the commercial AgNPs gauze materials. SP-3 sponge also showed good biosafety. This work prepared a novel SP-3 sponge, which offers an effective and safe alternative for treating wound infections.

In this study, octenyl succinic anhydride modified peach gum polysaccharide (OSPG) with different substitution rate (0.93 % to 2.02 %) were prepared and their properties were assessed. FTIR spectroscopy showed two new peaks for OSPG spectrum at 1726 cm and 1569 cm, respectively. H NMR showed that OSPG showed many octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) characteristic peaks in the range of 0.7-3.0 ppm and 5.3-5.5 ppm. FTIR and H NMR confirmed the success of grafting modification. The TG curves showed the thermal decomposition temperature of the OSPG was higher than peach gum polysaccharide (PGP) in the second stage. Compared with PGP, the particle size and the absolute value of the zeta potential of OSPG solutions also increased. The emulsifying activity of PGP increased from 30.67 % to 77 % after modification and the OSPG emulsion still showed good emulsifying stability after 3 months. The encapsulation efficiency of the curcumin emulsion was increasing from 69.49 % stabilized by of PGP to 80.99 % stabilized by OSPG. Overall, OSPGs with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups can serve as emulsifiers, exhibit excellent emulsion stability during prolonged storage periods, and can be utilized for encapsulating lipophilic bioactive substances.

The utilization of waste shells from Aegle marmelos (bael) as a source of Micro fibrillated cellulose (MFC) was undertaken for applications in food packaging within the framework of this investigation. FTIR analysis of CAM and Raw Aegle marmelos shell powder (RAM) showed stretching of -OH and -CH groups at 3339 cm and 2889 cm-. Our results showed that crystallinity indices of CAM and RAM were 39.59 % and 18.89 %, respectively indicating a significant raise in crystallinity after extraction. FTIR analysis reveals the presence of hydroxyl groups (3306 cm) in all films. Exploration of the results indicated the development of covalent and H (hydrogen) bonds between CAM and Guar gum/Chitosan (GT), as discerned through FT-IR studies. X-ray diffraction unveiled in the amorphous feature of the films following CAM into GT composite film. Evaluation through FE-SEM exhibited a densely disordered network contributing to a heightened contact angle of the resultant film with an enhanced concentration of CAM. Cellulose Iβ and Chitosan showed stronger binding affinity of -7.3 kcal/mol, suggesting greater compatibility and stability. The antioxidant capacity of the films increased from 10.90 to 61.80 due to addition of CAM in the GT mixture where elevated concentrations demonstrated better scavenging activity.

Metabolic interventions are critical for enhancing immunotherapy efficacy, but reliable metabolic targets remain absent for colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to investigate the interplay between metabolic and immunological factors in CRC, identify metabolic immunoregulatory molecules, and propose targets for prognostic and therapeutic applications.

Intelligent packaging designed to detect food spoilage is receiving increasing attention, and pH-sensitive colorimetric hydrogels show great potential for monitoring food spoilage. The pH-sensitive colorimetric hydrogels incorporating dual indicators of anthocyanin (BA) and curcumin (CUR) were fabricated via the interactions of zein and sodium alginate (SA) to assess meat freshness. The effects of the addition ratios of BA and CUR on zein/sodium alginate hydrogels were characterized by morphological observation, structural analysis and cumulative release profiles, and the sensitivity of the colorimetric hydrogels was also evaluated. The zein/sodium alginate hydrogel (zein/SA/Mix2), which incorporated the mixture of BA and CUR at a ratio of 70:1, exhibited the smallest particle size (1152.67 nm) and displayed a more homogeneous and dense gel structure compared with other treatments. FTIR and XRD results indicated that the interactions between sodium alginate and zein were primarily governed by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic forces, and the zein/SA/Mix2 hydrogel exhibited the weakest peak intensity at 3422 cm and at 2θ = 28.25°, indicating the highest degree of crosslinking among these treatments. The zein/SA/Mix2 hydrogel rapidly responded to volatile amines within 2 min, and the release rates of BA and CUR remained below 26 % and 5 % in 95 % ethanol solution within 96 h, respectively, indicating its high stability and sensitivity. During the storage of air-dried goose meat and chilled chicken meat, the zein/SA/Mix2 hydrogel transitioned from yellow to green, and finally to dark brown, effectively distinguishing meat freshness, which was further confirmed by partial least squares regression analysis.

Dietary polysaccharides have attracted considerable attention because of their species-specific chemical composition and diverse biological activities. Polysaccharides derived from Houttuynia cordata (HC) exhibit broad pharmacological activities, emphasizing their diverse roles in biological processes. This study investigated the effects of HC-derived polysaccharides on Peyer's patch (PP)-mediated intestinal immune response. The crude polysaccharide (HCP) isolated from HC extract (HCE) was identified as a pectin-type polysaccharide rich in the homogalacturonan (HG) domain, which was further hydrolyzed by endo-polygalacturonase to produce HCPE. In vitro, HCPE significantly enhanced PP-mediated cytokine secretion and bone marrow cell (BMC) proliferation compared with HCP. In vivo, a 4-week treatment with oral HCPE stimulated PP-mediated secretion of hematopoietic growth factors and promoted BMC proliferation. Additionally, HCPE upregulated IgA-associated factors, leading to increased IgA levels in the small intestine, serum, and feces, while also significantly elevating short-chain fatty acid levels, potentially improving the gut environment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically analyze PP-mediated intestinal immunostimulatory activity of HC-derived polysaccharides both in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of HCPE as an intestinal immunostimulatory agent and establish a foundation for future research on the immunological effects of HC-derived polysaccharides.

Isoquercitrin is a flavonoid with wide range of physiological activities, which has significant applications in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, but faces challenges in industrial production due to its low yields and high production cost. Based on a comparison of homologous protein sequences, D222 and E486 were identified as active sites of the α-L-rhamnosidase MlRha4 derived from Metabacillus litoralis C44. Random mutagenesis of the α-L-rhamnosidase MlRha4 gene sequence from strain C44 was performed using error-prone PCR, and reverse mutation was performed on the inactive mutants, followed by semi-rational design, resulting in 11 positive mutants. Subsequent combinatorial mutagenesis yielded mutant R-28 (K89R-K70R-E475D) with a 70.6 % increase in enzyme activity. Compared with the wild-type MlRha4, the optimal reaction temperature of R-28 was increased by 5 °C, the optimal pH was increased from 7.5 to 8.0, the conversion rate of 10 g/L rutin for 24 h reached 100 %, and the maximum substrate concentration for the mutant enzyme R-28 was up to 300 g/L rutin. Molecular dynamics simulation of R-28 and MlRha4 revealed a more stable structure of R-28. The free energy analysis shows that R-28 has a higher affinity for rutin, which is consistent with the change of Km value. This work identified an α-L-rhamnosidase that operates effectively in weakly alkaline environments. Through random mutagenesis and semi-rational design, enzyme activity and tolerance were significantly improved, offering a reference for the industrial-scale production of isoquercetin from rutin.

In this study, a novel chitosan-based partial vitrimer was synthesized and used as the matrix material to fabricate eco-friendly fully bio-based polymer composites reinforced with ramie fabric. The chitosan-based partial vitrimers were prepared by a facile and green chemistry method without the use of catalyst. It contained amide bonds that could undergo transamidation bond exchange reactions autocatalyzed by the nearby functional groups. Using this partial vitrimer, a recyclable/biodegradable biocomposite reinforced with 40 wt% of ramie fabric was fabricated by using the hot-pressing method. The biocomposite showed excellent mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength of 124 MPa) compared to other chitosan-based natural fiber composites reported in the literature. Benefiting from the self-healing, shape memory, and reprocessibility of the chitosan-based vitrimeric matrix, the resulting ramie fabric biocomposite also exhibited remoldability, shape memory, and self-adhesive properties. The ramie fabric composite was fully biodegraded in 12 weeks while the vitrimeric matrix alone biodegraded only in 2 weeks. These findings highlight the potential of chitosan-based partial vitrimer in developing high-performance, multifunctional, and sustainable biocomposites for various applications.

Integrating photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) shows promising potential in tumor treatment. Nevertheless, the lack of specific tumor targeting, serious photobleaching, and poor photothermal effect of photosensitizers, the intracellular low Fenton reaction efficiency, and glutathione (GSH)-elicited reactive oxygen species (ROS) depletion profoundly restrict ROS-mediated cancer therapy. To enhance ROS generation with the assistance of photothermal therapy (PTT), the hyaluronic acid (HA)-decorated Fe-MIL-88B (MIL) nanocatalysts were fabricated for tumor-targeted delivery of photosensitizer IR820. The IR820@HA-coated MIL (IHM) nanocatalysts remarkably enhanced the photothermal conversion efficacy and singlet oxygen (O) production of IR820 and lowered IR820 photobleaching. The IHM nanocatalysts promoted the conversion of HO into toxic ·OH upon thermo/acidity-enhanced Fe-mediated Fenton reaction and consumed GSH via Fe-elicited GSH oxidation. After being internalized by 4 T1 cancer cells via CD44-mediated endocytosis, the IHM nanocatalysts under irradiation of near-infrared (NIR) laser prominently produced hyperthermia and strong ROS storm, thereby causing apoptosis and ferroptosis via mitochondria damage and lipid peroxidation, and inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD). Through HA-mediated tumor targeting, the IHM nanocatalysts effectively accumulated in 4 T1 tumor and inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis by PTT-enhanced PDT/CDT combined with ferroptosis and ICD-amplified antitumor immune response, showing great promise in future tumor treatment.

Blend nanocomposites of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), reinforced with varying concentrations of nanocurcumin (NC), were synthesized using a simple green method. The impact of NC on the optical, structural, and morphological characteristics of the blend nanocomposite films was evaluated through different analytical techniques, including FT-IR, XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, TGA, universal testing machine and electrical measurements. The distinctive peaks observed in the FT-IR and XRD analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of NC into the PVA/CS (PC) blend matrix. UV spectroscopy revealed that absorption increased with nanoparticle concentration, with the 9 wt% sample showing the highest intensity, which correlates with its low optical bandgap energy. SEM analysis showed that nanoparticles influenced the surface morphology of the PC matrix, with the most uniform particle distribution observed in the 9 wt% sample. Increasing NC content improved the thermal stability of the PC films. The nanocomposite with 9 wt% NC exhibited a significant improvement in tensile strength, increasing by 35 % compared to neat PC, along with an excellent Young's modulus. The temperature-dependent dielectric constant, AC conductivity, and impedance were analyzed across different NC loadings. The maximum conductivity and dielectric constant were found in the 9 wt% nanocomposites. The superior tensile strength, Young's modulus, thermal stability, conductivity, dielectric constant, and optical properties of the PC blend nanocomposites highlight their potential for use in eco-friendly, flexible optoelectronic devices.

Plastic packaging remains essential for food safety; however, improper disposal severely affects ecosystems. The challenge lies in developing sustainable packaging that preserves food quality while reducing environmental harm. This research focused on developing biodegradable bilayer nanocomposites made from two layers of cassava starch. One-layer incorporated basil extract, while the other varying concentrations (1 %, 2 %, or 3 % w/w) of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which were synthesized using basil extract and cassava starch. All films were produced through an extrusion-thermoforming process. The bilayer with 3 % w/w AgNPs could not be evaluated due to early cracking during thermoforming process. The bilayers with 1 % and 2 % w/w nanoparticles exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli and demonstrated enhanced mechanical resistance. The basil extract-infused layer offered antioxidant properties, UV protection, and reduced water wettability. The bilayer nanocomposite containing 1 % w/w AgNPs demonstrated better interlayer compatibility and material integrity when in contact with water than the 2 % w/w formulation. The starch-based bilayer nanocomposite with 1 % w/w nanoparticles shows great potential for sustainable functional food packaging, combining antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, UV protection, improved mechanical strength, and reduced water wettability. However, increasing the concentration of AgNPs is challenging due to the differences in the thermoforming behavior of the layers.

The starch-lipid complexes have recently attracted extensive interest due to their excellent properties, such as the decrease of digestibility and the inhibition of starch gelatinization and retrogradation. The review discussed the formation, structure, functionalities and preparation methods of starch-lipid complexes, and most importantly, their application. The starch-lipid complex is classified as a new type of resistant starch-RS5, which can reduce postprandial blood glucose response and regulate human gut health. Over the past few years, starch-lipid complexes have been increasingly reported for applications in food additives, fat substitutes and carriers of nutrients and medicine, regulation of intestinal flora and production of food packaging films. A comprehensive review of applications of starch-lipid complexes is of great importance for understanding and expanding the application of complexes. But the regulatory mechanism of starch-lipid complexes on food quality, food packaging films and intestinal flora is still unclear, which deserves further study in the future. Targeted medicine delivery using starch-lipid complexes may be also a promising and challenging direction in the future.

Bone and joint injuries are common motor system diseases that seriously affect the quality of life of patients. This study aims to explore the promoting effect of protein polysaccharide molecules combined with exercise on bone and joint injury repair, as well as the underlying protein kinase signaling pathway mechanism. Research on constructing protein polysaccharide complexes through molecular docking technology to analyze their construction characteristics and the properties of protein kinases. By constructing relevant signaling pathways and applying support vector machine technology, the potential signaling pathways of kinases were encoded and calculated for predictive analysis. Subsequently, the repair effect of bone and joint injuries was quantitatively evaluated by combining exercise methods. The research results indicate that the constructed protein polysaccharide complex can effectively activate related protein kinase signaling pathways, enhance the repair effect of bone and joint injuries. Through the combination of exercise methods, the healing time of bone injuries is significantly shortened, and the recovery of joint function is significantly improved. Therefore, the binding movement of protein polysaccharide molecules has a significant effect on promoting the repair of bone and joint injuries, and its mechanism of action is mainly achieved by activating the signaling pathways of specific protein kinases.

Conventional petroleum-based food packaging faces sustainability challenges due to limited water resistance and mechanical strength. To address this, we developed an octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified gelatin film crosslinked with vanillin (OGV), enhancing its potential for food packaging applications. Infrared and X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the successful modification of gelatin and forming a Schiff base structure with vanillin. Thermal analysis showed that the modification and crosslinking enhanced the film's thermal stability. The results demonstrated that OSA modification and vanillin crosslinking significantly enhanced the mechanical strength of OGV films, increasing tensile strength from 19.50 MPa to 43.04 MPa. Additionally, OGV films exhibited excellent water vapor barrier properties, with the water contact angle increasing from 76.6° to 91.1°, along with superior UV-blocking capacity and notable antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, applying OGV films to fresh-cut green peppers effectively reduced weight loss (by 9.23 % after 10 days), preserved chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content, and inhibited lipid peroxidation, thereby extending shelf life. These findings highlight the potential of this bio-based film as an effective and sustainable alternative for food packaging applications.

Cardiovascular diseases severely endanger human health and are closely associated with epigenetic dysregulation. N7-methylguanosine (mG), one of the common epigenetic modifications, is present in many different types of RNA molecules and has attracted significant attention due to its impact on various physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies have demonstrated that mG methylation plays an important role in the occurrence and development of multiple cardiovascular diseases. Application of small molecule inhibitors to target mG modification mediated by methyltransferase-like protein 1 (METTL1) has shown potentiality in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the basic knowledge about mG modification and discuss its role and therapeutic potential in diverse cardiovascular diseases, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for future research and therapeutic intervention.

Lipases are widely used as green industrial catalysts. Lipases from thermophilic microorganisms are particularly valuable due to their expected thermostability. However, the natural catalytic abilities and tolerance to extreme conditions of most enzymes are often not directly suited to the demands of industrial applications. Enzyme thermostability is closely associated with its structure, making it a target for improving enzyme thermostability. Therefore, we obtained the crystal structure of lipase from Caldibacillus thermoamylovorans (CtLip) with a resolution of 2.2 Å using X-ray diffraction and identified its optimal temperature at 50 °C, with a half-life (t) of 21.59 min at 50 °C. Mutants B1 (R269E/G270S/V271I/V272L), A335I and the stacked mutant B1/A335I (R269E/G270S/V271I/V272L/A335I) in loop region were constructed under the guidance of molecular dynamics analysis. Optimal temperature of mutant B1/A335I increased by 5 °C, with a half-life 8.45 times longer than that of the wild-typed. Our findings provide strategies to improve lipase thermostability by modification of the loop region of the enzyme.

Pure starch film presents poor barrier properties and lacks anti-microbial properties. Herein, curcumin nanoparticles (cNPs) were prepared by the reassembly of food proteins and were utilized to reinforce the starch-based film. Herein, the reassembly of rice proteins and casein encapsulated curcumin upon pH adjustment to produce water-dispersible cNPs with a diameter of 140.9 ± 6.8 nm and curcumin loading capacity of 276.0 μg/mg. The cNPs showed a good dispersibility in gelatinized rice starch (RS) solutions as well and resultant composites films (RS@cNPs) had greater light barrier property than the pure RS film. The incorporation of cNPs tended to decrease the water solubility and water vapor permeability of RS@cNPs films, and increasing curcumin content gradually enhanced the hydrophobicity of RS@cNPs films. With a curcumin content of 3.0 %, the tensile strength of RS@cNPs was three times higher than the pure starch film. Besides, the RS@cNPs films coating prevented the growth of microorganism in the strawberries with a storage period of 3 days, and the pH value and soluble solids contents of strawberries in RS@cNPs group remained stable over storage period, suggesting that the RS@cNPs films coating preserved the freshness of strawberries and highlighted the preparation of novel starch-based films for food preservation.