Sharif Digital Repository

Recent insights into the nanomedicine have revealed that nanoplatforms enhance the efficacy of carrier in therapeutic applications. Here, multifunctional nanoplatforms were utilized in miRNA-101 delivery and NIR thermal therapy to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Au nanorods (NRs) or nanospheres (NSs) covered with graphene oxide (GO) were prepared and functionalized with polyethylene glycol as a stabilizer and poly-L-arginine (P-L-Arg) as a targeting agent. In nanoplatforms, coupling Au@GO prepared stable structures with higher NIR reactivity. P-L-Arg substantially enhanced the cellular uptake and gene retardation of stuffs coated by them. However, rod-shape nanoplatforms indicated... 

Objective(s): The molecular basis of “metabolically healthy obese” and “metabolically unhealthy non-obese” phenotypes is not fully understood. Our objective was to identify metabolite patterns differing in obese (metabolically healthy vs unhealthy (MHO vs MUHO)) and non-obese (metabolically healthy vs unhealthy (MHNO vs MUHNO)) individuals. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 86 subjects stratified into four groups using anthropometric and clinical measurements: MHO (21), MUHO (21), MHNO (22), and MUHNO (22). Serum metabolites were profiled using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Multivariate analysis was applied to uncover discriminant metabolites, and enrichment... 

The delivery of growth factors is often challenging due to their short half-life, low stability, and rapid deactivation. In native tissues, the sulfated residual of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polymer chains of proteoglycans immobilizes growth factors through the proteoglycans'/proteins' complexation with nanoscale organization. These biological assemblies can influence growth factor-cell surface receptor interactions, cell differentiation, cell-cell signaling, and mechanical properties of the tissues. Here, we introduce a facile procedure to prepare novel biomimetic proteoglycan nanocarriers, based on naturally derived polymers, for the immobilization and controlled release of growth factors.... 

As the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) in biomedical applications increases (e.g. for targeting drug delivery and imaging), patients are likely to be exposed to products containing SPION. Despite their high biomedical importance, toxicity data for SPION are limited to date. The aim of this study is to investigate the cytotoxicity of SPION and its ability to change cell medium components. Bare and poly(ethylene glycol)-co-fumarate (PEGF)-coated SPION with narrow size distributions were synthesized. The particles were prepared by co-precipitation using ferric and ferrous salts with a molar Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio of 2. Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) and primary... 

Great advantages bestowed by mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) including high surface area, tailorable pore diameter and surface chemistry, and large pore volume render them as efficient tools in biomedical applications. Herein, MSNs with different surface chemistries were synthesized and investigated in terms of biocompatibility and their impact on the morphology of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells both in 2D and 3D culture systems. Bare MSNs (BMSNs) were synthesized by template removing method using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor. The as-prepared BMSNs were then used to prepare amine-functionalized (AMSNs), carboxyl-functionalized (CMSNs) and polymeric...