In recent decades, the development and application of nonviral vectors, such as liposomes and lipidic nanoparticles, for gene therapy and drug delivery have seen substantial progress. The interest in the physicochemical properties and structures of the complexes liposome/DNA and liposome/RNA is due to their potential to substitute viruses as carriers of drugs or genetic material into cells with minimal cytotoxicity, which could lead to their use in gene therapy. Initially, cationic liposomes were utilized as nonviral DNA delivery vectors; subsequently, different molecules, such as polymers, were incorporated to enhance transfection efficiency. Additionally, liposome/protein complexes have been developed as nonviral vectors for the treatment of diseases. The most relevant internalization pathways of these vectors and the few transfection results obtained using targeted and nontargeted liposomes are discussed below. The high cytotoxicity of cationic liposomes represents a significant challenge for the development of gene therapy and drug delivery. Anionic liposomes offer a promising alternative to address the limitations of conventional cationic liposomes, including immune response, short circulation time, and low toxicity. This review will discuss the advantages of cationic liposomes and the novel anionic liposome-based systems that have emerged as a result. The advent of novel designs and manufacturing techniques has facilitated the development of innovative systems, designated as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which serve as highly efficacious regulators of the immune system.

We synthesized silver nanoparticles using Rumex hymenosepalus root extract (Rh). Nanoparticles were subjected to a purification process and final product is a composite of Rh and silver nanoparticles (AgNPsC). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to perform a microstructure study. Additionally, two fractions (RhA and RhB) were obtained from the original extract by filtration with tetrahydrofuran (THF); both fractions were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); total polyphenol content was also determined. Separate inhibition tests for AgNPsC and RhA and RhB were applied to Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeast (Candida albicans) using the well diffusion method. Extract fractions were found to have inhibitory effects only over Gram-positive bacteria, and silver nanoparticles showed inhibitory effects over all the evaluated microorganisms. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay in mononuclear peripheral blood cells. In addition, we assessment AgNPsC in THP-1 monocyte cell line, using the cell viability estimation by trypan blue dye exclusion test (TB) and Live/Dead (LD) cell viability assays by confocal microscopy.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease. Lesions in the lung epithelium cause alterations in the microenvironment that promote fibroblast accumulation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) transport proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of this study was to characterize the differentially expressed miRNAs in the cargo of EVs obtained from the LL97 and LL29 fibroblast cell lines isolated from IPF lungs versus those derived from the CCD19 fibroblast cell line isolated from a healthy donors. We characterized EVs by ultracentrifugation, Western blotting, and dynamic light scattering. We identified miRNAs by small RNA-seq, a total of 1144 miRNAs, of which 1027 were known miRNAs; interestingly, 117 miRNAs were novel. Differential expression analysis showed that 77 miRNAs were upregulated and 68 were downregulated. In addition, pathway enrichment analyses from the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genomes identified several miRNA target genes in the categories, cell proliferation, regulation of apoptosis, pathways in cancer, and proteoglycans in cancer. Our data reveal that miRNAs contained in EVs cargo could be helpful as biomarkers for fibrogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic intervention of IPF.

Due to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity, biopolymer-based films hold significant importance in bioengineering. It is imperative to comprehend the influence of chitosan molecular weight and filler materials nature on the crystalline structure and their subsequent effect on film properties. The aim of this research was to determine how carbon nanotubes embedded within chitosan can significantly improve the performance of biopolymer-based films produced by the solvent-casting technique. Four probe measurements demonstrated that films of medium-molecular-weight chitosan/carbon nanotubes displayed an electrical conductivity value of 0.0132 S cm⁻¹, resulting in films with a low sheet resistance value of 0.0156 mΩ/Υ. Based on XRD findings, it has been demonstrated that films containing carbon nanotubes have shifted the (002) plane of chitosan towards higher angles, favoring chitosan crystal form II, which could be responsible for the enhanced mechanical performance. Structural characteristics, such as lattice strain (e), grain size (D), and dislocation density, have been calculated using the Williamson–Hall method, in which the medium-molecular-weight chitosan/CNTs film samples displayed the best crystalline quality. SEM images revealed nanotube diameters ranging in size from 140 to 300 nm, suggesting that the chitosan was effectively wrapped along carbon nanotubes. Our results indicate that developing chitosan-wrapped carbon nanotube films introduces them as potential materials for bioengineering and biomedical research.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer, often diagnosed at advanced stages due to insufficient early screening and monitoring. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression and potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. This study investigated the diagnostic potential of miRNAs in Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) from HCC. miRNA expression in EVs was analyzed using HCC cell lines, circulating EVs from a Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver tumor rat model, and plasma samples from HCC patients. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROCs) were applied to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of circulating EV miRNAs in patients. Five miRNAs (miR-183-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-148b-3p, miR-34a-5p, and miR-215-5p) were consistently up-regulated in EVs across in vitro and in vivo HCC models. These miRNAs showed statistically significant differences in HCC patients stratified by TNM staging and Edmondson–Steiner grading compared to healthy controls. They also differentiated HCC patients with various etiologies from the control group and distinguished HCC patients, with or without liver cirrhosis, from cirrhotic and healthy individuals. Individually and as a panel, they demonstrated high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in identifying HCC patients. Their consistent upregulation across models and clinical samples highlights their robustness as biomarkers for HCC diagnosis, offering the potential for early disease management and prognosis.