Pesticides are the main tactics for pest control because they reduce the pest population very fast and their efficiency does not depend on abiotic factors. However, the indiscriminate use of these substances can speed up the development of resistant populations and causing environmental contamination. Therefore, alternative methods of pest control are sought, such as the use of botanical compounds. Nanoencapsulation of volatile compounds has been shown to be an important tool that can be used to overcome the lack of stability of these compounds. In this work, we describe the preparation and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles functionalized with β-cyclodextrin containing carvacrol and linalool. The toxicity and biological activity were evaluated. Decreases of toxicity were observed when the compounds were nanoencapsulated. The nanoparticles presented insecticidal activity against the speciesHelicoverpa armigera(corn earworm) andTetranychus urticae(spider mite). In addition, repellent activity and reduction in oviposition were observed for the mites.

Elucidation of the structural properties of colloids is paramount for a successful formulation. However, the intrinsic dynamism of colloidal systems makes their characterization a difficult task and, in particular, there is a lack of physicochemical techniques that can be correlated to their biological performance. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) allows measurements of size distribution and nanoparticle concentration in real time. Its analysis over time also enables the early detection of physical instability in the systems not assessed by subtle changes in size distribution. Nanoparticle concentration is a parameter with the potential to bridge the gap between in vitro characterization and biological performance of colloids, and therefore should be monitored in stability studies of formulations. To demonstrate this, we have followed two systems: extruded liposomes exposed to increasing CHCl₃ concentrations, and solid lipid nanoparticles prepared with decreasing amounts of poloxamer 188. NTA and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to monitor changes in nanoparticle number and size, and to estimate the number of lipid components per particle. The results revealed a strong negative correlation between particle size (determined by DLS) and concentration (assessed by NTA) in diluted samples, which should be adopted to monitor nanocolloidal stability, especially in drug delivery.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound particles that are naturally released from cells and mediate cell-cell communication. Integrin adhesion receptors are enriched in small EVs (SEVs) and SEV-carried integrins have been shown to promote cancer cell migration and to mediate organ-specific metastasis; however, how integrins mediate these effects is not entirely clear and could represent a combination of EV binding to extracellular matrix and cells. Methods: To probe integrin role in EVs binding and uptake, we employed a disintegrin inhibitor (DisBa-01) of integrin binding with specificity for αvβ3 integrin. EVs were purified from MDA-MB-231 cells conditioned media by serial centrifugation method. Isolated EVs were characterized by different techniques and further employed in adhesion, uptake and co-culture experiments. Results: We find that SEVs secreted from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells carry αvβ3 integrin and bind directly to fibronectin-coated plates, which is inhibited by DisBa-01. SEV coating on tissue culture plates also induces adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells, which is inhibited by DisBa-01 treatment. Analysis of EV uptake and interchange between cells reveals that the amount of CD63-positive EVs delivered from malignant MDA-MB-231 breast cells to non-malignant MCF10A breast epithelial cells is reduced by DisBa-01 treatment. Inhibition of αvβ3 integrin decreases CD63 expression in cancer cells suggesting an effect on SEV content. Conclusion: In summary, our findings demonstrate for the first time a key role of αvβ3 integrin in cell-cell communication through SEVs. Graphical

Objective: The aim of the present study was to encapsulate vancomycin in different liposomal formulations and compare the in vitro antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Methods: Large unilamellar vesicles of conventional (LUV VAN), fusogenic (LUV_fuso VAN), and cationic (LUV_cat VAN) liposomes encapsulating VAN were characterized in terms of size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficiency (%EE) and in vitro release kinetics. The formulations were tested for their Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and inhibitory activity on biofilm formation and viability, using methicillin-susceptible S. aureus ATCC 29213 and methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 strains. Key Findings: LUV VAN showed better %EE (32.5%) and sustained release than LUV_fuso VAN, LUV_cat VAN, and free VAN. The formulations were stable over 180 days at 4°C, except for LUV VAN, which was stable up to 120 days. The MIC values for liposomal formulations and free VAN ranged from 0.78 to 1.56 µg/ml against both tested strains, with no difference in the inhibition of biofilm formation as compared to free VAN. However, when treating mature biofilm, encapsulated LUV_fuso VAN increased the antimicrobial efficacy as compared to the other liposomal formulations and to free VAN, demonstrating a better ability to penetrate the biofilm. Conclusion: Vancomycin encapsulated in fusogenic liposomes demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial activity against mature S. aureus biofilms.