RSC Advances

Alamro, Fowzia S.; Hefnawy, Mahmoud A.; Ahmed, Hoda A.; Medany, Shymaa S.

doi: 10.1039/d6ra01220epmid: 41988405

Hierarchical ZIF-67@NiS grown on nickel foam (ZIF-67@NiS-NiF) was successfully synthesized and evaluated as a binder-free electrode for electrochemical capacitor applications. The hybrid architecture integrates the high surface area and redox activity of ZIF-67 with the good electrical conductivity of NiS and the three-dimensional porous framework of Ni foam, facilitating fast charge transfer and efficient ion diffusion. Structural and surface analyses, including XRD, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermal analysis, SEM, EDXA, and contact angle measurements, confirmed the successful formation, uniform elemental distribution, and enhanced wettability of the composite electrode. Electrochemical studies demonstrated a high specific capacitance of 912 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, good rate capability with 74.6% capacitance retention at 10 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability, retaining 89% of its initial capacitance after 10 000 charge–discharge cycles. Kinetic investigations based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed a low charge-transfer resistance and reduced ion-diffusion resistance, while scan-rate-dependent cyclic voltammetry analysis indicated a dominant capacitive-controlled process with fast redox kinetics. The superior capacitive performance is attributed to the synergistic interaction between ZIF-67 and NiS and the interconnected porous structure of the Ni foam substrate, highlighting the strong potential of ZIF-67@NiS-NiF for high-performance energy storage applications.

Li, Xinyu; Ding, Shuaijie; Yang, Biao; Wang, Yi; Xie, Wei

doi: 10.1039/d5ra09644hpmid: 42157872

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), exemplified by the 4T1 model, exhibits a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and strong metastatic potential, resulting in poor responses to current immunotherapies. TNFSF14 (LIGHT) is a potent immunostimulatory cytokine capable of remodeling the TME through the HVEM and LTβR signaling. However, its systemic administration is limited by dose-dependent toxicity. Here, we developed a tumor microenvironment-responsive engineered E. coli system for targeted LIGHT delivery. LIGHT expression was controlled by a lactic acid-inducible promoter and fused with pelB for periplasmic secretion, ensuring selective activation within lactic acid-rich tumor cores. In BALB/c mice bearing 4T1 subcutaneous tumors and experimental lung metastases, intravenously administered bacteria were evaluated for biodistribution, antitumor efficacy, and immune modulation. The engineered strain selectively colonized tumors, achieving strong intratumoral LIGHT expression with minimal systemic exposure. Compared with vector controls, LIGHT-expressing bacteria significantly suppressed primary tumor growth and markedly reduced lung metastatic lesions. Mechanistically, this treatment increased intratumoral CD8+ T-cell infiltration, enhanced dendritic cell maturation, and shifted the TME toward an immune-activated state. Thus, this lactic acid-responsive bacterial platform enables safe, localized cytokine delivery and represents a promising therapeutic strategy for refractory TNBC.

Elrayess, Ranza; Nafie, Mohamed S.; Ahmed, Safwat A.; Alkazzaz, Yosra K.; Darwish, Khaled M.; Gad El-Hak, Heba N.; Eltamany, Enas E.

doi: 10.1039/d6ra01213bpmid: 41988406

Since there is a great deal of interest in the examination of the potential role of herbal and complementary medicines in the treatment of different types of cancer, we report here the semi-synthesis of novel derivatives of the naturally occurring P-CA and FA as dual EGFR/VEGFR2 inhibitors and investigate their cytotoxicity through in vitro and in vivo studies, shedding light on their potential and mechanism of action. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HepG-2, A549 cell lines, and WISH normal cells. Compounds 3d, 3f, and 3h showed potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 with IC50 values of 1.16, 1.04, and 1.1 µM, respectively, compared to Sorafenib (IC50 = 3.04 µM). Interestingly, compound 3f, the most active compound, exhibited potent EGFR and VEGFR2 inhibition with an IC50 value of 75.4 nM and 36.2 nM, respectively, compared to Sorafenib with an EGFR and VEGFR2 inhibition IC50 values of 69.8 nM and 30.1 nM. Additionally, compound 3f dramatically induced apoptotic cell death in MCF-7 cells, increasing the death rate by 32.9% compared to 0.95% in the untreated control. Furthermore, compound 3f treatment significantly increased the cell population at the G1-phase by 79.6% compared to control 53.3%, while cells in S and G2/M phases decreased and caused cell death in MCF-7 cells, stopping their growth in the G1 phase. In vivo studies revealed that compound 3f and Sorafenib decreased the mass of solid tumor to 132 mg and 116 mg, respectively. Accordingly, the tumor volume was reduced from 319 mm3 in the SEC-bearing model to 134 mm3 and 119.6 mm3, respectively. Hence, both treatments inhibited tumor proliferation by 57.9% and 62.5%, respectively. Ultimately, a histological evaluation was conducted to assess compound 3f's efficacy and safety. Finally, molecular docking revealed the bias of both EGFR and VEGFR2 pockets towards compound 3f compared to other synthesized compounds. The docking scores obtained for 3f against EGFR and VEGFR2 indicated comparable binding profiles at ΔG scores −9.48 and −10.12 kcal mol−1, respectively, exhibiting a quite higher binding affinity than the other analogs. The results revealed that compound 3f had promising structural and functional properties, making it a promising candidate for further research into the design and development of more active analogs.

Promi, Anika Tabassum; Hossain, Md. Kaium; Dey, Shaikat Chandra; Tiwari, Aanshi; Mustary, Nusrat; Rahaman, Md. Mizanur; Saha, Otun; Tiwari, Ayushi; Shukla, Yogesh; Tiwari, Ashutosh; Ashaduzzaman, Md.

doi: 10.1039/d5ra09443gpmid: 41988410

Hydrogels with tunable physicochemical properties are being increasingly explored for advanced biomedical applications. In this study, two composite hydrogels were rapidly fabricated through the free radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) with the in situ formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the presence and absence of graphene oxide (GO). The resulting GO-AgNP-poly(acrylic acid) and AgNP-poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels have been systematically characterized by functional group analysis, crystallinity, thermal stability, elemental analysis, and morphological studies using attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and field-effect scanning electronic microscopy, respectively. Both hydrogels demonstrated pH-switchable swelling–deswelling (on/off) behavior; however, the incorporation of GO provided interfacial channels that enhanced solvent interaction. The in situ-formed AgNPs (∼13 nm) endowed the hydrogels with strong antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Cytotoxicity studies confirmed excellent biocompatibility with Vero, HeLa, and BHK-21 cell lines. The synergistic combination of pH-responsiveness, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and cytocompatibility positions these novel composite hydrogels as promising candidates for smart wound healing and tissue engineering applications.

Golakiya, Prutha; Patel, Bhakti; Thakkar, Nikita; Priyadarshi, Gautam; Syed, Rabbani; Kalam, Mohd Abul; Johar SR, Kaid; Prakash, Geethu; Bhatia, Dhiraj; Solanki, Raghu; Sahoo, Dipak Kumar; Patel, Ashish

doi: 10.1039/d6ra00549gpmid: 41988408

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and cancer are major health concerns that require efficient treatment strategies. An environmentally friendly extracellular biosynthesis of cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) was achieved using Paenibacillus dendritiformis, an endophytic bacterial strain. The biosynthesized CdTe QDs exhibited optical, physicochemical, and structural characteristics that were evaluated using UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies, revealing a strong green fluorescence. Its monoclinic structure was revealed by XRD, and biomolecular capping was detected using FTIR spectroscopy. The zeta (ζ)-potential was evaluated to check their colloidal stability and negative surface charge of the particles, while FE-SEM revealed their surface morphology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production can be triggered by CdTe QDs, affecting essential biomolecules and bacterial membranes. The CdTe QDs also show the largest zone of inhibition of 20 mm against amoxicillin-resistant bacterial strains, Klebsiella pneumoniae (AMX 87) and Enterobacter hormaechei (AMX 03). They additionally exhibit anticancer activity against the human cervical cancer (HeLa) cell line with an IC50 of 60 µg mL−1 and the human lung cancer (A549) cell line with an IC50 of 65 µg mL−1. These results demonstrate the potential of biosynthesized CdTe QDs as an effective nanomaterial for treating AMR and cancer.