Themed collection Editors' Collection: Metals in Medicine

This review aims to summarize the development of cryptophane biosensors for ¹²⁹Xe MRI applications, while highlighting innovative biosensor designs and the consequent enhancements in detection sensitivity, which will be invaluable in expanding the scope of ¹²⁹Xe MRI.

Minerals play important natural roles in biology and offer relatively unexplored potential for the design of novel drugs, for the diagnosis of disease, and for discovery of new biotechnological applications via multisite recognition of biomolecules.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles have revolutionized the biomedical field and is still in very fast pace of development. Hence, this work elaborates the physicochemical properties, biosynthesis, and biomedical applications of cerium oxide nanoparticles.

In this review, we summarize the recent advances in tumor microenvironment (TME)-triggered biodegradation of inorganic NPs accompanied by imaging signal amplification and the released ions-mediated tumor therapy.

Chrysotherapy or aurotherapy, the use of gold as medicine, is two thousand years old.

Coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have recently become a topic of interest due to the fact that they have several applications such as in electronic, antimicrobial, industrial, optical, and medical fields as biosensors and drug delivery systems.

The advent of the clinically approved drug cisplatin started a new era in the design of metallodrugs for cancer chemotherapy.

PFH-NEs from PFH-NEs-scAuNPs can vaporize upon laser excitation leading to formation of PFH bubbles that can be used for contrast enhanced US imaging and therapy.

Hap has been developed from eggshell by UV-irradiation for the first time. The negligible cytotoxicity and the efficient delivery of a therapeutic level of ciprofloxacin as well as bioactivity of this UV- Hap supports its use in biomedical fields.

The synthesis of cell-tailored calcium carbonate with different crystal forms can be controlled from nanoparticle to nano/microsphere by a bio-inspired strategy.

Zn-coordination could dramatically enhance the gene transfection efficiency and reduce the cytotoxicity of conventional cyclen-based cationic liposomes.

Human-serum transferrin is involved in the transportation of aluminum across the blood–brain barrier.

Coumarin derivatives and their Pd(II)-complexes have shown a higher binding potential towards SARS-CoV-2 M^pro than chloroquine/cinanserin along with lower toxicity.

The biological properties of the Sm-complex, such as its interaction with FS-DNA and BSA, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities were studied.

Fluorination in the dppz ligand efficiently enhanced the photoactivated antibacterial activity of Ru(II) complexes with photo-labile ligands against antibiotic-resistant bacteria both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

A new complex of holmium, [Ho(bpy)(H₂O)₆]Cl₃ has been synthesized, their DNA/BSA/HSA binding, molecular docking, antibacterial activity and MTT assay of niosome nano-encapsulated are investigated.

Iron and copper complexes with antioxidant activity able to inhibit tumor metastasis by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in glioma cells.

A novel fluorine-18 radiolabelling method employing rhenium(I) mediation is described herein. In less than 1 minute, fluorine-18 labelled complexes and ligands were synthesised in greater than 80% and 60% radiochemical yields (RCY), respectively.

A library of ultra-small red photoluminescent gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) were synthesized with an increasing amount of positive charges provided by the addition of mono-, di- or trivalent-glutathione modified arginine peptides.

The introduction of LA improved the anticancer activity of the complex and helped overcome the cisplatin-resistance.

New RNA targeted ionic NSAID drug conjugates were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines.

A novel self-delivery drug–drug system nanohybrid constructed by the coordination assembly of porphyrin and cis-platinum was used for synergetic photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy.

Pt complexes increase their apparent binding constant by grafting on sidechains of polymer segments via multivalent effect.

In this study, bio-responsive polymeric MoS₂ nanocomposites were prepared for use as a drug carrier for cancer therapy.

Colorimetric detection of arboviruses and vector mosquito species. (A) Aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugates, (B) mosquito salivary protein, (C) Zika envelope protein, (D) visible color change, (E) imbibed diagnostic and (F) diagnostic cards.

Complex 1b could release complex B and DCA, playing a dual-targeting anti-tumor effect against cancer cells, targeting nuclear DNA and mitochondria, respectively.

Cu(SBCM)₂ binds to DNA topoisomerase I, which, in turn, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, possibly via p53 signalling pathway.

A strained Ru(II) prodrug exhibited enhanced cellular uptake and phototoxicity due to its lipophilic properties.

The continuously increasing incidence rates of cancer and infectious diseases are open threats to the sustainable survival of animals and humans.

A BBB-passable nanoscale silica–cyclen chelator effectively reduces the metal-induced Aβ aggregates and related ROS, thereby decreasing the neurotoxicity of Aβ.

Gold nanorods demonstrate a recognized role in the treatment of breast cancer cell lines as an efficient nanocarrier for chemotherapeutic drug delivery.

A facile synthetic strategy based on enzymatic polymerization was developed to construct a ROS-responsive polycarbonate served as biocompatible drug vehicle.

A new drug cocktail is proposed to overcome the cisplatin-resistance due to the presence of glutathione. A2780 cisplatin-resistant cells, treated with the drug cocktail, showed early apoptosis.

Multiplexed visible-light photolysis: two ruthenium crosslinkers were used to generate a PEG based hydrogel that can be degraded selectively with orange and blue light.

NIR Ln(III) complexes combining a cyclen derivative, azo-dye as a sensitizer and a cRGD peptide as a targeting moiety.

Assessment of the differences of the levels of gene expression achieved in non-infectable MSCs, by the completion of recombinant adenoviruses together with different NPs combinations (gold NPs or a commercially available polyethylenimine derivative).