In this article, we report a novel surface modification method for cellulose fiber that is based on supramolecular assembly. β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) was first covalently grafted onto the fiber surface. Then poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) oligomers having both ends capped with adamantane motifs (i.e., PCL-AD) were immobilized to the cellulose fiber surface through the host-guest inclusion complexation between β-CD and AD motif. FTIR-ATR and XPS analyses confirmed the successful assembly of PCL-ADs, which was further supported by the increasing trend of weight gain with the concentration of CDs on the fiber surface. Contact angle and TGA measurements reflect the enhanced hydrophobicity and thermal stability of the cellulose fiber as a consequence of this modification. The morphologies of the cellulose fiber before and after the assembly process have also been compared by SEM.

In this study, we reported on the incorporation of a novel supramolecular hydrogel into agarose hydrogel to create a hybrid hydrogel. Both the supramolecular hydrogel and the hybrid hydrogel were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy, and their mechanical properties were evaluated by a compress assay. These results showed that the hybrid hydrogel possessed much better mechanical properties and stability than the supramolecular hydrogel itself. The hybrid hydrogel could be applied to efficiently remove methyl violet from an aqueous phase without affecting its appearance under vigorous stirring, while the supramolecular hydrogel changed to a fragile solid after the absorption of a large amount of methyl violet even under the free-standing mode. Such a hybrid hydrogel has the potential for use in the efficient removal of dye molecules from aqueous solutions.

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers represent one of the most efficient polymeric gene carriers. This study describes a new family of PAMAM dendrimers that can be synthesized using a Pentaerythritol derivative (PD) as a core that possesses 12 branches. This new approach in the synthesis of divergent dendrimers provided a rapid increase in the number of branches, which made it easier to obtain dendrimers with high generation and large enough molecular size. The PD dendrimers of generations 3-5 synthesized in this study could efficiently condense DNA into nanoscale complexes with slightly positive charges. Their transfection efficiency was evaluated in different cell lines. These PD dendrimers were found to show higher transfection efficiency, but much lower cytotoxicity, than the commercial nonviral gene carriers polyethyleneimine (PEI), polylysine (PLL), and PAMAM dendrimers with an ethylenediamine core (generations 5 and 7). The results indicate that, with high transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity, the PD dendrimers hold promise as novel nonviral gene carriers.

With the goal of devising a non-invasive cell therapy for cardiac repair that may be well tolerated by patients with myocardial infarction (MI), this study evaluated the efficacy of intravenous infusion of genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) overexpressing CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). CXCR4 is the cognate receptor for stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), a chemokine required for homing of progenitor cells to ischemic tissues. In this study, retrovirally transduced MSCs constitutively expressing CXCR4 (CXCR4-MSCs) were delivered intravenously 24 hours after coronary occlusion/­reperfusion in rats. When compared with untransduced MSCs, CXCR4-MSCs homed in toward the infarct region of the myocardium in greater numbers. In the CXCR4-MSC-treated animals, echocardiographic imaging 30 days after MI showed a decrease in anterior wall thinning and good preservation of left ventricular (LV) chamber dimensions, whereas the animals treated with saline or unmodified MSCs showed significant remodeling. Histochemical analysis showed a decrease in collagen I/III ratio in the infarcted wall of CXCR4-MSC-treated animals, thereby suggesting improved chamber compliance. Assessment revealed post-MI recovery of LV function in the CXCR4-MSC-treated animals, whereas LV function remained depressed in the saline and MSC-treated animals. In summary, intravenous delivery of genetically modified MSCs expressing CXCR4 may be a useful, non-invasive, and safe therapeutic strategy for post-infarction myocardial repair.

G250 is a tumor associated antigen that is found on N 90% of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In order to develop a highly targeting gene vector for RCC gene therapy, G250 monoclonal antibody was prepared, purified and characterized. The antibody was chemically bound to Polyethylenimine (PEI) to form the IgG–PEI conjugate. The conjugate is capable of forming DNA complexes in the size of nano meters and with a narrow size distribution. The targeting effect and transfection efficiency were tested on five cell lines, ketr 3, Hela, ACHN, HepG2, and smooth muscle cells. The transfection was quantitatively determined by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and luciferase assay. The FACS results show that for G250 positive cells ketr 3 and Hela, the transfection efficiency of IgG-PEI are 2-fold higher than that of PEI. But for G250 negative cells, antibody modification has no effect on transfection. The expression of luciferase in ketr 3 cells which is expressed as enzyme activity is 15-fold and 61-fold higher than that in ACHN and SMC, respectively. In the presence of free antibody, the targeting effect of IgG–PEI is impaired and the transfection efficiency is normalized. It indicates that G250 antibody is an ideal targeting ligand for delivery of genes into RCC. Application of this IgG-PEI conjugate in RCC gene therapy will be of great interest.