Highlights


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Uptake and intracellular fate of cholera toxin subunit b-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle-supported lipid bilayers (aka protocells) in motoneurons

Cholera toxin B (CTB) modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle supported lipid bilayers (CTB-protocells) are a promising, customizableapproach for targeting therapeutic cargo to motoneurons.

In the present study, the endocytic mechanism and intracellular fate of CTB-
protocells in motoneurons were examined to provide information for the development of therapeutic application and cargo delivery.

Porras, Maria A. Gonzalez; Durfee, Paul; Giambini, Sebastian; et al.

Article |

Versatile Surface Functionalization of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Direct Metal Coordination with a Phenolic Lipid Enables Diverse Applications

A novel strategy for the versatile functionalization of the external surface of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been developed based on the direct coordination of a phenolic-inspired lipid molecule

DPGG (1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-galloyl) with metal nodes/sites surrounding MOF surface. X-ray diffraction and Argon sorption analysis prove that the modified MOF particles retain their structural integrity and porosity after surface modification.
Wei Zhu, Guolei Xiang, Jin Shang, Jimin Guo, Benyamin Motevalli, Paul Durfee,
Jacob Ongudi Agola, Eric N. Coker, and C. Jeffrey Brinker

Article |

Multifunctional Protocells for Enhanced Penetration in 3D Extracellular Tumoral Matrices

The high density of the extracellular matrix in solid tumors is an important obstacle to nanocarriers for reaching deep tumor regions and has severely limited the efficacy of administrated nanotherapeutics.

The use of proteolytic enzymes prior to nanoparticle administration or directly attached to the nanocarrier surface has been proposed to enhance their penetration, but the low in vivo stability of these macromolecules compromises their efficacy and strongly limits their application.
María Rocío Villegas,Alejandro Baeza,*Achraf Noureddine,§ Paul N. Durfee,§,⊥ Kimberly S. Butler,§, Jacob Ongudi Agola,§,⊥ C. Jeffrey Brinker,*, and María Vallet-Regí

Article |

The limited flux and selectivities of current carbon dioxide membranes and the high costs associated with conventional absorption-based CO2 sequestration call for alternative CO2 separation approaches.

Here we describe an enzymatically active, ultra-thin, biomimetic membrane enabling CO2 capture and separation under ambient pressure and temperature conditions.
Yaqin Fu1,2, Ying-Bing Jiang1,2,3, Darren Dunphy1,2, Haifeng Xiong 1,2, Eric Coker 4, Stan Chou4 Hongxia Zhang5, Juan M. Vanegas4,6, Jonas G. Croissant1,2, Joseph L. Cecchi1, Susan B. Rempe 4 & C. Jeffrey Brinker1,2,4