Magnetic nanomaterials show significant promise as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We have developed a new highly efficient one-step procedure for the synthesis of magnetically-functionalised hollow carbon nanofibres, where (i) the carbon nanofibres act as both a template and a support for the nucleation and growth of magnetite nanoparticles and (ii) the structural (size, dispersity and morphology) and functional (magnetisation and coercivity) properties of the magnetic nanoparticles formed on nanofibres are strictly controlled by the mass ratio of the magnetite precursor to the nanofibres and the solvent employed during synthesis. We have shown that our magnetitenanofibre materials are effectively solubilised in water resulting in a stable suspension that has been employed as a "negative" MRI contrast agent with an excellent transverse relaxivity (r 2 ) of (268 ± 13) mM/s, surpassing current commercial materials and state-of-the-art magnetic nanoscale platforms in performance for MRI contrast at high magnetic fields. The 2 preparation and evaluation of this unique hybrid nanomaterial represents a critical step towards the realisation of a highly efficient "smart" MRI theranostic agent -a material that allows for the combined diagnosis (with MRI), treatment (with magnetic targeting) and follow-up of a disease (with MRI) -currently in high demand for various clinical applications, including personalised nanomedicine.
Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections rapidly emerge and demand potent medications to cope with resistance. In this context, targeted loco‐regional delivery of aerosol medicines to the lungs is an advantage. However, sufficient antibiotic delivery requires engineered aerosols for optimized deposition. Here, the effect of bedaquiline‐encapsulating fucosylated versus nonfucosylated liposomes on cellular uptake and delivery is investigated. Notably, this comparison includes critical parameters for pulmonary delivery, i.e., aerosol deposition and the noncellular barriers of pulmonary surfactant (PS) and mucus. Targeting increases liposomal uptake into THP‐1 cells as well as peripheral blood monocyte‐ and lung‐tissue derived macrophages. Aerosol deposition in the presence of PS, however, masks the effect of active targeting. PS alters antibiotic release that depends on the drug's hydrophobicity, while mucus reduces the mobility of nontargeted more than fucosylated liposomes. Dry‐powder microparticles of spray‐dried bedaquiline‐loaded liposomes display a high fine particle fraction of >70%, as well as preserved liposomal integrity and targeting function. The antibiotic effect is maintained when deposited as powder aerosol on cultured Mycobacterium abscessus. When treating M. abscessus infected THP‐1 cells, the fucosylated variant enabled enhanced bacterial killing, thus opening up a clear perspective for the improved treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections.
The antimicrobial resistance crisis requires novel approaches for the therapy of infections especially with Gram-negative pathogens. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is defined as priority 1 pathogen by the WHO and thus of...
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