Chirality‐Dependent Angiogenic Activity of MoS₂ Quantum Dots toward Regulatable Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

Despite great advances in understanding the biological behaviors of chiral materials, the effect of chirality‐configured nanoparticles on tissue regeneration‐related biological processes remains poorly understood. Herein, the chirality of MoS2 quantum dots (QDs) is tailored by functionalization with l‐/d‐penicillamine, and the profound chiral effects of MoS2 QDs on cellular activities, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration are thoroughly investigated. Specifically, d‐MoS2 QDs show a positive effect in promoting the growth, proliferation, and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in d‐MoS2 QDs group is substantially up‐regulated, resulting in enhanced tube formation activity. This distinct phenomenon is largely due to the higher internalization efficiency of d‐MoS2 QDs than l‐MoS2 QDs and chirality‐dependent nano‐bio interactions. In vivo angiogenic assay shows the expression level of angiogenic markers in newly‐formed skin tissues of d‐MoS2 QDs group is higher than that in l‐MoS2 QDs group, leading to an accelerated re‐epithelialization and improved skin regeneration. The findings of chirality‐dependent angiogenesis activity of MoS2 QDs provide new insights into the biological activity of MoS2 nanomaterials, which also opens up a new path to the rational design of chiral nanomaterials for tissue regeneration application.

Perspectives on Protein–Nanoparticle Interactions at the In Vivo Level

“…The disc-like liposomes also tended to adsorb more apolipoprotein than spherical liposomes, which endowed them with good targeting ability to the brain. Our recent studies also demonstrated the significant role of surface chirality on the protein corona formation of nanoparticles as well as their in vivo behaviors. − …”

Chiral nanomaterials in tissue engineering

“…In another recent study, Liang et al synthesised d -penicillamine-functionalised molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) quantum dots, which showed stronger angiogenesis activity by improving the proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as upregulation of VEGF, eNOS, and FGF expression. 190 An in vivo wound healing assay in mice further demonstrated that D-MoS 2 quantum dots could selectively boost the expression of CD31 and αSMA, leading to significantly enhanced re-epithelisation and collagen deposition, which expedited the process of skin regeneration. The design and use of chiral nanomaterials in tissue engineering will benefit from further in vivo studies that characterise and mechanistically explain the stereospecific modulation of biomolecular processes, and in particular using larger animal models that have greater anatomical and physiological similarity to humans.…”

“…188,189 Chiral nanomaterials, with their unique ability to modulate enantiospecific cell behaviour may be the key to addressing these unresolved challenges in tissue engineering. 190,191…”