Jesús M de la Fuente

• Professor
• Researcher Professor at Spanish National Research Council

Advancements in the field of nanotechnology have opened a myriad of avenues for diverse applications. One such avenue is the role of nanoparticles (NPs) in the healthcare sector, whether it...

In this work, we report the disruptive use of membrane-localized magnetic hyperthermia to promote the internalization of cell-impermeant probes (fluorescent molecules and small interfering RNA), without affecting cell viability.

In recent years, the scientific community has tried to address the treatment of complex diseases such as cancer in a more appropriate and promising way. Regarding this and benefiting from the unique optical properties of gold nanoprisms (AuNPRs), the physicochemical properties of thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs), and the tunable drug encapsulation...

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have hogged the limelight in different fields of nanotechnology. Surprisingly, notwithstanding the prominent role played as agents in magnetic hyperthermia treatments, the effects of nanoparticle size...

Nanozymes with inherent enzyme‐mimic catalytic properties combat malignant tumor progression via catalytic therapy, while the therapeutic efficacy still needs to be improved. In this work, we innovatively synthesized ultra‐small platinum nanozymes (nPt) in confined domain of wormlike pore channel in gold nanobipyramidal‐mesoporous silica dioxide na...

The Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) of amino acid N-Carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) offers a straightforward method for preparing polypeptide-like polymers that display characteristics of their natural counterparts, e.g. secondary structure, and enables rapid in vitro screenings. Although recent publications have progressed in achieving water tolerance,...

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the commonest cancers with high morbidity and mortality in the world. How to realize precise diagnosis and therapy of GC owns great clinical requirement. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been actively explored to apply to early diagnosis and treatment and prognosis of gastric carcinoma. Herein, we revi...

Herein, we have developed nanohybrids (nHs) to remotely activate a therapeutic enzyme for its use in Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (DEPT). The coencapsulation of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) using biomimetic silica as an entrapment matrix was optimized to obtain nanosized hybrids (∼150 nm) for remote activation...

En este artículo se introducen los conceptos de química “click” y química bioortogonal, que han recibido el Premio Nobel de Química 2022 por sus numerosas ventajas (sencillez, robustez, rendimientos prácticamente cuantitativos, etc.). Se describen en detalle las principales reacciones bioortogonales, las cuales se pueden llevar a cabo en sistemas v...

The combination drug regimens that have long been used to treat tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are fraught with problems such as frequent administration, long duration of treatment, and harsh adverse effects, leading to the emergence of multidrug resistance. Moreover, there is no effective preventive vaccine against TB inf...

An one-pot method for the synthesis of uniform Eu3+-doped NaBi(MoO4)2 nanoparticles with ellipsoidal shape and tetragonal crystal structure and functionalized with polyacrylic acid is reported for the first time in...

The directed migration of cellular clusters enables morphogenesis, wound healing and collective cancer invasion. Gradients of substrate stiffness direct the migration of cellular clusters in a process called collective durotaxis, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we unveil a connection between collective durotaxis and the wetting p...

The directed migration of cellular clusters enables morphogenesis, wound healing, and collective cancer invasion. Gradients of substrate stiffness are known to direct the migration of cellular clusters in a process called collective durotaxis, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we unveil a connection between collective durotaxis and th...

In this work, we report the use of bioorthogonal chemistry, specifically the strain-promoted click azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) for the covalent attachment of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on living cell membranes. Four types of MNPs were prepared, functionalized with two different stabilizing/passivation agents (a polyethylene glycol derivat...

In the context of the H2020 PRIME project, we developed an immunosensor capable of detecting low levels of analyte in a liquid sample. The prototype can be applied in point of care diagnosis, thanks to its portability, affordability, and ease of use. The device presented a limit of detection between 1 and 5 ng/mL of a model cancer marker (CEA). Thi...

The increasing resistance of pathogenic microorganisms against common treatments requires innovative concepts to prevent infection and avoid long-term microbe viability on commonly used surfaces. Here, we report the preparation of a hybrid antimicrobial material based on the combination of microbiocidal polyoxometalate-ionic liquids (POM-ILs) and a...

Developing artificial metalloenzymes that possess a superior performance to their natural counterparts is an attractive concept. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a class of anionic molecular metal-oxides with excellent redox properties and bioactivity. We have recently introduced "POMlymers" - covalently conjugated POM-peptide hybrid materials - where t...

The simultaneous detection and quantification of several iron-containing species in biological matrices is a challenging issue. Especially in the frame of studies using magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications, no gold-standard technique has been described yet and combinations of different techniques are generally used. In this work, AC m...

In the last few years, persistent phosphors with a garnet crystal structure have attracted a great deal of interest for a plethora of applications ranging from bioimaging to anti-counterfeiting technologies....

The synthesis of uniform neodymium-doped lanthanum trifluoride nanoparticles with lenticular shape and a mean diameter around 45 nm by using a homogeneous precipitation method is reported. The luminescent properties of the synthesized samples in terms of their emission spectra and emission lifetime are analyzed as a function of the Nd content to fi...

Theranosticity of nanoparticles provided by their shape, size, defects and dendron coating.

Photoembossing is a powerful photolithographic technique to prepare surface relief structures relying on polymerization-induced diffusion in a solventless development step. Conveniently, surface patterns are formed by two or more interfering laser beams without the need for a lithographic mask. The use of nanosecond pulsed light-based interference...

Objective: Although great progress has been made in the field of siRNA gene therapy, safe, efficient, and targeted delivery of siRNA are still major challenges in siRNA therapeutics. Methods: We developed an up-conversion nanoparticle-based nanocage system. This system protected the siRNA from being degraded by nucleases in organisms and selecti...

The contactless heating capacity of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been exploited in fields such as hyperthermia cancer therapy, catalysis, and enzymatic thermal regulation. Herein, we propose an advanced technology to generate multiple local temperatures in a single-pot reactor by exploiting the unique nanoheating features of iron oxide MNPs ex...

The exploitation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in biomedicine represents more than one third of their overall application. Despite their wide use and significant amount of scientific data on their effects on biological systems, detailed insight into their in vivo fate is still lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the biotransformation patterns...

Adenoviral (Ad) vectors have proven to be important tools for gene and cell therapy, although some issues still need to be addressed, such as undesired interactions with blood components and off-target sequestration that ultimately hamper efficacy. In the past years, several organic and inorganic materials have been developed to reduce immunogenici...

Magnetic hyperthermia (MH) was used to treat a murine model of pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is generally characterized by the presence of dense stroma that acts as a barrier for chemotherapeutic treatments. Several alternating magnetic field (AMF) conditions were evaluated using three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models loaded with magne...

Background Gene and chemical therapy has become one of the rising stars in the field of molecular medicine during the last two decades. However, there are still numerous challenges in the development of efficient, targeted, and safe delivery systems that can avoid siRNA degradation and reduce the toxicity and adverse effects of chemotherapy medicin...

Uniform cobalt ferrite nanoparticles have been synthesized using an electrochemical synthesis method in aqueous media. Their colloidal, magnetic, and relaxometric properties have been analyzed. The novelty of this synthesis relies on the use of iron and cobalt foils as precursors, which assures the reproducibility of the iron and cobalt ratio in th...

The biodeterioration of artistic and architectural heritage represents a serious and recurring problem for museums, local authorities, and private collectors alike, where irreparable damage to unique artifacts can result in immeasurable losses to our shared cultural heritage. Here, we present an overview of the current trends in antimicrobial produ...

The ring‐opening polymerisation of α‐amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) offers a simple and scalable route to polypeptides with predicted and narrow molecular weight distributions. Here we show how polyoxometalates (POMs)—redox‐active molecular metal‐oxide anions—can serve as inorganic scaffold initiators for such NCA polymerisations. This “On‐P...

Die POMlymere kommen! Invasive POMlymere (Polyoxometallat‐Peptid‐Hybride) richten als biozide Wirkstoffe, die die bakterielle Besiedlung von (planetaren) Oberflächen verhindern, verheerende Schäden an. In ihrer Zuschrift (DOI: 10.1002/ange.202013563) berichten Scott G. Mitchell, Rafael Martín‐Rapún und Mitarbeiter über eine „on‐POM“‐Polymerisation...

The POMlymers are coming! Ruthless invading POMlymers (polyoxometalate–peptide hybrids) wreak havoc as biocidal agents preventing bacterial colonisation of (planetary) surfaces. In their Communication (DOI: 10.1002/anie.202013563), Scott G. Mitchell, Rafael Martín‐Rapún, and co‐workers report an on‐POM polymerisation of N‐carboxyanhydrides which se...

Lipids are a major source of energy for most tissues, and lipid uptake and storage is therefore crucial for energy homeostasis. So far, quantification of lipid uptake in vivo has primarily relied on radioactive isotope labeling, exposing human subjects or experimental animals to ionizing radiation. Here, we describe the quantification of in vivo up...

On‐POM polymerisation: An amino‐functionalised polyoxometalate (POM) acts as initiator for the ring‐opening polymerisation (ROP) of α‐amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) under living polymerisation conditions. The resulting POM–peptide materials (POMlymers) possess bactericidal properties and prevent biofilm formation. Abstract The ring‐opening...

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is widely used for early diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. Lateral flow assay (LFA) is a successfully commercial tool for POCT. However, LFA often suffers from a lack of quantification and analytical sensitivity. To solve these drawbacks, we have previously developed a thermal LFA using plasmonic gold nanoparticles...

DNA nanostructures have been evolving ever since the development of self-assembling DNA tile-based structures in the 1980s. DNA origami technology developed by Rothemund in 2006 simplified the synthesis process of DNA nanostructures, while simultaneously upgrading the complexity, size, and the flexibility of these structures to a great extent. DNA...

We describe a wet chemical method for the synthesis of uniform and well-dispersed dysprosium vanadate (DyVO4) and holmium vanadate (HoVO4) nanoparticles with an almost spherical shape and a mean size of ∼60 nm and their functionalization with poly(acrylic acid). The transverse magnetic relaxivity of both systems at 9.4 T is analyzed on the basis of...

The appearance and rapid spread of drug resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB), one of the deadliest infectious diseases, pose a serious threat to public health and increase the need for shorter, less toxic, and more effective therapies. Developing new drugs is difficult and often associated with side effects, so nanotechnology has emerged as a too...

Magnetic hyperthermia is a cancer treatment based on the exposure of magnetic nanoparticles to an alternating magnetic field in order to generate local heat. In this work, 3D cell culture models were prepared to observe the effect that a different number of internalized particles had on the mechanisms of cell death triggered upon the magnetic hyper...

Isolated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), 12 nm in diameter, coated with oleic acid molecules as capping agents have been deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method onto a model cell membrane incorporating 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and Cholesterol (Chol) in the 1:1 ratio, which was also fabricated by the LB tec...

The combination of different bioimaging techniques, mainly in the field of oncology, allows circumventing the defects associated with the individual imaging modalities, thus providing a more reliable diagnosis. The development of multimodal endogenous probes that are simultaneously suitable for various imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance...

In article number 2000026, Carlos Sánchez‐Somolinos, Jesús M. de la Fuente, and co‐workers optimize inkjet technology as a novel method for gold nanoparticle microencapsulation in chitosan hydrogels providing a continuous, high encapsulation efficiency and automated production that can be employed to coencapsulate other molecules. These microcapsul...

The Wnt-β-catenin signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway with a prominent role in different biological processes such stem cell renewal, cell proliferation and differentiation. Wnt signaling dysfunctions have been associated to developmental and neurological diseases as well as formation and progression of tumors. Nanomedicine may provide...

Gold nanoprisms possess remarkable optical properties that make them useful for medical biotechnology applications such as diagnosis and photothermal therapy. However, shape-selective synthesis of gold nanoprisms is not trivial and typically requires either toxic surfactants or time-consuming purification protocols, which can limit their applicabil...

Herein, an inkjet‐based technology as a versatile high throughput methodology for the microencapsulation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) inside a biocompatible chitosan hydrogel is described. This continuous automated inkjet production approach generates 30 µm diameter polymeric microcapsules and offers a high rate of production and nanoparticle enca...

A one-pot simple procedure for the synthesis of uniform, ellipsoidal Eu3+-doped sodium lanthanum tungstate and molybdate (NaLa(XO4)2, X = W, Mo) nanophosphors, functionalized with carboxylate groups, is described. The method is based on a homogeneous precipitation process at 120 C from appropriate Na+, Ln3+ and tungstate or molybdate precursors dis...

Aim: To study the difference in biodistribution of gold nanoprisms (NPr) and nanorods (NR), PEGylated to ensure colloidal stability. Materials & methods: Surface changes were studied for nanoparticles in different media, while the biodistribution was quantified and imaged in vivo. Results: Upon interaction with the mouse serum, NR showed more abrup...

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is widely regarded as a major public health concern with last resort MRSA treatments like vancomycin now encountering resistant strains. TFDs (Transcription Factor Decoys) are oligonucleotide copies of the DNA-binding sites for transcription factors. They bind to and sequester the targeted transcription factor, t...

Aim: To determine whether a p38 MAPK inhibitor incorporated into nanoemulsion-based chitosan nanocapsules can reduce the activity of this kinase in the brain through their nasal administration in mice. Materials & methods: We selected the p38 MAPK inhibitor PH797804, an ATP-competitive inhibitor of p38α encapsulated in nanoemulsion-based chitosan n...

In article number 1900192 by Chunlei Zhang, Daxiang Cui, and co‐workers, Cu2+‐protein self‐assemblies loaded with photosensitizer (ICG) and an anticancer drug (doxorubicin) are constructed. The combined nanofomulation can catalyze H2O2 generating more amounts of ·OH under light irradiation when Cu2+ is reduced to Cu+ by glutathione, while presentin...

Natural polysaccharides are frequently used in the design of drug delivery systems due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity. Moreover, they are diverse in structure, size, and charge, and their chemical functional groups can be easily modified to match the needs of the final application and mode of administration. This revi...

A one-pot simple procedure for the synthesis of uniform, ellipsoidal Eu3+-doped sodium lanthanum tungstate and molybdate (NaLa(XO4)2, X = W, Mo) nanophosphors, functionalized with carboxylate groups, is described. The method is based on a homogeneous precipitation process at 120 °C from appropriate Na+, Ln3+ and tungstate or molybdate precursors di...

Emerging Fenton‐like activity of copper ions has inspired great exploration for tumor microenvironment‐activated tumor therapy due to the toxic ·OH production for chemodynamic therapy and extra oxygen generation for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Still, the ·OH produced by copper ions is not satisfied even when copper ions are placed in a low pH envir...

Back Cover: Bedaquiline is encapsulated in polypeptidic micelles, which are subsequently coated with sodium alginate. Encapsulated bedaquiline shows increased in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis compared to free bedaquiline. A SEM picture of the bedaquiline loaded coated nanocarriers is shown in the background. This is reported by...

Abstract Over the last decade, the capability of double-stranded RNAs to interfere with gene expression has driven new therapeutic approaches. Since small interfering RNAs (siRNAs, 21-base-pair double-stranded RNA) were shown able to elicit RNA interference (RNAi), efforts were directed toward the development of efficient delivery systems to preser...

Correction for ‘Gold nanoparticle coatings as efficient adenovirus carriers to non-infectable stem cells’ by Yulan Hernandez et al., RSC Adv. , 2019, 9 , 1327–1334.

Bi³⁺ codoping has been proposed in this work with a twofold objective, namely, enhancing the luminescence emission of Eu³⁺:LaF3 nanoparticles (NPs) and increasing their X-ray attenuation capacity, with the purpose of obtaining a bimodal bioprobe for luminescence bioimaging and X-ray computed tomography. The synthesis method, reported here for the f...

Background Infectious diseases are still a leading cause of death and, with the emergence of drug resistance, pose a great threat to human health. New drugs and strategies are thus urgently needed to improve treatment efficacy and limit drug-associated side effects. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems are promising approaches, offering hope...

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), and in particular iron oxide nanoparticles (mainly magnetite and maghemite), are being widely used in the form of aqueous colloids for biomedical applications. In such colloids, nanoparticles tend to form assemblies, either aggregates, if the union is permanent, or agglomerates, if it is reversible. These clustering p...

The coating of polypeptidic micelles with sodium alginate is described as a strategy to improve the stability of micelles for drug delivery. Bedaquiline, approved in 2012 for the treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis, has been used as an example of hydrophobic drug to study the loading efficiency, the release of the encapsulated drug in dif...

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult pluripotent cells with the plasticity to be converted into different cell types. Their self-renewal capacity, relative ease of isolation, expansion and inherent migration to tumors, make them perfect candidates for cell therapy against cancer. However, MSCs are notoriously refractory to adenoviral infection,...

Nanomaterials for Magnetic and Optical Hyperthermia Applications focuses on the design, fabrication and characterization of nanomaterials (magnetic, gold and hybrid magnetic-gold nanoparticles) for in vitro and in vivo hyperthermia applications, both as standalone and adjuvant therapy in combination with chemotherapy. The book explores the potentia...

Magnetic hyperthermia is a promising therapy for the localized treatment of cancer based on the exposure of magnetic nanoparticles to an external alternating magnetic field. In order to evaluate some of the mechanisms involved in the cellular damage caused by this treatment, two different 3D cell culture models were prepared using collagen, which i...

Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are attractive materials for enzyme immobilization and, thanks to their superparamagnetism, can be accessed by remote stimuli. This can be exploited to activate molecules that are not remotely actuable. Here, we demonstrate that thermophilic enzymes chemically linked to NPs can be activated in a “wireless” fashion by...

Die Korrosion von Naturstein durch sauren Regen oder Biofilmbildung ist ein globales Problem. In ihrer Zuschrift (DOI: 10.1002/ange.201809893) zeigen S. G. Mitchell, C. Streb und Mitarbeiter, dass Polyoxometallat‐ionische Flüssigkeiten (POM‐ILs), mit dem Pinsel aufgetragen, diese Prozesse verhindern können. Die POM‐ILs widerstehen Korrosionsbedingu...

Stone corrosion by acid rain or biofilm formation is a global problem. In their Communication (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201809893), S. G. Mitchell, C. Streb, and co‐workers show how polyoxometalate‐ionic liquids (POM‐ILs) can be used as brush‐on anticorrosion coatings on natural stones. The POM‐ILs are designed to withstand corrosive conditions and featur...

Development of new methods to screen early gastric cancer patients has great clinical requirement. Ten amino acids in human saliva are identified as small metabolite biomarkers to distinguish early gastric cancer patients and advanced gastric cancer patients from healthy persons by using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPL...

Gold nanoparticles have shown a wide range of applications in the theranostics field. Despite recent attempts to elucidate the way inorganic nanoparticles are distributed and eliminated in the organism, the interest in the literature mainly focus in the interactions of the surface chemistry rather than the inorganic core. Here we study the biodistr...