Nanoparticle-mediated thermal Cancer therapies: Strategies to improve clinical translatability.

Despite significant advances, cancer remains a leading global cause of death. Current therapies often fail due to incomplete tumor removal and nonspecific targeting, spurring interest in alternative treatments. Hyperthermia, which uses elevated temperatures to kill cancer cells or boost their sensitivity to radio/chemotherapy, has emerged as a promising alternative.

Remote Excitation of Tip-Enhanced Photoluminescence with a Parallel AgNW Coupler.

Tip-enhanced photoluminescence (TEPL) microscopy allows for the correlation of scanning probe microscopic images and photoluminescent spectra at the nanoscale level in a similar way to tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) microscopy. However, due to the higher cross-section of fluorescence compared to Raman scattering, the diffraction-limited background signal generated by far-field excitation is a limiting factor in the achievable spatial resolution of TEPL. Here, we demonstrate a way to overcome this drawback by using remote excitation TEPL (RE-TEPL).

Visualizing Ribbon-to-Ribbon Heterogeneity of Chemically Unzipped Wide Graphene Nanoribbons by Silver Nanowire-Based Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscopy.

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), a quasi-one-dimensional form of graphene, have gained tremendous attention due to their potential for next-generation nanoelectronic devices. The chemical unzipping of carbon nanotubes is one of the attractive fabrication methods to obtain single-layered GNRs (sGNRs) with simple and large-scale production.  The authors recently found that unzipping from double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs), rather than single- or multi-walled, results in high-yield production of crystalline sGNRs.

SERS Endoscopy for Monitoring Intracellular Drug Dynamics.

Understanding the dynamics and distribution of medicinal drugs in living cells is essential for the design and discovery of treatments. The tools available for revealing this information are, however, extremely limited. Here, we report the application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) endoscopy, using plasmonic nanowires as SERS probes, to monitor the intracellular fate and dynamics of a common chemo-drug, doxorubicin, in A549 cancer cells.

Length-Controllable Gold-Coated Silver Nanowire Probes for High AFM-TERS Scattering Activity.

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) microscopy is an advanced technique for investigation at the nanoscale that provides topographic and chemical information simultaneously. The TERS probe plays a crucial role in the microscopic performance. In the recent past, the development of silver nanowire (AgNW) based TERS probes solved the main tip fabrication issues, such as low mechanical strength and reproducibility.

Fluorescence Imaging of 3D Cell Models with Subcellular Resolution.

Over the past years, research has made impressive breakthroughs towards the development and implementation of 3D cell models for a wide range of applications, such as drug development and testing, organogenesis, cancer biology, and personalized medicine. Opposed to 2D cell monolayer culture systems, advanced 3D cell models better represent the physiology. However, for these models to deliver scientific insights, appropriate investigation techniques are required.

All-Optical and One-Color Rewritable Chemical Patterning on Pristine Graphene under Water.

We report a facile all-optical method for spatially resolved and reversible chemical modification of a graphene monolayer. A tightly focused laser on graphene under water introduces an sp-type chemical defect by photo-oxidation. The sp-type defects can be reversibly restored to sp carbon centers by the same laser with higher intensity.

Versatile and Robust Method for Antibody Conjugation to Nanoparticles with High Targeting Efficiency.

The application of antibodies in nanomedicine is now standard practice in research since it represents an innovative approach to deliver chemotherapy agents selectively to tumors. The variety of targets or markers that are overexpressed in different types of cancers results in a high demand for antibody conjugated-nanoparticles, which are versatile and easily customizable. Considering up-scaling, the synthesis of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles should be simple and highly reproducible.

From 2D to 3D Cancer Cell Models-The Enigmas of Drug Delivery Research.

Over the past decades, research has made impressive breakthroughs towards drug delivery systems, resulting in a wide range of multifunctional engineered nanoparticles with biomedical applications such as cancer therapy. Despite these significant advances, well-designed nanoparticles rarely reach the clinical stage. Promising results obtained in standard 2D cell culture systems often turn into disappointing outcomes in in vivo models.

Correction: FRET-based intracellular investigation of nanoprodrugs toward highly efficient anticancer drug delivery.

Correction for 'FRET-based intracellular investigation of nanoprodrugs toward highly efficient anticancer drug delivery' by Farsai Taemaitree et al., Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 16710-16715, DOI: 10.1039/D0NR04910G.

FRET-based intracellular investigation of nanoprodrugs toward highly efficient anticancer drug delivery.

In order to overcome unpredictable side-effects and increased cytotoxicity of conventional carrier-based anticancer drug delivery systems, several systems that consist exclusively of the pure drug (or prodrug) have been proposed. The behavior and dynamics of these systems after entering cancer cells are, however, still unknown, hindering their progress towards in vivo and clinical applications. Here, we report a comprehensive in cellulo study of carrier-free SN-38 nanoprodrugs (NPDs), previously developed by our group.

Two-Photon-Induced [2 + 2] Cycloaddition of Bis-thymines: A Biocompatible and Reversible Approach.

Despite having great value across a wide variety of scientific fields, two-photon polymerizations currently suffer from two significant problems: the need for photoinitiators, which generate toxic side products, and the irreversibility of the process. Hence, the design of a versatile approach that circumvents these issues represents a major scientific challenge. Herein, we report a two-photon absorption strategy where reversible [2 + 2] cycloaddition of bis-thymines was achieved without the need for any photoinitiator.

Controlled Fabrication of Optical Signal Input/Output Sites on Plasmonic Nanowires.

Silver nanowires have attracted considerable attention as subdiffraction limited diameter waveguides in a variety of applications including cell endoscopy and photonic integrated circuitry. Optical signal transport occurs by coupling light into propagating surface plasmons, which scatter back into light further along the wire. However, these interconversions only occur efficiently at wire ends, or at defects along the wire, which are not controlled during synthesis.

Polymeric Engineering of Nanoparticles for Highly Efficient Multifunctional Drug Delivery Systems.

Most targeting strategies of anticancer drug delivery systems (DDSs) rely on the surface functionalization of nanocarriers with specific ligands, which trigger the internalization in cancer cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis. The endocytosis implies the entrapment of DDSs in acidic vesicles (endosomes and lysosomes) and their eventual ejection by exocytosis. This process, intrinsic to eukaryotic cells, is one of the main drawbacks of DDSs because it reduces the drug bioavailability in the intracellular environment.

Tailored Ag-Cu-Mg multielemental nanoparticles for wide-spectrum antibacterial coating.

Bactericidal nanoparticle coatings are very promising for hindering the indirect transmission of pathogens through cross-contaminated surfaces. The challenge, limiting their employment in nosocomial environments, is the ability of tailoring the coating's physicochemical properties, namely, composition, cytotoxicity, bactericidal spectrum, adhesion to the substrate, and consequent nanoparticles release into the environment. We have engineered a new family of nanoparticle-based bactericidal coatings comprising Ag, Cu, and Mg and synthesized by a green gas-phase technique.

Surface Density-of-States Engineering of Anatase TiO by Small Polyols for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocurrent Generation.

Enhancement of visible-light photocurrent generation by sol-gel anatase TiO films was achieved by binding small polyol molecules to the TiO surface. Binding ethylene glycol onto the surface, enhancement factors up to 2.8 were found in visible-light photocurrent generation experiments.

In situ synthesis of Au-shelled Ag nanoparticles on PDMS for flexible, long-life, and broad spectrum-sensitive SERS substrates.

A simple and fast one-step fabrication method of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film and their improvement as highly sensitive surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates via atomically thin Au coatings is demonstrated. The thin Au layer provides oxidation resistivity while maintaining the broad spectral range SERS sensitivity of Ag nanoparticles.

Highly controllable direct femtosecond laser writing of gold nanostructures on titanium dioxide surfaces.

A highly reproducible and controllable deposition procedure for gold nanostructures on a titanium dioxide (TiO) surface using femtosecond laser light has been demonstrated. This is realized by precisely focusing onto the TiO surface in the presence of a pure gold ion solution. The deposition is demonstrated both in dot arrays and line structures.

A novel method for in situ synthesis of SERS-active gold nanostars on polydimethylsiloxane film.

A novel one-step in situ synthesis of gold nanostars (AuNSs) on a pre-cured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film is proposed for the fabrication of highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. Plasmonic activity of the substrates was investigated by collecting SERS maps of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA). The applicability of these flexible substrates is further demonstrated by SERS-based pesticide detection on fruit skin.