Fast, portable and sensitive detection of group B streptococcus DNA using one-pot MIRA-CRISPR system with suboptimal PAM.

The group B Streptococcus (GBS) can generate vertical transmission to infants during delivery, has been seriously threatening the health of infants. Rapid and accurate prenatal GBS diagnosis for pregnant women is a deterministic blueprint to avoid infant viruses. Here, we developed an extraction-free nucleic acid isothermal amplification/CRISPR-Cas12a cutting one-pot system for GBS diagnostic assay by using suboptimal protospacer adjacent motifs, effectively avoiding multiple handling steps and uncapping contamination.

A time-resolved fluorescence microsphere-lateral flow immunochromatographic strip for quantitative detection of Pregnanediol-3-glucuronide in urine samples.

Pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG), as the main metabolite of progesterone in urine, plays a significant role in the prediction of ovulation, threatened abortion, and menstrual cycle maintenance. To achieve a rapid and sensitive assay, we have designed a competitive model-based time-resolved fluorescence microsphere-lateral flow immunochromatography (TRFM-LFIA) strip. The optimized TRFM-LFIA strip exhibited a wonderful response to PdG over the range of 30-2,000 ng/mL, the corresponding limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as low as 8.

Design, Synthesis, and Application of Carbon Dots With Synergistic Antibacterial Activity.

The diversity of bacteria and their ability to acquire drug resistance lead to many challenges in traditional antibacterial methods. Photothermal therapies that convert light energy into localized physical heat to kill target microorganisms do not induce resistance and provide an alternative for antibacterial treatment. However, many photothermal materials cannot specifically target bacteria, which can lead to thermal damage to normal tissues, thus seriously affecting their biological applications.

Iron and nitrogen-co-doped carbon quantum dots for the sensitive and selective detection of hematin and ferric ions and cell imaging.

Iron, nitrogen-co-doped carbon quantum dots (Fe,N-CDs) were prepared via a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The quantum yield of fluorescence reached about 27.6% and the blue-emissive Fe,N-CDs had a mean size of 3.

Cyan-emitting silicon quantum dots as a fluorescent probe directly used for highly sensitive and selective detection of chlorogenic acid.

As an important bioactive component in plants, chlorogenic acid (CGA) has been widely studied for its potential role in human health. In this work, cyan fluorescent silicon quantum dots were successfully synthesized via a simple one-pot method for the rapid detection of CGA. The optimal excitation and emission wavelength of the obtained SiQDs was 350 nm and 470 nm, respectively.

High photoluminescence nitrogen, phosphorus co-doped carbon nanodots for assessment of microbial viability.

Assessment of microbial viability plays a key role in human health protection. Optical imaging based on fluorescent dyes is a simple and convenient way to assess microbial viability. However, it is still a challenge to obtain stable, nontoxic and low-cost dyes.

One-step synthesis of green emission carbon dots for selective and sensitive detection of nitrite ions and cellular imaging application.

In recent years, carbon dot (CD)-based fluorescent sensors for selective ions or small biomolecules have drawn great attention. In this work, highly fluorescent CDs (QY = 21%) were prepared from 2,3-diamino pyridine as the precursor through a facile solvothermal process. The CDs showed high stability and a green emission in aqueous, and the optimal emission wavelength of CDs is 508 nm under the excitation wavelength of 438 nm.

A novel "on-off-on" fluorescence assay for the discriminative detection of Cu(ii) and l-cysteine based on red-emissive Si-CDs and cellular imaging applications.

Copper ions (Cu) and l-cysteine (l-Cys) in the human body always play critical roles in various physiological processes, while abnormal Cu and l-Cys concentrations in the biological system lead to many diseases. In this manuscript, Si-doped carbon dots (Si-CDs) with near-infrared fluorescence were designed for the detection of Cu and l-Cys through the fluorescence "on-off-on" mode. The carbon dots exhibited not only excellent optical merits including good stability against photobleaching and high chemical stability, but also superior biological compatibility.

Two-Step Hydrothermal Preparation of Carbon Dots for Calcium Ion Detection.

It is well known that the calcium ion is essential for maintaining life activities in living organisms, and it is of great significance to detect the intracellular calcium concentration. For the detection of calcium ions, we developed a new type of fluorescent carbon dots (CDs), whose surface was modified by ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid (EGTA) through a secondary hydrothermal method. This is a simple and convenient chemical preparation method because all reactions are carried out in the same autoclave, and the final product is directly the EGTA-modified CDs.

Biomimetic Immunomagnetic Nanoparticles with Minimal Nonspecific Biomolecule Adsorption for Enhanced Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells.

Immunomagnetic micro/nanoparticles (IMNs) have been widely used to isolate rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples for early diagnosis of cancers. However, when entering into biofluids, IMNs nonspecifically adsorb biomolecules and the in situ formed biomolecule corona covers IMN surface ligands and weakens the targeting capabilities of IMNs. In this work, we demonstrated that by surface coating of IMNs with red blood cell (RBC)-derived vesicles, the obtained biomimetic particles (RBC-IMNs) basically adsorb no biomolecules and maintain the CTC targeting ability when exposed to plasma.

Capture and "self-release" of circulating tumor cells using metal-organic framework materials.

Capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood for subsequent analyses has shown potential in precision medicine for cancer patients. Broad as the prospect is, there are still some challenges that hamper its clinical applications. One of the challenges is to maintain the viability of the captured cells during the capturing and releasing processes.

Cancer Cell Membrane Camouflaged Nanoparticles to Realize Starvation Therapy Together with Checkpoint Blockades for Enhancing Cancer Therapy.

Although anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is widely used to treat melanoma, its efficacy still has to be improved. In this work, we present a therapeutic method that combines immunotherapy and starvation therapy to achieve better antitumor efficacy. We designed the CMSN-GOx method, in which mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are loaded with glucose oxidase (GOx) and then encapsulate the surfaces of cancer cell membranes to realize starvation therapy.

A Biomimetic Nanodecoy Traps Zika Virus To Prevent Viral Infection and Fetal Microcephaly Development.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as a global health threat due to its unexpected causal link to devastating neurological disorders such as fetal microcephaly; however, to date, no approved vaccine or specific treatment is available for ZIKV infection. Here we develop a biomimetic nanodecoy (ND) that can trap ZIKV, divert ZIKV away from its intended targets, and inhibit ZIKV infection. The ND, which is composed of a gelatin nanoparticle core camouflaged by mosquito medium host cell membranes, effectively adsorbs ZIKV and inhibits ZIKV replication in ZIKV-susceptible cells.

One-step synthesis of nitrogen, sulfur co-doped carbon nanodots and application for Fe detection.

Carbon nanodots (CDs) are novel forms of zero-dimensional carbonaceous nanomaterials, which have attracted the attention of researchers. Long wavelength emission decreases the interference of auto-fluorescence of tissue and can also penetrate more deeply. However, it is still a challenge to develop red emissive CDs.

Engineered red blood cells for capturing circulating tumor cells with high performance.

Filtration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood is of proven importance for early cancer diagnosis, treatment monitoring, metastasis diagnosis, and prognostic evaluation. However, currently available strategies for enriching CTCs, such as magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), face serious problems with purity due to nonspecific interactions between beads and leukocytes in the process of capturing. In the present study, the tumor-targeting molecule folic acid (FA) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were coated on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs) by hydrophobic interaction and chemical conjugation, respectively.

Erythrocyte membrane-coated gold nanocages for targeted photothermal and chemical cancer therapy.

Recently, red blood cell (RBC) membrane-coated nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their excellent immune escapability; meanwhile, gold nanocages (AuNs) have been extensively used for cancer therapy due to their photothermal effect and drug delivery capability. The combination of the RBC membrane coating and AuNs may provide an effective approach for targeted cancer therapy. However, few reports have shown the utilization of combining these two technologies.

Macrophage membrane-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal tumor therapy.

Nanotechnology possesses the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. The ideal nanoparticles used for in vivo cancer therapy should have long blood circulation times and active cancer targeting. Additionally, they should be harmless and invisible to the immune system.

Theoretical Study on the Photoinduced Electron Transfer Mechanisms of Different Peroxynitrite Probes.

The development of probes for rapid and selective detection of peroxynitrite in vivo is of great importance in biological science. We investigate different photoinduced electron transfer (PIET) processes of two generations of peroxynitrite probes. Each has fluorescein and phenol moieties; one is conjugated by an ether linkage while the other is conjugated via an amine linkage.

Near-infrared light-triggered drug release nanogels for combined photothermal-chemotherapy of cancer.

Near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered drug release systems are promising for drug delivery applications in view of the advantages of NIR light, which include high tissue penetration and low damage. In this report, we developed nanogels (NGs) by supramolecular self-assembly from adamantine (AD)-conjugated copolymer, poly[poly(ethylene glycol)monomethyl ether metharcylate]-co-poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)-co-poly(N-adamantan-1-yl-2-methacrylamide) (PPEGMA-co-PHPMA-co-PADMA), and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-functionalized poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer based on the host-guest interaction of the AD and β-CD moieties, and they were used to encapsulate indocyanine green (ICG) and doxorubicin (DOX) for combined photothermal-chemotherapy. NGs simultaneously loading ICG and DOX (DINGs) showed significant photothermal effects and stimuli-triggered drug release under NIR laser irradiation by the photothermal-induced relaxation or dissociation of the NGs.

Dual pH-triggered multistage drug delivery systems based on host-guest interaction-associated polymeric nanogels.

The polymeric nanogels were constructed via host-guest interactions for dual pH-triggered multistage drug delivery, which showed tumor acidity-triggered nanogel reorganization into smaller nanoparticles for deep tissue penetration, high-efficiency cellular uptake, and intracellular endo-lysosomal pH-responsive drug release.