Biotin-decorated hollow gold nanoshells for dual-modal imaging-guided NIR-II photothermal and radiosensitizing therapy toward breast cancer.

Radiotherapy (RT) is dominantly used in breast cancer therapy but is facing fierce side effects because of the limited difference between tumor and normal tissues in response to ionizing radiation. Herein, we construct a core-shell nanoparticle of UiO-66-NH@AuNS. Then the solid gold shell was etched into hollow AuNS (HAuNS) and further modified with biotin-PEG-SH (PEG-bio) to obtain HAuNS@PEG-bio.

Immunogenic Radiation Therapy for Enhanced Antitumor Immunity via a Core-Shell Nanosensitizer-Mediated Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment Modulation.

Due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and weak radiation absorption, the immune response triggered by radiation therapy (RT) is limited. Herein, a core-shell nanosensitizer UiO@MnS (denoted as UM) was genuinely constructed for the amplification of RT efficacy and induction of immunogenicity via integrating MnS-reprogrammed TME with Hf-based UiO-sensitized RT. The acid-sensitive MnS would produce HS under acidic TME to improve oxygenation through inhibition mitochondrial respiration and reducing metabolic oxygen consumption, leading to decreased HIF-1α expression and enhanced radiosensitization.

Immunogenic radiation therapy for enhanced anti-tumor immunity core-shell nanocomposite-mediated multiple strategies.

Due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), radiation therapy (RT)-mediated immune response is far from satisfactory. How to improve the efficacy of immunogenic RT by priming strong immunogenic cell death (ICD) is an interesting and urgent challenge. A polyacrylic acid-coated core-shell UiO@MnO (denoted as UMP) nanocomposite is constructed for immunogenic RT multiple strategies.

AIE-based gold nanostar-berberine dimer nanocomposites for PDT and PTT combination therapy toward breast cancer.

We designed and synthesized three new berberine-based compounds, namely, pyridine-2,6-dimethyl-/2,2'-bipyridine-3,3'-dimethyl-tethered berberine dimers BD1 and BD2, and a tetrakis(4-benzyl)ethylene linked berberine tetramer BD4. We identified that the dimer BD2 and tetramer BD4, as well as 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimethyl-linked berberine dimer BD3 previously reported by us, showed remarkable aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties which endowed them with higher singlet oxygen (O) production ability than berberine. Of the four compounds, BD3 exhibits the lowest Δ energy with the highest O generation ability and thus was selected for further construction of AuNSs-BD3@HA (denoted as ABH, AuNSs = gold nanostars; HA = hyaluronic acid).

Microenvironment-driven sequential ferroptosis, photodynamic therapy, and chemotherapy for targeted breast cancer therapy by a cancer-cell-membrane-coated nanoscale metal-organic framework.

Designing and developing nanomedicine based on the tumor microenvironment (TME) for effective cancer treatment is highly desirable. In this work, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) dispersed nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF) of Fe-TCPP (TCPP = tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin) loaded with hypoxia-activable prodrug tirapazamine (TPZ) and coated by the cancer cell membrane (CM) is constructed (the formed nanocomposite denoted as PFTT@CM). Due to the functionalization with the homologous cancer cell membrane, PFTT@CM is camouflaged to evade the immune clearance and preferentially accumulates at the tumor site.

Convenient synthesis of zwitterionic calcium(II)-carboxylate metal organic frameworks with efficient activities for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Calcium supplementation is effective in alleviating the process of osteoporosis and the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures for people with long-term calcium deficiency. Herein, five water-stable calcium carboxylate compounds, that is, mononuclear coordination compound [Ca(Cbdcp)(HO)]·0.5HO (1, HCbdcpBr = N-(4-carboxybenzyl)-(3,5-dicarboxyl)pyridinium bromide), and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) {[Ca(Dcbdcp)(HO)]·2HO} (2, HDcbdcpBr = N-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-(3,5-dicarboxyl)pyridinium bromide), {[Ca(Cmdcp)(HO)]·3HO} (3, HCmdcpBr = N-carboxymethyl-(3,5-dicarboxyl)pyridinium bromide), {[Ca(Cdcbp)]·2HO} (4, HCdcbpBr = 3-carboxyl-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-pyridinium bromide) and {[Ca(Cmcp)]·2HO} (5, HCmcpBr = N-carboxymethyl-(3-carboxyl)pyridinium bromide), were synthesized from the reaction of CaCl with five different kinds of zwitterionic carboxylate ligands in the presence of NaOH, respectively.

Sequential Ag/biothiol and synchronous Ag/Hg biosensing with zwitterionic Cu-based metal-organic frameworks.

Zwitterionic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) of {[Cu(Cbdcp)(Dps)(HO)]·6HO} (MOF 1) and [Cu(Dcbb)(Dps)(HO)] (MOF 2) (HCbdcpBr = N-(4-carboxybenzyl)-(3,5-dicarboxyl)pyridinium bromide; HDcbbBr = 1-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium bromide; Dps = 4,4'-dipyridyl sulfide) quench the fluorescence of cytosine-rich DNA tagged with 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA, emission at 582 nm, denoted as C-rich P-DNA-1) and yield the corresponding P-DNA-1@MOF hybrids. Exposure of these hybrids to Ag results in the release of the P-DNA-1 strands from the MOF surfaces as double-stranded, hairpin-like C-Ag-C (ds-DNA-1@Ag) with the restoration of TAMRA fluorescence. The ds-DNA-1@Ag formed on the surface of 1 can subsequently sense biothiols cysteine (Cys), glutathione (GSH), and homocysteine (Hcy) due to the stronger affinity of mercapto groups for Ag that serves to unfold the ds-DNA-1@Ag duplex, reforming P-DNA-1, which is re-adsorbed by MOF 1 accompanied by quenching of TAMRA emission.

Experimental and theoretical validations of a one-pot sequential sensing of Hg and biothiols by a 3D Cu-based zwitterionic metal-organic framework.

A zwitterionic three-dimensional (3D) metal-organic framework (MOF) of {[Cu(Cdcbp)(bipy)]·4HO} (1) has been synthesized and characterized (HCdcbpBr = 3-carboxyl-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-pyridinium bromide; bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine). MOF 1 exhibits a variety of structural traits, such as ligand conjugated, positively charged pyridinium center, and Cu(II) cations that collectively enable its efficient hybridization with the flexible, negatively charged, single-stranded, and thymine-rich (T-rich) DNA. The T-rich DNA is labeled with carboxyfluorescein (FAM) fluorescent probe (characterized as P-DNA), but the resultant MOF 1 - P-DNA hybrid (characterized as P-DNA@1) is non-emissive (off-state) because of the fluorescent quenching by MOF 1.

Experimental and computational investigation of a DNA-shielded 3D metal-organic framework for the prompt dual sensing of Ag and S.

We herein report an efficient Ag and S dual sensing scenario by a three-dimensional (3D) Cu-based metal-organic framework [Cu(Cdcbp)(bpea)] (MOF 1, HCdcbpBr = 3-carboxyl-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-pyridinium bromide, bpea = 1,2-di(4-pyridinyl)ethane) shielded with a 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled C-rich single-stranded DNA (ss-probe DNA, P-DNA) as a fluorescent probe. The formed MOF-DNA probe, denoted as P-DNA@1, is able to sequentially detect Ag and S in one pot, with detection limits of 3.8 nM (for Ag) and 5.

Rapid sequential detection of Hg and biothiols by a probe DNA-MOF hybrid sensory system.

A one-dimensional (1D) metal-organic framework (MOF) of [Cu(Cdcbp)(HO)·2HO] (1, HCdcbpBr = 3-carboxyl-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-pyridinium bromide) has been synthesized and characterized. MOF 1 features a cationic Cu center, conjugated tricarboxylate ligand bearing positively charged pyridinium and uncoordinated carboxylate groups within its skeleton. These features enable MOF 1 to tightly adsorb thymine rich (T-rich) single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) probe labeled with carboxyfluorescein (FAM) (denote as P-DNA) through π-stacking, electrostatic interactions and/or hydrogen bonding to give a hybrid complex (denote as P-DNA@1), and quenches its fluorescence via a photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process.

Phenanthroline-linked berberine dimer and fluorophore-tagged DNA conjugate for the selective detection of microRNA-185: Experimental and molecular docking studies.

A phenanthroline (phen) tethered berberine dimer 1 is synthesized and further conjugated with carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled single-stranded probe DNA (P-DNA) to give P-DNA@1. The mutual interaction of these two components triggers the fluorescence quenching of FAM, and the non-emissive P-DNA@1, in turn, functions as a sensor to detect cancer-associated microRNA-185 (miRNA-185), characterized by the FAM fluorescence recovery. The results show that P-DNA@1 is capable of detecting miRNA-185 in 2 min with the detection limit of 0.

[Development of skin moisture and body fat measurement system for mobile application].

Integrating physiological parameters measurement into mobile devices is a development tendency of mobile healthcare. Measurement methods for skin moisture and body fat content are studied in this paper. Electrodes are designed for easy integration into mobile devices, and can be embedded in the cover of the mobile phone.