Recent advances of biocompatible optical nanobiosensors in liquid biopsy: towards early non-invasive diagnosis.

Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive diagnostic method that can reduce the risk of complications and offers exceptional benefits in the dynamic monitoring and acquisition of heterogeneous cell population information. Optical nanomaterials with excellent light absorption, luminescence, and photoelectrochemical properties have accelerated the development of liquid biopsy technologies. Owing to the unique size effect of optical nanomaterials, their improved optical properties enable them to exhibit good sensitivity and specificity for mitigating signal interference from various molecules in body fluids.

Amplified detection of SARS-COV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) gene oligonucleotides based on exonuclease III-aided MoS /AIE nanoprobes.

The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic reflects the underdevelopment of point-of-care diagnostic technology. Nuclei acid (NA) detection is the "gold standard" method for the early diagnosis of the B.1.

Self-driven immune checkpoint blockade and spatiotemporal-sensitive immune response monitoring in acute myeloid leukemia using an all-in-one turn-on bionanoprobe.

Immune checkpoint (ICP) blockade (ICB) is one of the most promising immunotherapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, owing to their heterogeneity, AML cells may cause uncoordinated metabolic fluxes and heterogeneous immune responses, inducing the release of a spatiotemporally sensitive immune response marker. Timely and detection of immune responses in ICB therapy is important for therapeutic strategy adjustment.

A "turn-on" fluorescence resonance energy transfer aptasensor based on carbon dots and gold nanoparticles for 17β-estradiol detection in sea salt.

17β-estradiol is abused in the food industry. Excess 17β-estradiol can disturb the endocrine system or cause many diseases including obesity, diabetes, cardiac-cerebral vascular disease, and cancers in the human body. A "turn-on" fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) aptasensor based on carbon dots (CDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was developed for the detection of 17β-estradiol.

Recent advances in engineering hydrogels for niche biomimicking and hematopoietic stem cell culturing.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provide a life-long supply of haemopoietic cells and are indispensable for clinical transplantation in the treatment of malignant hematological diseases. Clinical applications require vast quantities of HSCs with maintained stemness characteristics. Meeting this demand poses often insurmountable challenges for traditional culture methods.

Recent advances in near-infrared-II hollow nanoplatforms for photothermal-based cancer treatment.

Near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) light-triggered photothermal therapy (PTT) has been regarded as a promising candidate for cancer treatment, but PTT alone often fails to achieve satisfactory curative outcomes. Hollow nanoplatforms prove to be attractive in the biomedical field owing to the merits including good biocompatibility, intrinsic physical-chemical nature and unique hollow structures, etc. On one hand, hollow nanoplatforms themselves can be NIR-II photothermal agents (PTAs), the cavities of which are able to carry diverse therapeutic units to realize multi-modal therapies.

Iron-Based Hollow Nanoplatforms for Cancer Imaging and Theranostics.

Over the past decade, iron (Fe)-based hollow nanoplatforms (Fe-HNPs) have attracted increasing attention for cancer theranostics, due to their high safety and superior diagnostic/therapeutic features. Specifically, Fe-involved components can serve as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CAs) and Fenton-like/photothermal/magnetic hyperthermia (MTH) therapy agents, while the cavities are able to load various small molecules (e.g.

2D MOF Nanosensor-Integrated Digital Droplet Microfluidic Flow Cytometry for In Situ Detection of Multiple miRNAs in Single CTC Cells.

Current circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection strategies based on surface epithelial markers suffer from low specificity in distinguishing between CTCs and epithelial cells in hematopoietic cell population. Tumor-associated miRNAs within CTCs are emerging as new biomarkers due to their high correlation with tumor development and progress. However, in-situ simultaneous analysis of multiple miRNAs in single CTC cell is still challenging.

Droplet Microarray Based on Nanosensing Probe Patterns for Simultaneous Detection of Multiple HIV Retroviral Nucleic Acids.

Multiplexed detection of viral nucleic acids is important for rapid screening of viral infection. In this study, we present a molybdenum disulfide (MoS) nanosheet-modified dendrimer droplet microarray (DMA) for rapid and sensitive detection of retroviral nucleic acids of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and human immunodeficiency virus-2 (HIV-2) simultaneously. The DMA platform was fabricated by omniphobic-omniphilic patterning on a surface-grafted dendrimer substrate.

One-Step in Situ Detection of miRNA-21 Expression in Single Cancer Cells Based on Biofunctionalized MoS Nanosheets.

Here, we report the one-step in situ detection of targeted miRNAs expression in single living cancer cells via MoS nanosheet-based fluorescence on/off probes. The strategy is based on the folic acid (FA)-poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized MoS nanosheets with adsorbed dye-labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Once the nanoprobes are internalized into cancer cells, the hybridization between the probes and target miRNA results in the detachment of dye-labeled ssDNA from MoS nanosheets surface, leading to the green fluorescence recovery.

A graphene quantum dot@FeO@SiO based nanoprobe for drug delivery sensing and dual-modal fluorescence and MRI imaging in cancer cells.

A novel graphene quantum dot (GQD)@FeO@SiO based nanoprobe was reported for targeted drug delivery, sensing, dual-modal imaging and therapy. Carboxyl-terminated GQD (C-GQD) was firstly conjugated with FeO@SiO and then functionalized with cancer targeting molecule folic acid (FA). DOX drug molecules were then loaded on GQD surface of FeO@SiO@GQD-FA nanoprobe via pi-pi stacking, which resulted in FeO@SiO@GQD-FA/DOX conjugates based on a FRET mechanism with GQD as donor molecules and DOX as acceptor molecules.

Neuroprotective effects of oxymatrine against excitotoxicity partially through down-regulation of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors.

Oxymatrine (OMT) is a major bioactive component derived from Sophora flavescens Ait (kushen), which is widely used in Chinese medicine. Recent studies have shown that it has neuroprotective effects; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We focus on the mechanisms of pharmacologic action in OMT by detecting its pharmacological properties against focal cerebral ischemia in vivo and NMDA-induced neurotoxicity in vitro.