Single-trigger dual-responsive nanoparticles for controllable and sequential prodrug activation.

Here we have developed a novel approach where two synergistically acting drugs were completely inactivated upon chemical immobilization on a nanoparticle template and activated in response to a chemical stimulus. The activation rate of each drug payload is controlled using a biologically inert bioorthogonal chemistry approach. By exploiting the subtle differences in the 'click-to-release' bioorthogonal reaction, we engineered a single delivery platform capable of releasing the payloads in a time-staggered manner in response to a single dose of a highly specific, yet reactive, small molecule.

Unlocked Nucleic Acids for miRNA detection using two dimensional nano-graphene oxide.

In this study we have used Unlocked Nucleic Acids (UNAs) to discriminate a breast cancer oncomiR from two other miRNAs in the same RNA family using two-dimensional graphene oxide nanoassemblies. Fluorescently labeled single stranded probe strands and graphene oxide nanoassemblies have been used to detect miR-10b and discriminate it from miR-10a, which differs by only a single nucleotide (12th base from the 5' end), and miR-10c, which differs by only two nucleotides (12th and 16th bases from the 5' end). We have determined the discrimination efficacy and detection capacity of a DNA probe with two inserted UNA monomers (UNA), and compared it to the DNA probe with two purposefully inserted mutations (DNA) and full complementary sequence (DNA).