Biomimetic nanoscale metal-organic framework harnesses hypoxia for effective cancer radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Tumor hypoxia presents a major impediment to effective cancer therapy with ionizing radiation and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here we report the design of a biomimetic nanoscale metal-organic-framework (nMOF), Hf-DBP-Fe, with catalase-like activity to decompose elevated levels of HO in hypoxic tumors to generate oxygen and hydroxyl radical. The generated oxygen attenuates hypoxia to enable radiodynamic therapy upon X-ray irradiation and fixes DNA damage while hydroxyl radical inflicts direct damage to tumor cells to afford chemodynamic therapy.

Modeling rapid and selective capture of nNOS-PSD-95 uncouplers from Sanhuang Xiexin decoction by novel molecularly imprinted polymers based on metal-organic frameworks.

Novel and highly selective molecularly imprinted polymers based on the surface of metal-organic frameworks, NH-MIL-101(Cr) (MIL@MIP), were successfully fabricated to capture neuronal nitric oxide synthase-postsynaptic density protein-95 (nNOS-PSD-95) uncouplers from Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction (SXD) for stroke treatment. The resultant polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The performance tests revealed that MIL@MIPs had a large binding capacity, fast kinetics, and excellent selectivity.

A Proresolving Peptide Nanotherapy for Site-Specific Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Regulating Proinflammatory Microenvironment and Gut Microbiota.

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases steadily worldwide. There is an urgent need for effective and safe IBD therapies. Accelerated resolution of inflammation is a new strategy for the management of inflammatory diseases.

Photon upconversion for the enhancement of microfluidic photochemical synthesis.

Photochemical transformations are greatly improved in yield by fluidic reactor technology. However, the delivery of synthetically-active light to the reactants is a challenge. Here, we use upconversion in a bio-inspired microreactor to augment the flux of critical wavelengths of light.

The mating game: pollination and fertilization in flowering plants.

Recent work has revealed signaling molecules that control pollination, including small peptides that mediate pollen recognition and glycoproteins that support pollen tube growth. The polarized growth of pollen tubes requires a calcium-mediated signal cascade, and cues derived from the haploid and diploid ovule cells guide pollen tubes to the eggs.