Theranostics refers to the incorporation of therapeutic and diagnostic functions into one material system. An important class of nanomaterials exploited for theranostics is metal nanoclusters (NCs). ...In contrast to gold and silver NCs, copper is an essential trace element for humans. It can be more easily removed from the body. This, along with the low cost of copper that offers potential large‐scale nanotechnology applications, means that copper NCs have attracted great interest in recent years. The latest advances in the design, synthesis, surface engineering, and applications of copper NCs in disease diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment are reviewed. Strategies to control and enhance the emission of copper NCs are considered. With this synopsis of the up‐to‐date development of copper NCs as theranostic agents, it is hoped that insights and directions for translating current advances from the laboratory to the clinic can be further advanced and accelerated.
Copper nanoclusters are an emerging class of fluorophores that can be synthesized using “top‐down” or “bottom‐up” approaches. Their emissive and physiological performance can be enhanced by using various techniques, ranging from surface engineering to size manipulation, for theranostic applications.
Metal phosphorous trichalcogenides (MPX3) are novel 2D nanomaterials that have recently been exploited as efficient photothermal–chemodynamic agents for cancer therapy. As a representative MPX3, ...FePSe3 has the potential to be developed as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) agents due to the composition of Fe and the previously revealed PA signal. Here, a FePSe3‐based theranostic agent, FePSe3@APP@CCM, loaded with anti‐PD‐1 peptide (APP) as the inner component and CT26 cancer cell membrane (CCM) as the outer shell is reported, which acts as a multifunctional agent for MR and PA imaging and photothermal and immunotherapy against cancer. FePSe3@APP@CCM induces highly efficient tumor ablation and suppresses tumor growth by photothermal therapy under near‐infrared laser excitation, which further activates immune responses. Moreover, APP blocks the PD‐1/PD‐L1 pathway to activate cytotoxic T cells, causing strong anticancer immunity. The combined therapy significantly prolongs the lifespan of experimental mice. The multimodal imaging and synergistic therapeutic effects of PTT and its triggered immune responses and APP‐related immunotherapy are clearly demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. This work demonstrates the potential of MPX3‐based biomaterials as novel theranostic agents.
In this work, it is shown that the novel biomimetic nanosystem FePSe3@APP@CCM can be used for magnetic resonance/photoacoustic imaging‐guided synergistic anticancer photothermal therapy (PTT) and immunotherapy. The nanosheets (NSs) are decorated with cancer cell membranes and show immune escape and homologous targeting abilities. Under near‐infrared laser irradiation, these NSs provide direct PTT and multiple immunotherapies.
Polymeric carriers have emerged as major non-viral alternatives for gene delivery due to their lower immunogenicity and pathogenicity. However, during intracellular delivery of these carriers, ...multiple barriers have to be overcome or the efficiency of gene delivery will be impeded. A thorough understanding of these cellular impediments is pivotal to optimizing the efficiency of polymer-based gene delivery. This review delineates the major barriers encountered during intracellular delivery of polyplexes and discusses possible molecular designs to overcome these barriers. Based on a review of the latest strategies to enhance the intracellular delivery process, we provide insights into the further development of polymeric carriers with enhanced efficiency in transfection.
Use of polymers as alternatives to viral vectors imposes fewer safety concerns and enables larger payloads to be carried.
Cellular internalization, endosomal escape, and nuclear translocation are three major barriers to intracellular gene delivery mediated by polymeric carriers.
The performance of polymeric carriers can be improved by both chemical and engineering strategies.
The incorporation of optically active agents into carrier design enables spatiotemporal control of transgene expression.
Quercetin is a flavonoid present in a wide variety of plant resources. Over the years, extensive efforts have been devoted to examining the potential biological effects of quercetin and to ...manipulating the chemical and physical properties of the flavonoid. However, limited studies have reviewed the opportunities and challenges of using quercetin in the development of functional foods. To address this necessity, in this review; we foremost present an overview of the chemical properties and stability of quercetin in food products followed by a detailed discussion of various strategies that enhance its oral bioavailability. We further highlight the areas to be practically considered during development of quercetin-based functional foods. By revisiting the current status of applied research on quercetin, it is anticipated that useful insights enabling research on quercetin can be potentially translated into practical applications in food product development.
Abstract
Predictable stereoselective formation of supramolecular assembly is generally believed to be an important but complicated process. Here, we show that point chirality of a ligand decisively ...influences its supramolecular assembly behavior. We designed three closely related chiral ligands with different point chiralities, and observe their self-assembly into europium (Eu) tetrametallic tetrahedral cages. One ligand exhibits a highly diastereoselective assembly into homochiral (either ΔΔΔΔ or ΛΛΛΛ) Eu tetrahedral cages whereas the two other ligands, with two different approaches of loosened point chirality, lead to a significant breakdown of the diastereoselectivity to generate a mixture of (ΔΔΔΔ and ΛΛΛΛ) isomers. The cages are highly emissive (luminescence quantum yields of 16(1) to 18(1)%) and exhibit impressive circularly polarized luminescence properties (|
g
lum
|: up to 0.16). With in-depth studies, we present an example that correlates the nonlinear enhancement of the chiroptical response to the nonlinearity dependence on point chirality.
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are naturally occurring cyclic oligosaccharides bearing a basket-shaped topology with an "inner-outer" amphiphilic character. The abundance of hydroxyl groups enables CDs to be ...functionalized with multiple targeting ligands and imaging elements. The imaging time, and the payload of different imaging elements, can be tuned by taking advantage of the commercial availability of CDs with different sizes of the cavity. This review aims to offer an outlook of the chemistry and engineering of CDs for the development of molecular probes. Complexation thermodynamics of CDs, and the corresponding implications for probe design, are also presented with examples demonstrating the structural and physiochemical roles played by CDs in the full ambit of molecular imaging. We hope that this review not only offers a synopsis of the current development of CD-based molecular probes, but can also facilitate translation of the incremental advancements from the laboratory to real biomedical applications by illuminating opportunities and challenges for future research.
Soybeans and their food products exist in the market in various forms, ranging from crude oils and bean meals to nutritious products (e.g. soy milk powers). With the availability of technologies for ...mass production of soy products and for enrichment of soy components (e.g. phospholipids, saponins, isoflavones, oligosaccharides and edible fiber), the nutritional values of soy products have been enhanced remarkably, offering the potential for functional food development. Among different bioactive components in soybeans, one important component is isoflavones, which have been widely exploited for health implications. While there are studies supporting the health benefits of isoflavones, concerns on adverse effects have been raised in the literature. The objective of this article is to review the recent understanding of the biological activities, adverse effects, and use of isoflavones in functional food development.
Graphene possesses a large specific surface area, a high Young's modulus, high fracture strength, high electrical conductivity, and excellent optical performance. It has been widely studied for ...biomedical use since its first appearance in the literature. This article offers an overview of the latest advances in the design of graphene-based materials for delivery of bioactive agents. To enhance the translation of these carriers into practical use, the toxicity involved is needed to be examined in future research in more detail. In addition, guidelines for standardizing experimental conditions during the evaluation of the performance of graphene-based materials are required to be established so that candidates showing higher practical potential can be more effectively identified for further development. This can streamline the optimization and use of graphene-based materials in delivery applications.
Graphene-based carriers have been widely developed in recent years as carriers of bioactive agents. Along with recent advances in molecular design and engineering, they show practical potential for future use in bioactive agent delivery. Display omitted
•A highly sensitive and selective sensor for tetracycline antibiotics of OTC and TC in water is developed.•LOD for sensing OTC and TC is as lower as 1.95 and 2.77 nM, respectively•Low-cost and easy ...to use test strip is produced for in situ detecting OTC and TC in real water samples
Tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) are a kind of commonly used antibiotics for treating infections, however, the overuse of TCs has adversely affected human health and the ecosystem. Thus, detection of TCs in water is important but challenging. In this work, a luminescent lanthanide metal-organic framework (LnMOF) sensor (1) for immediate detection of oxytetracycline (OTC) and tetracycline (TC) is developed. The sensor has high acid-base and water stability. Investigation reveals that among the 27 species of antibiotics, anions and cations under investigation, 1 shows highly selective sensing towards OTC and TC, and the detection is not disturbed by the presence of other species. The limit of detection (LOD) for OTC and TC are ultra-sensitive value of 1.95 and 2.77 nM, respectively. Investigation reveals the sensing mechanism is due to the inner filter effect. Further studies reveal that the sensor can be used in real sample monitoring. More importantly, test strips based on 1 are manufactured. They are an easy-to-use, low-cost, highly selective and sensitive sensing device for detecting OTC and TC. The sensing can be distinguished immediately and easily by the naked eyes, making it an excellent candidate to monitor OTC and TC in real use.
Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an autosomal‐dominant genetic disease that leads to accelerated aging and often premature death caused by cardiovascular complications. Till now ...clinical management of HGPS has largely relied on the treatment of manifestations and on the prevention of secondary complications, cure for the disease has not yet been established. Addressing this need cannot only benefit progeria patients but may also provide insights into intervention design for combating physiological aging. By using the systematic review approach, this article revisits the overall progress in the development of strategies for HGPS treatment over the last ten years, from 2010 to 2019. In total, 1,906 articles have been retrieved, of which 56 studies have been included for further analysis. Based on the articles analyzed, the trends in the use of different HGPS models, along with the prevalence, efficiency, and limitations of different reported treatment strategies, have been examined. Emerging strategies for preclinical studies, and possible targets for intervention development, have also been presented as avenues for future research.
Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome is an autosomal‐dominant genetic disease which has no cure right now. Development of therapies has clinical importance and may provide a window into the mechanism and treatment of physiological aging.
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