Triply Enhanced Immunotherapy via Dual Glycan Reforming Integrated with Perforation.

The enhancement of immunotherapy is an emerging direction to develop highly effective and practical cancer therapeutic methods. Here a triply enhanced immunotherapy drug (TEID) is designed for ingeniously integrating in situ dual glycan reforming with perforation on cell membrane. The TEID is composed of galactose and neuraminidase conjugated streptolysin O (SLO-Gal and SLO-NEU), which are encapsulated in a hyaluronic acid (HA) shell for targeted recognition to tumor tissue via cell surface CD44. After targeted delivery and HAase-mediated degradation in the tumor region, the TEID releases SLO-Gal and SLO-NEU, which can easily anchor Gal and NEU on the tumor cell membrane via the perforation of SLO to perform dual glycan reforming for the introduction of Gal and the cleavage of sialic acid. The former can activate immune cells to secret cytokines for immune-killing, and the latter can weaken the immune inhibition to improve the immunotherapeutic efficacy. Meanwhile, the perforation of SLO can promote the delivery of cytokines into the tumor cells to further enhance the efficacy. The designed triply enhanced immunotherapy strategy opens a significant and promising route to promote clinical immunotherapy of cancer.

A NIR Programmable In Vivo miRNA Magnifier for NIR-II Imaging of Early Stage Cancer.

Aberrant expressions of biomolecules occur much earlier than tumor visualized size and morphology change, but their common measurement strategies such as biopsy suffer from invasive sampling process. In vivo imaging of slight biomolecule expression difference is urgently needed for early cancer detection. Fluorescence of rare earth nanoparticles (RENPs) in second near-infrared (NIR-II) region makes them appropriate tool for in vivo imaging. However, the incapacity to couple with signal amplification strategies, especially programmable signal amplification strategies, limited their application in lowly expressed biomarkers imaging. Here we develop a 980/808 nm NIR programmed in vivo microRNAs (miRNAs) magnifier by conjugating activatable DNAzyme walker set to RENPs, which achieves more effective NIR-II imaging of early stage tumor than size monitoring imaging technique. Dye FD1080 (FD1080) modified substrate DNA quenches NIR-II downconversion emission of RENPs under 808 nm excitation. The miRNA recognition region in DNAzyme walker is sealed by a photo-cleavable strand to avoid "false positive" signal in systemic circulation. Upconversion emission of RENPs under 980 nm irradiation activates DNAzyme walker for miRNA recognition and amplifies NIR-II fluorescence recovery of RENPs via DNAzyme catalytic reaction to achieve in vivo miRNA imaging. This strategy demonstrates good application potential in the field of early cancer detection.

A Versatile G-Quadruplex (G4)-Coated Upconverted Metal-Organic Framework for Hypoxic Tumor Therapy.

Given the complexity of the tumor microenvironment, multiple strategies are being explored to tackle hypoxic tumors. The most efficient strategies combine several therapeutic modalities and typically requires the development of multifunctional nanocomposites through sophisticated synthetic procedures. Herein, the G-quadruplex (G4)-forming sequence AS1411-A (d[(G2 T)4 TG(TG2 )4 A]) is used for both its anti-tumor and biocatalytic properties when combined with hemin, increasing the production of O2 ca. two-fold as compared to the parent AS1411 sequence. The AS1411-A/hemin complex (GH) is grafted on the surface and pores of a core-shell upconverted metal-organic framework (UMOF) to generate a UMGH nanoplatform. Compared with UMOF, UMGH exhibits enhanced colloidal stability, increased tumor cell targeting and improved O2 production (8.5-fold) in situ. When irradiated by near-infrared (NIR) light, the UMGH antitumor properties are bolstered by photodynamic therapy (PDT), thanks to its ability to convert O2 into singlet oxygen (1 O2 ). Combined with the antiproliferative activity of AS1411-A, this novel approach lays the foundation for a new type of G4-based nanomedicine.

NIR-II Luminescent and Multi-Responsive Rare Earth Nanocrystals for Improved Chemodynamic Therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) based on the Fe2+-mediated Fenton reaction can amplify intracellular oxidative stress by producing toxic •OH. However, the high-dose need for Fe2+ delivery in tumors and its significant cytotoxicity to normal tissues set a challenge. Therefore, a controllable delivery to activate the Fenton reaction and enhance Fe2+ tumor accumulation has become an approach to solve this conflict. Herein, we report a rare-earth-nanocrystal (RENC)-based Fe2+ delivery system using light-control techniques and DNA nanotechnology to realize programmable Fe2+ delivery. Ferrocenes, the source of Fe2+, are modified on the surface of RENCs through pH-responsive DNAs, which are further shielded by a PEG layer to elongate blood circulation and "turn off" the cytotoxicity of ferrocene. The up-/down-conversion dual-mode emissions of RENCs endow the delivery system with both capabilities of diagnosis and delivery control. The down-conversion NIR-II fluorescence can locate tumors. Consequently, up-conversion UV light spatiotemporally activates the catalytic activity of Fe2+ by shedding off the protective PEG layer. The exposed ferrocene-DNAs not only can "turn on" Fenton catalytic activity but also respond to tumor acidity, driving cross-linking and enhanced Fe2+ enrichment in tumors by 4.5-fold. Accordingly, this novel design concept will be inspiring for developing CDT nanomedicines in the future.

Self-assembled Cupric Oxide Nanoclusters for Highly efficient chemodynamic therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) based on Fenton and Fenton-like reactions induces cancer cell killing via in situ catalyzing H2 O2 and generating highly oxidative hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH) in tumor sites. Their application is not limited by tumor grown depth or hypoxic microenvironment. However, the reaction efficiency is still hampered due to the structure of catalytic agents and the requirement for low pH environment. Here, we design a porous CuO nanocluster (CuO NC) through self-assembly of oleylamine stabilized CuO NPs (OAm-CuO NPs), and functionalize it with folic acid (CuO NC-FA) for specific tumor cell targeting. It can catalyze H2 O2 with high efficiency in nearly neutral environment. Besides, the porous structure of CuO NC also helps the diffusion of H2 O2 to the interior of nanocluster to further improve Fenton-like reaction efficiency. The convenient synthesis of CuO NC-FA with good Fenton-like reaction efficiency at neutral environment demonstrates good chemodynamic therapy effect.

A multidentate polymer microreactor route for green mass fabrication of mesoporous NaYF4 clusters.

We report a "multidentate polymer microreactor" method for the creation of secondary structures of colloidal nanocrystals. Using NaYF4:Yb,Er as an example, we demonstrate that the use of sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) as a "multidentate polymer microreactor" allows the controllable growth of primary nanocrystals and induces aggregation of the nanocrystals into well-defined mesoporous clusters.

Advanced Cancer Starvation Therapy by Simultaneous Deprivation of Lactate and Glucose Using a MOF Nanoplatform.

Recent investigations reveal that lactate is not a waste product but a major energy source for cells, especially in the mitochondria, which can support cellular survival under glucose shortage. Accordingly, the new understanding of lactate prompts to target it together with glucose to pursue a more efficient cancer starvation therapy. Herein, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoplatforms are used to co-deliver α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CHC) and glucose oxidase (GOx) and fulfill the task of simultaneous depriving of lactate and glucose, resulting in a new nanomedicine CHC/GOx@ZIF-8. The synthesis conditions are carefully optimized in order to yield monodisperse and uniform nanomedicines, which will ensure reliable and steady therapeutic properties. Compared with the strategies aiming at a single carbon source, improved starvation therapy efficacy is observed. Besides, more than boosting the energy shortage, CHC/GOx@ZIF-8 can block the lactate-fueled respiration and relieve solid tumor hypoxia, which will enhance GOx catalysis activity, depleting extra glucose, and producing more cytotoxic H2 O2 . By the synergistically enhanced anti-tumor effect, both in vitro and in vivo cancer-killing efficacies of CHC/GOx@ZIF-8 show twice enhancements than the GOx mediated therapy. The results demonstrate that the dual-depriving of lactate and glucose is a more advanced strategy for strengthening cancer starvation therapy.

Mn-DNA coordination of nanoparticles for efficient chemodynamic therapy.

A kind of nanoparticle is developed for highly efficient chemodynamic therapy that only relies on the endogenous H2O2 of cancer cells. For this nanoparticle, high-molecular-weight DNA is used as the biocompatible carrier to load abundant Mn2+ ions. Therefore, the resultant Mn-DNA coordination nanoparticles can efficiently deliver and sensitively release Mn2+ in cancer cells, resulting in high toxicity through the Fenton-like reaction.

An NIR-II-Emissive Photosensitizer for Hypoxia-Tolerant Photodynamic Theranostics.

As a common feature in a majority of malignant tumors, hypoxia has become the Achilles' heel of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The development of type-I photosensitizers that show hypoxia-tolerant PDT efficiency provides a straightforward way to address this issue. However, type-I PDT materials have rarely been discovered. Herein, a π-conjugated molecule with A-D-A configuration, COi6-4Cl, is reported. The H2 O-dispersible nanoparticle of COi6-4Cl can be activated by an 880 nm laser, and displays hypoxia-tolerant type I/II combined PDT capability, and more notably, a high NIR-II fluorescence with a quantum yield over 5%. Moreover, COi6-4Cl shows a negligible photothermal conversion effect. The non-radiative decay of COi6-4Cl is suppressed in the dispersed and aggregated state due to the restricted molecular vibrations and distinct intermolecular steric hindrance induced by its four bulky side chains. These features make COi6-4Cl a distinguished single-NIR-wavelength-activated phototheranostic material, which performs well in NIR-II fluorescence-guided PDT treatment and shows an enhanced in vivo anti-tumor efficiency over the clinically approved Chlorin e6, by the equal stresses on hypoxia-tolerant anti-tumor therapy and deep-penetration imaging. Therefore, the great potential of COi6-4Cl in precise PDT cancer therapy against hypoxia challenges is demonstrated.

Organic Spherical Nucleic Acids for the Transport of a NIR-II-Emitting Dye Across the Blood-Brain Barrier.

DNA nanotechnology plays an increasingly important role in the biomedical field; however, its application in the design of organic nanomaterials is underexplored. Herein, we report the use of DNA nanotechnology to transport a NIR-II-emitting nanofluorophore across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), facilitating non-invasive imaging of brain tumors. Specifically, the DNA block copolymer, PS-b-DNA, is synthesized through a solid-phase click reaction. We demonstrate that its self-assembled structure shows exceptional cluster effects, among which BBB-crossing is the most notable. Therefore, PS-b-DNA is utilized as an amphiphilic matrix to fabricate a NIR-II nanofluorephore, which is applied in in vivo bioimaging. Accordingly, the NIR-II fluorescence signal of the DNA-based nanofluorophore localized at a glioblastoma is 3.8-fold higher than the NIR-II fluorescence signal of the PEG-based counterpart. The notably increased imaging resolution will significantly benefit the further diagnosis and therapy of brain tumors.

Boosting Luminance Energy Transfer Efficiency in Upconversion Nanoparticles with an Energy-Concentrating Zone.

Despite the successful application of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), their low energy transfer efficiency is still a bottleneck to further applications. Here we design UCNPs with a multilayer structure, including an inert NaYF4 :Gd core and an energy-concentrating zone (ECZ), for efficient energy concentration. The ECZ is composed of an emitting layer of NaYF4 :Yb,Er and an absorption layer of NaYF4 :Nd,Yb with antenna IRDye 800CW to manipulate the energy transfer. The stable and tight packing of 800CW linked originally with a bisphosphonate ligand improves greatly the transfer efficiency. The proximity of the emitting layer to both surface antenna and accepter also decreases energy depletion. Compared to classical UCNPs, the ECZ UCNPs show 3600 times higher luminescence intensity with an energy transfer efficiency near 60 %. In proof-of-concept applications, this type of structure was employed for Hg2+ detection and for photodynamic therapy under hypoxic conditions.

Photo-tearable tape close-wrapped upconversion nanocapsules for near-infrared modulated efficient siRNA delivery and therapy.

RNA interference (RNAi) has become an appealing therapeutic approach for cancer and other diseases. One key challenge is the effective protection of these small fragile biomolecules against complicated physiological environments as well as efficient on-demand release. Here we design a photo-tearable polymer tape close-wrapped nanocapsule for efficient NIR modulated siRNA delivery. The photo-tearable nanocapsules comprise core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) coated with mesoporous silica layer for loading of photosensitizer hypocrellin A (HA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) against polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), and covalently bound thin membranes of polyethylene glycol (PEG) via a synthesized photocleavable linker (PhL). Upon irradiation at 980 nm, the UCNPs produce UV emissions to break PhL and tear out PEG membrane for siRNA release, and blue emissions to activate HA for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). The close PEG membrane wrapping not only guarantees the efficient intracellular photocleavage, but also extends the circulation time and protects the loaded cargos from leakage and degradation. The ROS assists endosomal escape of the loaded cargos, therefore effectively improves the gene silencing efficiency and the suppressions of cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. The proposed photo-tearable tape-wrapped nanocapsules have promising potential application in precision medicine.

Thermoresponsive Arrays Patterned via Photoclick Chemistry: Smart MALDI Plate for Protein Digest Enrichment, Desalting, and Direct MS Analysis.

Sample desalting and concentration are crucial steps before matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) analysis. Current sample pretreatment approaches require tedious fabrication and operation procedures, which are unamenable to high-throughput analysis and also result in sample loss. Here, we report the development of a smart MALDI substrate for on-plate desalting, enrichment, and direct MS analysis of protein digests based on thermoresponsive, hydrophilic/hydrophobic transition of surface-grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microarrays. Superhydrophilic 1-thioglycerol microwells are first constructed on alkyne-silane-functionalized rough indium tin oxide substrates based on two sequential thiol-yne photoclick reactions, whereas the surrounding regions are modified with hydrophobic 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol. Surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization is then triggered in microwells to form PNIPAM arrays, which facilitate sample loading and enrichment of protein digests by concentrating large-volume samples into small dots and achieving on-plate desalting through PNIPAM configuration change at elevated temperature. The smart MALDI plate shows high performance for mass spectrometric analysis of cytochrome c and neurotensin in the presence of 1 M urea and 100 mM NaHCO3, as well as improved detection sensitivity and high sequence coverage for α-casein and cytochrome c digests in femtomole range. The work presents a versatile sample pretreatment platform with great potential for proteomic research.