Texture and volatile profiles of beef tallow substitute produced by a pilot-scale continuous enzymatic interesterification.

Edible beef tallow (BT) has been widely used in Sichuan hotpot due to its unique flavor and texture. However, BT should not be consumed in excess caused by its trans-fatty acids and cholesterol issues. In this study, a BT substitute was prepared after enzymatic interesterification in a pilot-scale packed-bed reactor using soybean oil and fully hydrogenated palm oil (4:3, w/w) as feedstock. The products were characterized against BT in terms of fatty acid/triacylglycerol compositions, solid fat content, polymorphism, and melting/crystallization behaviors to select the most promising BT substitute. The optimal flow rate was 120 mL/min. Changes in volatile compounds during stir-frying and simmering were also investigated for Sichuan hotpots made with these two oils. The volatile compounds of BT substitute were similar to that of natural BT. The findings will contribute to expanding the base oil categories of Sichuan hotpot oils.

Altered cerebellar functional connectivity in chronic subcortical stroke patients.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that cerebellar subregions are involved in different functions. Especially the cerebellar anterior lobe (CAL) and cerebellar posterior lobe (CPL) have been postulated to primarily account for sensorimotor and cognitive function, respectively. However, the functional connectivity (FC) alterations of CAL and CPL, and their relationships with behavior performance in chronic stroke participants are unclear so far. Materials and methods: The present study collected resting-state fMRI data from thirty-six subcortical chronic stroke participants and thirty-eight well-matched healthy controls (HCs). We performed the FC analysis with bilateral CAL and CPL as seeds for each participant. Then, we detected the FC difference between the two groups by using a two-sample t-test and evaluated the relationship between the FC and scores of motor and cognitive assessments across all post-stroke participants by using partial correlation analysis. Results: The CAL showed increased FCs in the prefrontal cortex, superior/inferior temporal gyrus, and lingual gyrus, while the CPL showed increased FCs in the inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, and cingulum gyrus in the stroke participants compared with HCs. Moreover, the FC alteration in the right CAL and the right CPL were negatively correlated with executive and memory functions across stroke participants, respectively. Conclusion: These findings shed light on the different increased FC alteration patterns of CAL and CPL that help understand the neuro-mechanisms underlying behavior performance in chronic stroke survivors.

Copper Iodide Cluster Incorporated Luminescent Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Coating Exhibiting Both Corrosion Protection and Antibacterial Properties.

A photoluminescent organic-inorganic hybrid coating is synthesized by the incorporation of an emissive Cu4I4 core into a cross-linked coating network through Cu-P coordination bonds. The hybrid coating not only emits strong yellow emission under UV-light irradiation but also exhibits corrosion protection of the metallic surface. Moreover, bactericidal properties are studied that were first reported for Cu4I4-based hybrid light-emitting materials.

Effect of Water Uptake, Adhesion and Anti-Corrosion Performance for Silicone-Epoxy Coatings Treated with GLYMO on 2024 Al-Alloy.

Water uptake, adhesion and corrosion performance of silicone-epoxy coating on 2024 Al-alloy treated with different GLYMO were systematically studied by gravimetry, electrochemical measurements, DSC, pull-off adhesion and salt spray tests. The results showed that GLYMO not only enhanced the cross-linking of the silicon-epoxy coating but also enhanced the bonding between the coating and the Al-alloy interface. This gives the coating better wet adhesion, less water absorption and improves the corrosion resistance of the coating. The micro-nano silane layer, preferentially between the coating and Al-alloy oxide layer, was validated by the model of the water concentration jump.

Sensitive CTC analysis and dual-mode MRI/FL diagnosis based on a magnetic core-shell aptasensor.

Synergizing the sensitive circulating tumor cell (CTC) capture, detection, release and the specific magnetic resonance/fluorescence (MR/FL) imaging for accurate cancer diagnosis is of great importance for cancer treatment. Herein, EcoR1-responsive complementary pairing of two ssDNA with a fluorescent P0 aptamer, which can specifically bind with the overexpressed MUC1 protein on cancer cells, was covalently modified to SiO2@C-coated magnetic nanoparticles for preparing a special nanoparticle-mediated FL turn-on aptasensor (FSC-D-P0). This aptasensor can selectively capture/enrich CTC and thus achieve sensitive CTC detection/imaging in even the blood due to its stable targeting, unique magnetic properties and the regulated interactions between the quencher and the fluorescent groups. Meanwhile, FSC-D-P0 can release the captured CTC for further downstream analysis upon the EcoR1 enzyme-triggered cleavage of the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Most importantly, this aptasensor can distinctly avoid false positivity of MRI via multiple targeting mechanisms. Thus, the sensitive CTC capture, detection, release and accurate MR/FL imaging were synergistically combined into a single platform with good biocompatibility, promising a robust pattern for clinical tumor diagnosis in vitro and in vivo.

Tumor-Selective Biodegradation-Regulated Photothermal H2 S Donor for Redox Dyshomeostasis- and Glycolysis Disorder-Enhanced Theranostics.

H2 S-mediated tumor therapy has received great attention due to its unique physiological activity and synergistical enhancement, but suffers from limited H2 S donors with promised biosafety to regulate the H2 S delivery and subsequently the elusive pathway to augment the combined therapy. Herein, a PEGylated porous molybdenum disulfide nanoflower (MSP) with abundant defects is facilely synthesized for tumor-targeted theranostics. MSP possesses good water-dispersity and high photothermal ability, which is used for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. Interestingly, MSP is selectively degraded upon exposure to superfluous glutathione (GSH) within tumor cells, the mechanism of which is investigated, as a reduction-coordination reaction. This special degradation induces redox dyshomeostasis via GSH depletion for reactive oxygen species-accumulated chemodynamic therapy. Meanwhile, the selective biodegradation of MSP regulates a sustained H2 S release within tumor and achieves a targeted H2 S gas therapy via enhancing the glycolysis to acidify the tumor cells (glycolysis disorder). Synergistically, these performances are further enhanced via near-infrared photothermal heating, where excellent therapeutic outcomes with good biosafety are accomplished in vitro and in vivo. These characteristics, together with the unique biodegradation and no obvious side-effects of the nanoparticles, suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for precise tumor treatments.

Integrated glycolysis and pyrolysis process for multiple utilization and cadmium collection of hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii.

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly method to treat cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils, however, there is still a lack of safe disposal methods of harvested hyperaccumulators. In this study, by integrating glycolysis and pyrolysis, we investigated the possibility of bioproduct production and Cd collection from the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii. By means of acid-alkali pretreatment, the degree of cellulose polymerization was reduced by 36.24% while the surface accessibility was increased by 115.80%, resulting in a bioethanol yield of 9.29%. Meanwhile, 99.22% of total Cd of biomass could be reclaimed by collecting H2SO4-pretreatment waste. The saccharification residue was subsequently modified by NaOH-pretreatment-filtrate and converted into biochar at 500 °C which possessed a maximum Cd2+ sorption capacity of 60.52 mg g-1 based on the Langmuir model. Furthermore, sustainability analysis indicated that the economic input of this process is acceptable when considering its good environmental benefits. Taken together, our study provides a strategy for simultaneous bioethanol and biochar production during Cd collection from the hyperaccumulator S. alfredii, which could be a promising alternative for the suitable treatment of metal-enriched plants.

First report of Neopestalotiopsis protearum causing seed rot on Camellia oleifera in China.

Camellia oleifera, an evergreen small tree or shrub with high medicinal and ecological values, is mainly distributed in subtropical regions of China. Camellia oil obtained from Camellia oleifera seeds is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and unique flavors, and has become a rising high-quality edible vegetable oil in south of China (Zhuang 2008). The tea-oil tree Camellia oleifera plays important economic and ecological roles in Hunan province. During collecting trips, seeds of C. oleifera with disease symptoms have been observed in almost all oil-tea forests. In lab, the seeds can be infected by wounds and directly, however, wound infection is more rapid. In oil-tea forests, the wound of seed is often caused by external factors such as mechanical and insects. Symptomatic seeds exhibited brown rot symptoms with irregular, black spots, brown necrosis of the kernels, and accounted for 65% of the surveyed seeds (Fig. 1). Rotted seeds were surface-sterilized for 1 min in 75% ethanol, 3 min in 1% sodium hypochlorite, then rinsed for 2 min in sterile water and blotted on dry sterile filter paper. Discolored seed tissues were cut into pieces of 3 mm × 3 mm using a sterile scalpel, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, and then incubated for 7 days at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod. After 7 days of incubation, circular fungal colonies with dense aerial mycelium, produced black, wet spore masses. Four-septate conidia were ellipsoidal to obovoid, measuring 24 (22 to 26) × 6.5 (6 to 7) µm (n = 30). Conidia had three median cells, which were dark brown, with a single basal hyaline appendage, 4 (3.5 to 4.5) µm long, and two to four (usually three) apical hyaline appendages, 32 (27 to 35) µm long, similar to these recorded by Crous et al. (2011). Two single-spore isolates cultured on PDA medium were selected for DNA extraction. The ITS region was amplified using primers ITS5 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) gene region was amplified using primers EF1-728F (O'Donnell et al. 1998) and EF-2 (Carbone & Kohn 1999). The partial ß-tubulin (tub2) was amplified using primers T1 and Bt2b (Glass & Donaldson 1995). The sequences of ITS (MW391815), tef1-α (MW398222), and tub2 (MW398223) were submitted to GenBank. BLAST analysis demonstrated that these sequences were 99%~100% similar to the sequences of ITS (MH553959), tef1-α (MH554377), and tub2 (MH554618) published for Neopestalotiopsis protearum. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the representative isolates recovered from symptomatic Camellia oleifera seeds showed 91% bootstrap support with Neopestalotiopsis protearum isolate in references (Fig. 2). Pathogenicity tests were conducted on 20 healthy seeds. We wounded the seeds by a sterilized needle on the middle position, and put the 5-mm-diameter agar plugs with actively grown mycelia (strain HNWC04) or pure PDA on the wound. We then covered the wounds with clean masking tape to prevent contamination and desiccation. After inoculation, the seeds were kept at 90 to 100% relative humidity at 25°C in a greenhouse for 3 weeks and monitored daily for lesion development. Twenty days after inoculation, all the seeds inoculated presented similar typical symptoms observed under natural conditions, whereas the control seeds showed no symptoms. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reisolating the same fungus and verifying its colony and morphological characters as Neopestalotiopsis protearum. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Neopestalotiopsis protearum causing oil-tea seed rot in China.

The influence of elevated CO2 on bacterial community structure and its co-occurrence network in soils polluted with Cr2O3 nanoparticles.

Elevated CO2 (eCO2) and nanoparticles release are considered among the most noteworthy global concerns as they may impose negative effects on human health and ecosystem functioning. A mechanistic understanding of their combined impacts on soil microbiota is essential due to the profound eCO2 effect on soil biogeochemical processes. In this study, the impacts of Cr2O3 nanoparticles (nano-Cr2O3) on the activity, structure and co-occurrence networks of bacterial communities under ambient and eCO2 were compared between a clay loam and a sandy loam soil. We showed that eCO2 substantially mitigated nano-Cr2O3 toxicity, with microbial biomass, enzyme activity and bacterial alpha-diversity in clay loam soil were much higher than those in sandy loam soil. Nano-Cr2O3 addition caused an increase in alpha-diversity except for clay loam soil samples under eCO2. 16S rRNA gene profiling data found eCO2 remarkably reduced community divergences induced by nano-Cr2O3 more efficiently in clay loam soil (P < 0.05). Network analyses revealed more complex co-occurrence network architectures in clay loam soil than in sandy loam soil, however, nano-Cr2O3 decreased but eCO2 increased modularity and network complexity. Rising CO2 favoured the growth of oligotrophic (Acidobacteriaceae, Bryobacteraceae) rather than the copiotrophic bacteria (Sphingomonadaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Bacteroidaceae), which may contribute to community recovery and increase available carbon utilization efficiency. Our results suggested that the degree to which eCO2 mitigates nano-Cr2O3 toxicity is soil dependent, which could be related to the variation in clay and organic matter content, resilience of the resistant bacterial taxa, and microbial network complexity in distinct soils.

Coordination between root cell wall thickening and pectin modification is involved in cadmium accumulation in Sedum alfredii.

Root cell wall (RCW) modification is a widespread important defense strategy of plant to cope with trace metals. However, mechanisms underlying its remolding in cadmium (Cd) accumulation are still lacking in hyperaccumulators. In this study, changes of RCW structures and components between nonhyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) and hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE) of Sedum alfredii were investigated simultaneously. Under 25 µM Cd treatment, RCW thickness of NHE is nearly 2 folds than that of HE and the thickened cell wall of NHE was enriched in low-methylated pectin, leading to more Cd trapped in roots tightly. In the opposite, large amounts of high-methylated pectin were assembled around RCW of HE with Cd supply, in this way, HE S. alfredii decreased its root fixation of Cd and enhanced Cd migration into xylem. TEM and AFM results further confirmed that thickened cell wall was caused by the increased amounts of cellulose and lignin while root tip lignification was resulted from variations of sinapyl (S) and guaiacyl (G) monomers. Overall, thickened cell wall and methylated pectin have synchronicity in spatial location of roots, and their coordination contributed to Cd accumulation in S. alfredii.

Versatile hollow COF nanospheres via manipulating transferrin corona for precise glioma-targeted drug delivery.

Covalent organic framework (COF) nanoparticles for interference-free targeted drug delivery to glioma remains in its infancy. Herein, hollow COF nanospheres with high crystallinity and uniformed sizes were facilely prepared via heterogeneous nucleation-growth. The prepared COF had large surface area/pore volume and exhibited appropriate degradation behavior under acid environment, where therefore doxorubicin was effectively encapsulated and exhibited a pH-sensitive release. Most charmingly, T10 peptide that has high affinity with transferrin (Tf), was conjugated to endow the hollow COF interesting properties to specifically absorb Tf in vivo as Tf corona. For the first time, multifunctional hollow COF nanospheres (the better one named DCPT-2) were successfully synthesized to achieve interference-free cascade-targeting glioma drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Treatment with DCPT-2 brought an improved therapeutic outcome with significantly prolonged median survival time and low side effects. This work promised not only a potential protein corona-mediated COF-based drug delivery platform with good biocompatibility for effective and precise brain tumor therapy, but also an endogenous protein corona-mediated targeting strategy for general cancer therapy.

Multimodal theranostics augmented by transmembrane polymer-sealed nano-enzymatic porous MoS2 nanoflowers.

Developing an all-in-one multimodal theranostic platform that can synergistically integrate sensitive photoacoustic (PA) imaging, enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) as well as the nano-enzyme activated chemodynamic therapy (CDT) presents a great challenge for the current nanomedicine design. Herein, a simple hydrothermal method was used to prepare porous molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoflowers. These nanoflowers were assembled by three dimensional (3D)-stacked MoS2 nanosheets with plentiful pores and large surfaces, which thus exhibited enhanced photothermal conversion via light trapping and peroxidase (POD)-like activity via active defects exposure. Consequently, this 3D-MoS2 nanostructure could be well-sealed by polyethylene glycol-polyethylenimine polymer modified with nucleolar translocation signal sequence of the LIM Kinase 2 protein (LNP) via strong electrostatic interaction, which not only benefited to stably deliver anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) into the tumor cells for pH/NIR-responsive chemotherapy, but also provided strong photoacoustic, photothermal performances and stimulated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for imaging-guided PTT/PDT/CDT combined therapy. This work promised a simple all-in-one multimodal theranostic platform to augment the potential antitumoral therapeutic outcomes.

Growth and Photosynthetic Inhibition of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles on Soybean (Glycine max).

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are widely used in industries and have caused environmental problems. However, the phytotoxicity induced by CeO2 NPs lacks detailed information on phytotoxicity. In this research, the effect of CeO2 NPs on soybean plants (Glycine max) was studied. Scanning electron microscopy with the energy dispersion spectroscopy was used to characterize the NPs form in soybean. The growth of the root was increased, whereas the growth of shoot was inhibited. Besides, Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imager (CF Imager) showed that chlorophyll synthesis was inhibited: the maximum quantum yield of Photosystem II complex (PSII) (Fv/Fm) and photochemical quenching (qP) decreased. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy revealed that the chloroplast thylakoid structure was changed, and thus reduced the energy conversion in the Calvin cycle from C5 to C3. Our work suggests that CeO2 NPs will cause growth changes as well as irreversible damage to soybean plants. Our findings will provide evidence for estimation of plant toxicity induced by CeO2 NPs.

Multifunctional mesoporous black phosphorus-based nanosheet for enhanced tumor-targeted combined therapy with biodegradation-mediated metastasis inhibition.

Functionalizing black phosphorus nanosheet (BP) with efficient drug loading and endowing mesoporous silica nanomaterials with appropriate biodegradation for controllable tumor-targeted chemo-photothermal therapy are still urgent challenges. Herein, an ordered mesoporous silica-sandwiched black phosphorus nanosheet (BP@MS) with the vertical pore coating was prepared. The strategy could not only enhance the BP's dispersity and improve its doxorubicin (DOX)-loading efficiency, but also facilitate post-modification such as PEGylation and conjugation of targeting ligand, TKD peptide, yielding BSPT. A DOX-loaded BSPT-based system (BSPTD) showed heat-stimulative, pH-responsive, and sustained release manners. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that BSPTD had a delayed but finally complete degradation in physiological medium, contributing to an optimal therapeutic window and good biosafety. As a result, BSPTD can achieve an effective chemo-photothermal synergistic targeted therapy of tumor. Moreover, treating by BSPTD was found to be capable of remarkably inhibiting the lung metastasis of tumor, attributing to the photothermal degradation-facilitated secondary drug delivery. Our study provided a robust strategy to functionalize BP nanosheet and biodegrade the mesoporous silica for extended biomedical applications.

Biodegradable Mesoporous Silica Achieved via Carbon Nanodots-Incorporated Framework Swelling for Debris-Mediated Photothermal Synergistic Immunotherapy.

Incorporating carbon nanodots (CDs) into mesoporous silica framework for extensive biomedicine, especially for the desirable cancer immunotherapy, is considered to be an unexplored challenge. Herein, a hydrogen bond/electrostatic-assisted co-assembly strategy was smartly exploited to uniformly incorporate polymer-coated CDs into ordered framework of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CD@MSNs). The obtained CD@MSN was not only biodegradable via the framework-incorporated CD-induced swelling but also capable of gathering dispersive CDs with enhanced photothermal effect and elevated targeting accumulation, which therefore can achieve photothermal imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, benefiting from the biodegraded debris, it was found that CD@MSN-mediated PTT can synergistically achieve immune-mediated inhibition of tumor metastasis via stimulating the proliferation and activation of natural killer cells and macrophages with simultaneously up-regulating the secretion of corresponding cytokines (IFN-γ and Granzyme B). This work proposed an unusual synthesis of biodegradable mesoporous silica and provided an innovative insight into the biodegradable nanoparticles-associated anticancer immunity.

Side effects-avoided theranostics achieved by biodegradable magnetic silica-sealed mesoporous polymer-drug with ultralow leakage.

The development of drug delivery vehicles without side effects to normal physiological tissues represents an urgent challenge for safety and effective nanomedicine. Herein, a multifunctional drug delivery vehicle with ultralow leakage was presented, containing an ordered mesoporous resin as a polymer core and homogeneous Fe nanodots-doped silica as the biodegradable shell. In this core-shell structure, the Fe-doped silica shell acts as a compact inorganic cap to seal doxorubicin into the mesoporous polymer cores, but also serves as a superparamagnetic agent for magnetic targeting and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Importantly, the caps can be opened via Fe extraction-induced degradation to slowly release the loaded drug under the acidic tumor environment, while achieving ultralow drug leakage under normal in vivo blood circulation (physiological environment). This unique core-shell nanospheres with ultralow drug leakage were demonstrated to achieve side effects-avoided targeting chemotherapy guided by MRI with improved therapeutic outcomes, which showing great potential for efficient cancer theranostics.

Facile marriage of Gd3+ to polymer-coated carbon nanodots with enhanced biocompatibility for targeted MR/fluorescence imaging of glioma.

Overcoming blood-brain barrier (BBB) for precise glioma diagnosis remains an urgent challenge due to its peculiar location in central nervous system (CNS). Herein, polymer-coated carbon nanodots with high hydrophilicity were facilely married with Gd-DTPA to construct a dual-modal imaging system (NCDDG). This system was demonstrated with obviously decreased toxicity and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ability compared to traditional Gd-DTPA. Meanwhile, NCDDG reserved the bright fluorescence of biocompatible carbon nanodots with increased spatial resolution. Attributed to small size and hydrophilic polymer coating, NCDDG was capable of overcoming the BBB and permeating leaky microvascular walls into surrounding glioma tissues via prolonged in vivo circulation and enhanced retention effect. As a result, dual1-modal targeted MR/fluorescence imaging of glioma was synergistically achieved with high sensitivity and resolution. This work promised a potential contrast agent for sensitive clinical diagnosis of glioma.

Highly Crystalline Multicolor Carbon Nanodots for Dual-Modal Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy of Glioma.

Imaging-guided site-specific photothermal therapy (PTT) of glioma and other tumors in central nervous system presents a great challenge for the current nanomaterial design. Herein, an in situ solid-state transformation method was developed for the preparation of multicolor highly crystalline carbon nanodots (HCCDs). The synthesis yields 6-8 nm-sized HCCDs containing a highly crystalline carbon nanocore and a hydrophilic surface, which therefore simultaneously provide strong photoacoustic and photothermal performances as well as tunable fluorescence emission. In vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that the novel HCCDs have high water dispersity and good biocompatibility, but potent tumor cell killing upon near-infrared irradiation. As demonstrated in U87 glioma-bearing mice, HCCDs specifically accumulate in brain tumors and facilitate dual-modal imaging-guided PTT, with therapeutic antitumoral effects without any apparent damage to normal tissues.

Aptavalve-gated Mesoporous Carbon Nanospheres image Cellular Mucin and provide On-demand Targeted Drug Delivery.

In this report, we present a mesoporous carbon nanosphere that can target drugs to tumors and image tumor biomarkers. A single-strand DNA (P0 aptamer) aptavalve was capped on the surface of doxorubicin-loaded oxide mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Dox-OMCN-P0) through π-π stacking for real-time imaging-guided on-demand targeting drug delivery. The Dox-OMCN-P0 could not only realize the detection of MUC1 tumor marker with a wide linear range (0.1 - 10.6 µmol/L) and a low detection limit (17.5 nmol) based on different apparatuses, but also achieve in-situ targeting imaging of cellular MUC1 concentration in vitro and in vivo via "off-on" fluorescence biosensing. Much attractively, as a real-time feedback of the diagnostic/imaging outcomes, Dox-OMCN-P0 accomplished the on-demand targeting drug delivery in quantitative response to MUC1. Controllable chemotherapy with sustained release and pH-sensitiveness, together with the potential photothermal therapy, were also clearly demonstrated. This is a simple but advanced platform, which could well achieve the real-time switchable imaging of cellular mucin for targeting cancer therapy.

Antitumoral Cascade-Targeting Ligand for IL-6 Receptor-Mediated Gene Delivery to Glioma.

The effective treatment of glioma is largely hindered by the poor transfer of drug delivery systems across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the difficulty in distinguishing healthy and tumorous cells. In this work, for the first time, an interleukin-6 receptor binding I6P7 peptide was exploited as a cascade-targeting ligand in combination with a succinoyl tetraethylene pentamine (Stp)-histidine oligomer-based nonviral gene delivery system (I6P7-Stp-His/DNA). The I6P7 peptide provides multiple functions, including the cascade-targeting potential represented by a combined BBB-crossing and subsequent glioma-targeting ability, as well as a direct tumor-inhibiting effect. I6P7-Stp-His/DNA nanoparticles (NPs) mediated higher gene expression in human glioma U87 cells than in healthy human astrocytes and a deeper penetration into glioma spheroids than scrambled peptide-modified NPs. Transport of I6P7-modified, but not the control, NPs across the BBB was demonstrated in vitro in a transwell bEnd.3 cell model resulting in transfection of underlying U87 cells and also in vivo in glioma-bearing mice. Intravenous administration of I6P7-Stp-His/plasmid DNA (pDNA)-encoding inhibitor of growth 4 (pING4) significantly prolonged the survival time of orthotopic U87 glioma-bearing mice. The results denote that I6P7 peptide is a roborant cascade-targeting ligand, and I6P7-modified NPs might be exploited for efficient glioma therapy.