Semiconducting Polymer Nanomaterials as Near-Infrared Photoactivatable Protherapeutics for Cancer

Precise Mesoscopic Model Providing Insights into Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly

Self-assembly of copolymer is an important approach to obtain multifarious nanostructures. Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a recently developed and powerful copolymer self-assembly strategy. However, some researchers have reported a different morphology prepared by PISA and the traditional copolymer self-assembly using the same copolymer system. In this work, to explore the mystery, we develop a precise mesoscopic dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) model to reveal insights into the PISA of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-b-polystyrene (P4VP-b-PS). It is observed that P4VP-b-PS nanotubes can be obtained via TSA rather than PISA, which is consistent with reported experimental results. By carefully investigating the dynamics of PISA under specific solvent and monomer conditions and different polymerization rates, we propose that combining excessive monomers with multistep PISA can help to enhance the morphological regulation ability of PISA and retain a high solid content simultaneously. The findings in this study not only provide a precise modeling method for investigating copolymer self-assembly but also serve as a rational guide for future studies toward optimization of the PISA strategy.

Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide-Triggered MOF-Based Nanoenzyme for Synergic Cancer Therapy

The developing nanoparticle therapeutic agents triggered by tumor microenvironment are a feasible strategy for the substantial elevation of accuracy of diagnosis and the reduction of side effects in cancer treatments. Dysregulated H₂S production from the enzyme system of overexpressed cystathionine β-synthase has long been considered to act as an autocrine and paracrine factor for the tumor growth and proliferation of colon cancer. Herein, for the first time, an endogenous H₂S-activated copper metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF; HKUST-1) nanoenzyme has been demonstrated to synergistically mediate H₂S-activated near-infrared photothermal therapy and chemodynamic therapy in the effective treatment of colon cancer. This endogenous biomarker-triggered "turn-on" strategy to generate therapeutic agents in situ could largely simplify the constitution of nanomedicine by avoiding the cargo introduction and thus supply great promise for the precise treatments of colon cancer.

Hypocrellin-Based Multifunctional Phototheranostic Agent for NIR-Triggered Targeted Chemo/Photodynamic/Photothermal Synergistic Therapy against Glioblastoma

A huge challenge exists in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant glioblastoma (GBM) due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Herein, a multifunctional phototheranostic agent is designed on the basis of an octadecane-modified temozolomide (TMZ-C18) for chemotherapy, a dicysteamine-modified hypocrellin derivative (DCHB) as a natural-origin photosensitizer with a singlet oxygen (¹O₂) quantum yield of 0.51, and a cyclic peptide (cRGD) as a targeting unit against glioblastoma. Co-encapsulated DCHB and TMZ-C18 assembly with cRGD decoration, referred to as DTRGD NPs, shows a wide absorption at the NIR region peaked at 703 nm, an NIR emission peak at 720 nm, good photostability, high photothermal conversion efficiency (33%), and effective degradation of TMZ-C18. More importantly, DTRGD NPs can efficiently break through the blood-brain barrier and enrich in the orthotopic glioblastoma. The treatment of subcutaneous U87MG tumor beard mice demonstrates that DTRGD NPs present remarkable anticancer efficiency and the targeted chemo/photodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy can be achieved with almost no toxicity. This multifunctional phototheranostic agent shows great potential for the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma.

A near-infrared light-mediated cleavable linker strategy using the heptamethine cyanine chromophore

Optical methods offer the potential to manipulate living biological systems with exceptional spatial and temporal control. Caging bioactive molecules with photocleavable functional groups is an important strategy that could be applied to a range of problems, including the targeted delivery of otherwise toxic therapeutics. However existing approaches that require UV or blue light are difficult to apply in organismal settings due to issues of tissue penetration and light toxicity. Photocaging groups built on the heptamethine cyanine scaffold enable the targeted delivery of bioactive molecules using near-IR light (up to 780nm) in live animal settings. Here we provide a detailed procedure demonstrating the utility of the heptamethine cyanine caging group to create a light-cleavable linker between an antibody, panitumumab, and a therapeutic small molecule in the duocarmycin class of natural products. Descriptions of the design and synthesis of the small molecule component, assembly of the antibody conjugate, in vitro analysis of uncaging, in vivo imaging, and impact on tumor progression are provided.

A peptide–drug hydrogel to enhance the anti-cancer activity of chlorambucil

The CRB–FFF–cyclen could transform into a hydrogel via a heating–cooling process. The resulting hydrogel could be protonated in a tumor environment, which is beneficial for cellular uptake and anti-tumor activity.

Rational design of near-infrared platinum(ii)-acetylide conjugated polymers for photoacoustic imaging-guided synergistic phototherapy under 808 nm irradiation

We have developed a novel near-infrared Pt-acetylide conjugated polymer CP3 with highly efficient photoconversion behaviors for synergistic cancer phototherapy.

Molecular and nanoengineering approaches towards activatable cancer immunotherapy

This review summarizes the development of activatable immunotherapeutic nanoagents that activate antitumor immunity only in response to internal or external stimuli, which potentially enhance patient response rates while reducing immune-related adverse events during cancer immunotherapy.