Development of a Light-Controlled Nanoplatform for Direct Nuclear Delivery of Molecular and Nanoscale Materials

Organelle-oriented nanomedicines in tumor therapy: Targeting, escaping, or collaborating?

Precise tumor therapy is essential for improving treatment specificity, enhancing efficacy, and minimizing side effects. Targeting organelles is a key strategy for achieving this goal and is a frontier research area attracting a considerable amount of attention. The concept of organelle targeting has a significant effect on the structural design of the nanodrugs employed. Most notably, the intricate interactions among different organelles in a tumor cell essentially create a unified system. Unfortunately, this aspect might have been somewhat overlooked when existing organelle-targeting nanodrugs were designed. In this review, we underscore the synergistic relationship among the various organelles and advocate for a holistic view of organelle-targeting design. Through the integration of biology and material science, recent advancements in organelle targeting, escaping, and collaborating are consolidated to offer fresh perspectives for the development of antitumor nanomedicines.

Rapid ER remodeling induced by a peptide-lipid complex in dying tumor cells

The membranous ER spans the entire cell, creating a network for the biosynthesis of proteins and lipids, cell-wide communication, and nuclear delivery of molecules, including therapeutic agents. Here, we identify a novel ER response triggered by the tumoricidal complex alpha1-oleate, defined by a loss of peripheral ER structure, extensive ER vesiculation. Alpha1-oleate was present in the ER-derived vesicle membranes, also decorated by ER-resident and ER-interacting proteins, calnexin and ORP3, and in their lumen, also enriched for KDEL, confirming their ER origin distinct from lipid droplets. Rapid nuclear uptake of the complex constituents resulted in diffuse nuclear staining, and the asymmetrical perinuclear enrichment of the collapsing ER with its content of alpha1-oleate created large invaginations lined by the ER, inner nuclear membrane markers, and lamin nucleoskeleton. In parallel, a change in nuclear shape resulted in a volcano-like structure. This newly discovered, potent ER response to alpha1-oleate may have evolved to package ER-associated cellular contents in the nuclei of dying tumor cells, thus sequestering toxic cell debris associated with apoptotic cell death.

Redox-Responsive PEO-b-PCL-Based Block Copolymers for Synergistic Drug Delivery and Bioimaging in Cancer Cells

Stimuli-responsive polymer-based nanocarriers enhance the drug delivery efficiency by enabling targeted release at tumor sites. However, integrating therapeutic and diagnostic functions into a single nanoplatform while maintaining control over both remains a significant challenge. This study presents a stimuli-responsive, multifunctional poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) nanocarrier for combination cancer therapy and bioimaging. The system codelivers chlorambucil (CHL) and methotrexate (MTX) to enhance therapeutic efficacy and overcome multidrug resistance. A redox-responsive disulfide linker enables CHL release in the tumor's glutathione-rich environment, ensuring selective drug activation. Additionally, an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore, tetraphenylethylene (TPE), facilitates the monitoring of cellular uptake and drug release. The resulting TPE-(PEO-b-PCL)-S-S-CHL (P3) micelles encapsulated with MTX (P3-MTX) exhibited favorable size, morphology, and enhanced cytotoxicity, demonstrating a synergistic effect in combination therapy. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) confirmed intracellular uptake by using TPE-based fluorescence. Thus, these nanocarriers offer a promising theranostic platform for simultaneous cancer treatment and monitoring.

Hydrogel microspheres based on aggregation induction to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs promoting bone repair

Insoluble organic molecule drugs often accumulate in vivo, diminishing their efficacy. This study explores the utilization of cage oligosiloxane (POSS-SH) as a carrier for insoluble drugs. POSS-SH exhibits disaggregation properties and enhances cell phagocytosis. Using a thermodynamic approach, kartogenin (KGN) and diclofenac (DS) were covalently bonded via acrylyl chloride. Subsequently, a "one-pot method" was employed to graft double-bonded KGN, DS, and PEG onto POSS-SH, forming organic-inorganic POSS hybrid drugs. In the target molecule, water-soluble polyethylene glycol was introduced to enhance solubility and inhibit organic molecule aggregation within the target molecule. The resulting POSS nanoparticles were coated with methacrylate hyaluronic acid, generating hydrogel microspheres (MHS@PSD) for slow release in situ within the bone joint cavity using microfluidic technology. Slow release of PSD can ameliorate local joint inflammation and promote mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into chondrocytes. Compared to unmodified KGN and DS, our designed materials expedite and enhance cartilage regeneration. In summary, POSS-based hydrogel microspheres with deaggregation properties hold promise for cartilage regeneration, offering a framework for enhancing the efficacy of insoluble organic drugs.

Mapping Selenium Nanoparticles Distribution Inside Cells through Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) exhibit significant potential in biomedical applications due to their antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we synthesized biocompatible SeNPs and employed confocal Raman microspectroscopy to map their distribution within human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. SeNPs possess a distinctive Raman band placed outside the cellular fingerprint region, which facilitates its detection and precise Raman imaging. Viability assays revealed that SeNPs exhibit cytotoxic effects only at the highest concentrations and for long exposure times while resulting in no harmful effects during all of the other treatments. For the first time, we achieved three-dimensional (3D) Raman mapping of SeNPs within cells, providing insights into their cellular penetration. Additionally, two-dimensional (2D) Raman mapping performed at different times and at sublethal concentrations demonstrated dynamic uptake and confirmed internalization. These findings highlight the effectiveness of SeNPs for biomedical imaging and therapeutic applications, offering an additional approach to studying nanoparticle-cell interactions.

Recent Biomedical Applications of Functional Materials Based on Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is a 3D, cage-like nanoparticle with an inorganic Si-O-Si core and eight tunable corner functional groups. Its well-defined structure grants it distinctive physical, chemical, and biological properties and has been widely used for preparing high-performance materials. Recently, click chemistry has enabled the synthesis of various functional POSS-based materials for diverse biomedical applications. This article reviews the recent applications of POSS-based materials in the biomedical field, including cancer treatment, tissue engineering, antibacterial use, and biomedical imaging. Representative examples are discussed in detail. Among the various POSS-based applications, cancer treatment and tissue engineering are the most important. Finally, this review presents the current limitations of POSS-based materials and provides guidance for future research.

Subcellular Drug Distribution: Exploring Organelle-Specific Characteristics for Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy

The efficacy and potential toxicity of drug treatments depends on the drug concentration at its site of action, intricately linked to its distribution within diverse organelles of mammalian cells. These organelles, including the nucleus, endosome, lysosome, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lipid droplets, exosomes, and membrane-less structures, create distinct sub-compartments within the cell, each with unique biological features. Certain structures within these sub-compartments possess the ability to selectively accumulate or exclude drugs based on their physicochemical attributes, directly impacting drug efficacy. Under pathological conditions, such as cancer, many cells undergo dynamic alterations in subcellular organelles, leading to changes in the active concentration of drugs. A mechanistic and quantitative understanding of how organelle characteristics and abundance alter drug partition coefficients is crucial. This review explores biological factors and physicochemical properties influencing subcellular drug distribution, alongside strategies for modulation to enhance efficacy. Additionally, we discuss physiologically based computational models for subcellular drug distribution, providing a quantifiable means to simulate and predict drug distribution at the subcellular level, with the potential to optimize drug development strategies.

Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 nanoparticles inhibit cutaneous melanoma formation

Stimulation of the innate immune stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has been shown to boost anti-tumour immunity. Nevertheless, the systemic delivery of STING agonists to the tumour presents challenges. Therefore, we designed a cyclic dinucleotide (CDN)-based drug delivery system (DDS) combined photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT)/immunotherapy for cutaneous melanoma. We coencapsulated a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive prodrug thioketone-linked CDN (TK-CDN), and photoresponsive agents chlorin E6 (Y6) within mitochondria-targeting reagent triphenylphosphonium (TPP)-modified liposomes (Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6). Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 exhibited a photothermal effect similar to Y6, along with a superior cellular uptake rate. Upon endocytosis by B16F10 cells, Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 generated large amounts of ROS under laser irradiation for PDT. Mice bearing B16F10 tumours were intravenously injected with Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 and exposed to irradiation, resulting in a substantial inhibition of tumour growth. Exploration of the mechanism of anti-tumour action showed that Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 had a stronger stimulation of STING activation and anti-tumour immune cell infiltration compared to other groups. Hence, the Lipo/TK-CDN/TPP/Y6 nanoparticles offer great potential as a DDS for targeted and on-demand drug release at tumour sites. These nanoparticles exhibit promise as a candidate for precise and controllable combination therapy in the treatment of tumours.

Precise nano-system-based drug delivery and synergistic therapy against androgen receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer

Targeting androgen receptor (AR) has shown great therapeutic potential in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), yet its efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Here, we aimed to identify promising targeted agents that synergize with enzalutamide, a second-generation AR inhibitor, in TNBC. By using a strategy for screening drug combinations based on the Sensitivity Index (SI), we found that MK-8776, a selective checkpoint kinase1 (CHK1) inhibitor, showed favorable synergism with enzalutamide in AR-positive TNBC. The combination of enzalutamide and MK-8776 was found to exert more significant anti-tumor effects in TNBC than the single application of enzalutamide or MK-8776, respectively. Furthermore, a nanoparticle-based on hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified hollow-manganese dioxide (HMnO2), named HMnE&M@H, was established to encapsulate and deliver enzalutamide and MK-8776. This HA-modified nanosystem managed targeted activation via pH/glutathione responsiveness. HMnE&M@H repressed tumor growth more obviously than the simple addition of enzalutamide and MK-8776 without a carrier. Collectively, our study elucidated the synergy of enzalutamide and MK-8776 in TNBC and developed a novel tumor-targeted nano drug delivery system HMnE&M@H, providing a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of TNBC.

Nanocarriers address intracellular barriers for efficient drug delivery, overcoming drug resistance, subcellular targeting and controlled release

The cellular barriers are major bottlenecks for bioactive compounds entering into cells to accomplish their biological functions, which limits their biomedical applications. Nanocarriers have demonstrated high potential and benefits for encapsulating bioactive compounds and efficiently delivering them into target cells by overcoming a cascade of intracellular barriers to achieve desirable therapeutic and diagnostic effects. In this review, we introduce the cellular barriers ahead of drug delivery and nanocarriers, as well as summarize recent advances and strategies of nanocarriers for increasing internalization with cells, promoting intracellular trafficking, overcoming drug resistance, targeting subcellular locations and controlled drug release. Lastly, the future perspectives of nanocarriers for intracellular drug delivery are discussed, which mainly focus on potential challenges and future directions. Our review presents an overview of intracellular drug delivery by nanocarriers, which may encourage the future development of nanocarriers for efficient and precision drug delivery into a wide range of cells and subcellular targets.

Persistent Targeting DNA Nanocarrier Made of 3D Structural Unit Assembled from Only One Basic Multi-Palindromic Oligonucleotide for Precise Gene Cancer Therapy

Construction of a simple, reconfigurable, and stimuli-responsive DNA nanocarrier remains a technical challenge. In this contribution, by designing three palindromic fragments, a simplest four-sticky end-contained 3D structural unit (PS-unit) made of two same DNA components is proposed. Via regulating the rotation angle of central longitudinal axis of PS-unit, the oriented assembly of one-component spherical architecture is accomplished with high efficiency. Introduction of an aptamer and sticky tail warehouse into one component creates a size-change-reversible targeted siRNA delivery nanovehicle. Volume swelling of 20 nm allows one carrier to load 1987 siPLK1s. Once entering cancer cells and responding to glutathione (GSH) stimuli, siPLK1s are almost 100% released and original size of nanovehicle is restored, inhibiting the expression of PLK1 protein and substantially suppressing tumor growth (superior to commercial transfection agents) in tumor-bearing mice without systemic toxicity.

Strategies for the Nuclear Delivery of Metal Complexes to Cancer Cells

The nucleus is an essential organelle for the function of cells. It holds most of the genetic material and plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation. Since many antitumoral therapies target nucleic acids to induce cell death, tumor-specific nuclear drug delivery could potentiate therapeutic effects and prevent potential off-target side effects on healthy tissue. Due to their great structural variety, good biocompatibility, and unique physico-chemical properties, organometallic complexes and other metal-based compounds have sparked great interest as promising anticancer agents. In this review, strategies for specific nuclear delivery of metal complexes are summarized and discussed to highlight crucial parameters to consider for the design of new metal complexes as anticancer drug candidates. Moreover, the existing opportunities and challenges of tumor-specific, nucleus-targeting metal complexes are emphasized to outline some new perspectives and help in the design of new cancer treatments.

A ferroptosis-reinforced nanocatalyst enhances chemodynamic therapy through dual H2O2 production and oxidative stress amplification

The existence of a delicate redox balance in tumors usually leads to cancer treatment failure. Breaking redox homeostasis by amplifying oxidative stress and reducing glutathione (GSH) can accelerate cancer cell death. Herein, we construct a ferroptosis-reinforced nanocatalyst (denoted as HBGL) to amplify intracellular oxidative stress via dual H2O2 production-assisted chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Specifically, a long-circulating liposome is employed to deliver hemin (a natural iron-containing substrate for Fenton reaction and ferroptosis), β-lapachone (a DNA topoisomerase inhibitor with H2O2 generation capacity for chemotherapy), and glucose oxidase (which can consume glucose for starvation therapy and generate H2O2). HBGL can achieve rapid, continuous, and massive H2O2 and •OH production and GSH depletion in cancer cells, resulting in increased intracellular oxidative stress. Additionally, hemin can reinforce the ferroptosis-inducing ability of HBGL, which is reflected in the downregulation of glutathione peroxidase-4 and the accumulation of lipid peroxide. Notably, HBGL can disrupt endo/lysosomes and impair mitochondrial function in cancer cells. HBGL exhibits effective tumor-killing ability without eliciting obvious side effects, indicating its clinical translation potential for synergistic starvation therapy, chemotherapy, ferroptosis therapy, and CDT. Overall, this nanocatalytic liposome may be a promising candidate for achieving potentiated cancer treatment.

Nanomaterials in Medicine: Understanding Cellular Uptake, Localization, and Retention for Enhanced Disease Diagnosis and Therapy

Nanomaterials (NMs) have emerged as promising tools for disease diagnosis and therapy due to their unique physicochemical properties. To maximize the effectiveness and design of NMs-based medical applications, it is essential to comprehend the complex mechanisms of cellular uptake, subcellular localization, and cellular retention. This review illuminates the various pathways that NMs take to get from the extracellular environment to certain intracellular compartments by investigating the various mechanisms that underlie their interaction with cells. The cellular uptake of NMs involves complex interactions with cell membranes, encompassing endocytosis, phagocytosis, and other active transport mechanisms. Unique uptake patterns across cell types highlight the necessity for customized NMs designs. After internalization, NMs move through a variety of intracellular routes that affect where they are located subcellularly. Understanding these pathways is pivotal for enhancing the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents and imaging probes. Furthermore, the cellular retention of NMs plays a critical role in sustained therapeutic efficacy and long-term imaging capabilities. Factors influencing cellular retention include nanoparticle size, surface chemistry, and the cellular microenvironment. Strategies for prolonging cellular retention are discussed, including surface modifications and encapsulation techniques. In conclusion, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms governing cellular uptake, subcellular localization, and cellular retention of NMs is essential for advancing their application in disease diagnosis and therapy. This review provides insights into the intricate interplay between NMs and biological systems, offering a foundation for the rational design of next-generation nanomedicines.

POSS engineering of squaraine nanoparticle with high photothermal conversion efficiency for photothermal therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been extensively studied due to its promising therapeutic effects and potential for development in cancer treatments. Central to PTT is the development of photothermal agents (PTAs). This study presents a novel nanoparticle called POSS-SQ, which satisfies the necessary conditions to function as a PTA. Comprised of squaraine (SQ) and polyhedral oligomeric sesquisiloxane (POSS), POSS-SQ NPs exhibit strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption and high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) attributable to the intermolecular electron transfer in SQ. Furthermore, POSS when modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) through "click" chemistry, effectively enhances cell permeability and biocompatibility of the nanoparticles. Photothermal experiments reveal that POSS-SQ NPs demonstrate concentration and laser power dependence, with a PCE of 67.2%. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirm the excellent biosafety and tumor growth inhibition potential of POSS-SQ NPs under laser irradiation, attributed to the synergistic effects of enhanced cell permeability and exceptional photothermal properties. This research highlights the possibility of obtaining PTAs with high PCE and excellent biocompatibility by combining SQ-N and POSS, offering a new approach for designing and developing more efficient PTAs to enhance better PTT outcomes.

Cascade Catalytic Nanoparticles Selectively Alkalize Cancerous Lysosomes to Suppress Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Lysosomes are critical in modulating the progression and metastasis for various cancers. There is currently an unmet need for lysosomal alkalizers that can selectively and safely alter the pH and inhibit the function of cancer lysosomes. Here an effective, selective, and safe lysosomal alkalizer is reported that can inhibit autophagy and suppress tumors in mice. The lysosomal alkalizer consists of an iron oxide core that generates hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in the presence of excessive H+ and hydrogen peroxide inside cancer lysosomes and cerium oxide satellites that capture and convert •OH into hydroxide ions. Alkalized lysosomes, which display impaired enzyme activity and autophagy, lead to cancer cell apoptosis. It is shown that the alkalizer effectively inhibits both local and systemic tumor growth and metastasis in mice. This work demonstrates that the intrinsic properties of nanoparticles can be harnessed to build effective lysosomal alkalizers that are both selective and safe.

Therapeutic Supramolecular Polymers: Designs and Applications

The self-assembly of low-molecular-weight building motifs into supramolecular polymers has unlocked a new realm of materials with distinct properties and tremendous potential for advancing medical practices. Leveraging the reversible and dynamic nature of non-covalent interactions, these supramolecular polymers exhibit inherent responsiveness to their microenvironment, physiological cues, and biomolecular signals, making them uniquely suited for diverse biomedical applications. In this review, we intend to explore the principles of design, synthesis methodologies, and strategic developments that underlie the creation of supramolecular polymers as carriers for therapeutics, contributing to the treatment and prevention of a spectrum of human diseases. We delve into the principles underlying monomer design, emphasizing the pivotal role of non-covalent interactions, directionality, and reversibility. Moreover, we explore the intricate balance between thermodynamics and kinetics in supramolecular polymerization, illuminating strategies for achieving controlled sizes and distributions. Categorically, we examine their exciting biomedical applications: individual polymers as discrete carriers for therapeutics, delving into their interactions with cells, and in vivo dynamics; and supramolecular polymeric hydrogels as injectable depots, with a focus on their roles in cancer immunotherapy, sustained drug release, and regenerative medicine. As the field continues to burgeon, harnessing the unique attributes of therapeutic supramolecular polymers holds the promise of transformative impacts across the biomedical landscape.

Progress of cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles for cancer phototherapy

In recent years, considerable attention has been given to phototherapy, including photothermal and photodynamic therapy to kill tumor cells by producing heat or reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has the high merits of noninvasiveness and limited drug resistance. To fully utilize this therapy, an extraordinary nanovehicle is required to target phototherapeutic agents in the tumor cells. Nanovesicles embody an ideal strategy for drug delivery applications. Cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles represent a developing type of nanocarrier. Combining this technique with cancer phototherapy could enable a novel strategy. Herein, efforts are made to describe a comprehensive overview of cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles for cancer phototherapy. The description in this review is mainly based on representative examples of exosome-derived biomimetic nanomedicine research, ranging from their comparison with traditional nanocarriers to extensive applications in cancer phototherapy. Additionally, the challenges and future prospectives for translating these for clinical application are discussed.

Research progress in nucleus-targeted tumor therapy

The nucleus is considered the most important organelle in the cell as it plays a central role in controlling cell reproduction, metabolism, and the cell cycle. The successful delivery of drugs into the nucleus can achieve excellent therapeutic effects, which reveals the potential of nucleus-targeted therapy in precision medicine. However, the transportation of therapeutics into the nucleus remains a significant challenge due to various biological barriers. Herein, we summarize the recent progress in the nucleus-targeted drug delivery system (NDDS). The structures of the nucleus and nuclear envelope are first described in order to understand the mechanisms by which drugs cross the nuclear envelope. Then, various drug delivery strategies based on the mechanisms and their applications are discussed. Finally, the challenges and solutions in the field of nucleus-targeted drug delivery are raised for developing a more efficient NDDS and promoting its clinical transformation.

Meticulously Designed Carbon Dots as Photo-Triggered RNA-Destroyer for Evoking Pyroptosis

An ideal photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy should not only possess high reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency but also maximize utilization of the in situ produced ROS species, where the latter is closely related to its intracellular location. However, rational design of such photosensitizer without tedious conjugation procedures remains a grand challenge. Here, we report the one-pot preparation of carbon dots (CDs)-based photosensitizer from levofloxacin and neutral red featuring both high 1O2 quantum yield (φΔ = 38.85%) and superior RNA selectivity. Moreover, the φΔ value shows a further 40% improvement and reaches 54.33% in response to RNA binding. Owing to these combined attributes, the CDs could exert great damage to the cellular RNA system (termed the RNA-destroyer) under extremely low dosage of light irradiation (15 mW cm-2, 1 min). It induces pyroptotic cell death and causes rapid release of different cytokines that served as molecular markers in photodynamic immunotherapy. This work represents the meticulously designed CDs with high ROS generation and utilization efficiency via good organization of the photosensitive and targeting modularity. Moreover, it is the first CDs-based pyroptosis inducer to the best of our knowledge.

Mitochondria-Anchoring Self-assembled Nanoparticles for Multi-Path Energy Depletion: A "Nano Bomb" in Chemo-co-Starvation Therapy

As the main systemic treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the bleak medical prognosis of chemotherapy resulted in impaired life quality by tumor recurrence and metastasis. The feasible cancer starvation therapy could inhibit tumor progression by blocking energy supplements, however, the mono-therapeutic modality showed limited curing efficacy due to heterogeneity and abnormal energy metabolism of TNBC. Thus, the development of a synergistic nano-therapeutic modality involving different anti-tumor mechanisms to simultaneously transport medicines to the organelle where metabolism took place, might remarkably improve curing efficacy, targeting ability, and bio-safety. Herein, the hybrid BLG@TPGS NPs were prepared by doping multi-path energy inhibitors Berberine (BBR) and Lonidamine (LND) as well as the chemotherapeutic agent Gambogic acid (GA). Our research indicated that Nanobomb\mathord{-} BLG@TPGS NPs inherited the mitochondria targeting ability from BBR to accumulate precisely at the "energy factory" mitochondria, and then induce starvation therapy to efficiently eradicated cancer cells by coordinately powered off tumor cells via a "three-prone strategy" to cut off mitochondrial respiration, glycolysis, and glutamine metabolism. The inhibition of tumor proliferation and migration was enlarged by the synergistic combination with chemotherapy. Besides, apoptosis via mitochondria pathway and mitochondria fragmentation supported the hypothesis that NPs eliminated MDA-MB-231 cells by violently attacking MDA-MB-231 cells and especially the mitochondria. In summary, this synergistic chemo-co-starvation nanomedicine proposed an innovative site-specific targeting strategy for improved tumor treatment and decreased toxicity to normal tissues, which provided an option for clinical TNBC-sensitive treatment.

The Dawn of a New Era: Targeting the "Undruggables" with Antibody-Based Therapeutics

The high selectivity and affinity of antibodies toward their antigens have made them a highly valuable tool in disease therapy, diagnosis, and basic research. A plethora of chemical and genetic approaches have been devised to make antibodies accessible to more "undruggable" targets and equipped with new functions of illustrating or regulating biological processes more precisely. In this Review, in addition to introducing how naked antibodies and various antibody conjugates (such as antibody-drug conjugates, antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates, antibody-enzyme conjugates, etc.) work in therapeutic applications, special attention has been paid to how chemistry tools have helped to optimize the therapeutic outcome (i.e., with enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects) or facilitate the multifunctionalization of antibodies, with a focus on emerging fields such as targeted protein degradation, real-time live-cell imaging, catalytic labeling or decaging with spatiotemporal control as well as the engagement of antibodies inside cells. With advances in modern chemistry and biotechnology, well-designed antibodies and their derivatives via size miniaturization or multifunctionalization together with efficient delivery systems have emerged, which have gradually improved our understanding of important biological processes and paved the way to pursue novel targets for potential treatments of various diseases.

Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane-Based Nanoparticles for Efficient Chemotherapy of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common lethal brain tumor with dismal treatment outcomes and poor response to chemotherapy. As the regulatory center of cytogenetics and metabolism, most tumor chemotherapeutic molecules exert therapeutic effects in the nucleus. Nanodrugs showing the nuclear aggregation effect are expected to eliminate and fundamentally suppress tumor cells. In this study, a nanodrug delivery system based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is introduced to deliver drugs into the nuclei of GBM cells, effectively enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy. The nanoparticles are modified with folic acid and iRGD peptides molecules to improve their tumor cell targeting and uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Nuclear aggregation allows for the direct delivery of chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide (TMZ) to the tumor cell nuclei, resulting in more significant DNA damage and inhibition of tumor cell proliferation. Herein, TMZ-loaded POSS nanoparticles can significantly improve the survival of GBM-bearing mice. Therefore, the modified POSS nanoparticles may serve as a promising drug-loaded delivery platform to improve chemotherapy outcomes in GBM patients.

Advances in nuclei targeted delivery of nanoparticles for the management of cancer

A carrier is inserted into the appropriate organelles (nucleus) in successful medication transport, crucial to achieving very effective illness treatment. Cell-membrane targeting is the major focus of using nuclei to localize delivery. It has been demonstrated that high quantities of anticancer drugs can be injected directly into the nuclei of cancer cells, causing the cancer cells to die and increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy. There are several effective ways to functionalize Nanoparticles (NPs), including changing their chemical makeup or attaching functional groups to their surface to increase their ability to target organelles. To cause tumor cells to apoptosis, released medicines must engage with molecular targets on particular organelles when their concentration is high enough. Targeted medication delivery studies will increasingly focus on organelle-specific delivery.

Engineered exosomes from different sources for cancer-targeted therapy

Exosome is a subgroup of extracellular vesicles, which has been serving as an efficient therapeutic tool for various diseases. Engineered exosomes are the sort of exosomes modified with surface decoration and internal therapeutic molecules. After appropriate modification, engineered exosomes are able to deliver antitumor drugs to tumor sites efficiently and precisely with fewer treatment-related adverse effects. However, there still exist many challenges for the clinical translation of engineered exosomes. For instance, what sources and modification strategies could endow exosomes with the most efficient antitumor activity is still poorly understood. Additionally, how to choose appropriately engineered exosomes in different antitumor therapies is another unresolved problem. In this review, we summarized the characteristics of engineered exosomes, especially the spatial and temporal properties. Additionally, we concluded the recent advances in engineered exosomes in the cancer fields, including the sources, isolation technologies, modification strategies, and labeling and imaging methods of engineered exosomes. Furthermore, the applications of engineered exosomes in different antitumor therapies were summarized, such as photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy. Consequently, the above provides the cancer researchers in this community with the latest ideas on engineered exosome modification and new direction of new drug development, which is prospective to accelerate the clinical translation of engineered exosomes for cancer-targeted therapy.

Size-optimized nuclear-targeting phototherapy enhances the type I interferon response for "cold" tumor immunotherapy

There is growing interest in the effect of innate immune silencing in "cold" tumors, which always fail in the immune checkpoint blockade monotherapy using PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (aPD-L1). Combination of aPD-L1 with photodynamic therapy, i.e., photoimmunotherapy, is a promising strategy to improve the mono immunotherapy. Nuclear-targeting nanoparticles could elicit a type I interferon (IFN)-mediated innate immune response and reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment for long-term immunotherapy of "cold" tumors. Photosensitizers such as zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) have limited ability to target the nucleus and activate innate sensing pathways to minimize tumor recurrence. Additionally, the relationship between nanoparticle size and nuclear entry capacity remains unclear. Herein, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were employed as aPD-L1 and ZnPc carriers. Three particle sizes (200 nm, 32 nm and 5 nm) of aPD-L1/ZnPc/GQD-PEG (PZGE) were synthesized and tested. The 5 nm nanoparticles achieved the best nuclear enrichment capacity contributing to their ultrasmall size. Notably, 5 nm PZGE-based photodynamic therapy enabled an amplification of the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response and could convert "immune-cold" tumors into "immune-hot" ones. Utilizing their size advantage to target the nucleus, 5 nm nanoparticles induced DNA damage and activated the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response, subsequently promoting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte infiltration and reversing negative PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, the nanoplatform we designed is promising for the effective suppression of distant oral squamous cell carcinoma. Thus, for the first time, this study presents a size design strategy for nuclear-targeted photo-controlled immune adjuvants and the nuclear-targeted phototherapy-mediated immunomodulatory functions of type I IFN innate immune signalling for "immune-cold" tumors. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The potential of commonly used photosensitizers to activate innate sensing pathways for producing type I IFNs is limited due to the lack of nuclear targeting. Facilitating the nuclear-targeting of photosensitizers to enhance innate immune response and execute long-term tumor killing effect would be a promising strategy for "cold" tumor photoimmunotherapy. Herein, we report an optimal size of PZGE nanoparticles that enable the nuclear-targeting of ZnPc, which reinforces the type I IFN-mediated innate immune response, synergistically reversing "cold tumors" to "hot tumors" for effective primary and distant tumor photoimmunotherapy. This work highlights the marked efficacy of ultrasmall nuclear-located nanocarriers and offers new insight into "immune-cold tumors" via prominent innate immune activation mediated by nuclear-targeting photoimmunotherapy.

"Intercellular Mass Transport" Mimic Enables ASO Entry Completely into the Cell Nucleus for Enhanced Ischemia Therapy

Currently, the development of a new therapeutic technology is focused on antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), where ASOs are used to complementarily pair with DNA, messenger RNA, or long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) to regulate the cell behavior by inhibiting the target gene expression. However, the targeted regulation toward nuclear genes still faces great challenges in ASO delivery for clinical applications, i.e., two essential criteria (high nuclear entry and delivery vehicle safety/simplification) generally compromise each other and are not simultaneously satisfactory. Herein, for the first time, inspired by "intercellular-mass-transport", we report an important discovery that the cell membrane of endothelial cells (ECs) serving as the biointerface enables ASOs to rapidly and completely enter the EC nucleus. Thereby, we innovatively fabricate a nanosystem only by sequential self-assembly of natural/off-the-shelf biomaterials to well overcome the above-mentioned contradiction. The efficacy is strikingly superior to that of the previous delivery vehicles. Furthermore, our technology is applied to successfully silence lncRNA MEG3 in the EC nucleus, significantly augmenting EC morphogenesis. More importantly, this nanosystem is applicable for in vivo intramuscular injection to enhance the therapeutic outcome in a critical limb ischemia mouse model. This work brings a new hope for the technological innovation of ASO nuclear delivery and opens a new avenue to explore natural/off-the-shelf materials for cargo delivery into subcellular compartments.

A near-infrared fluorescent nanoprobe for senescence-associated β-galactosidase sensing in living cells

A near-infrared fluorescent nanoprobe based on semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) for the detection of senescence-associated β-gal (SA-β-gal) is developed. Benefiting from the intrinsic lysosome-locating feature, this probe can be successfully used for the visualization of SA-β-gal in living cells.

Dual factor coactivatable fluorescent nanosensor with boosted cytoplasmic biomarker accessibility toward selective tumor imaging

Fluorescent nanosensor-based tumor imaging holds great promise in cancer diagnosis and treatment assistance, yet the signal contrast is heavily hampered by the unspecific/unwanted activation at microscopic regions with a highly restricted local abundance of biomarkers. Herein, we developed an activation boosting strategy by the integration and manipulation of dual-factor coactivation of sensing and lysosome escape facilitated the rise of cytosolic biomarker accessibility. By employing hybrid DNA probes on gold nanoquenchers, ATP sensing initiated conformation switch of the corresponding aptamer units triggered the exposure of a hidden toehold in a loop structure. Sequentially, miRNA-21 sensing was triggered by toehold-mediated strand displacement and detachment of the binding complexes. The application of lysosomotropic agent chloroquine at optimized time interval facilitated the release of nanosensors into the cytosol and a ∼10.5-fold increment of intracellular fluorescence in vitro, while coactivation improved the cancer-to-normal cell signal ratio by ∼5.9 times. The synergy effects led to a high tumor-to-normal tissue ratio value of ∼7.9 in the in vivo imaging results. This strategy establishes a new paradigm of fluorescent nanosensors for selective and specific tumor imaging.

Infection Microenvironment-Sensitive Photothermal Nanotherapeutic Platform to Inhibit Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can induce multiple inflammations. The biofilm formed by MRSA is resistant to a variety of antibiotics and is extremely difficult to cure, which seriously threatens human health. Herein, a nanoparticle encapsulating berberine with polypyrrole core and pH-sensitive shell to provide chemo-photothermal dual therapy for MRSA infection is reported. By integrating photothermal agent polypyrrole, berberine, acid-degradable crosslinker, and acid-induced charge reversal polymer, the nanoparticle exhibited highly efficient MRSA infection treatment. In normal uninfected areas and bloodstream, nanoparticles showed negatively charged, demonstrating high biocompatibility and excellent hemocompatibility. However, once arriving at the MRSA infection site, the nanoparticle can penetrate and accumulate in the biofilm within 2 h. Simultaneously, berberine can be released into biofilm rapidly. Under the combined effect of photothermal response and berberine inhibition, 88.7% of the biofilm is removed at 1000 µg mL^-1 . Moreover, the nanoparticles have an excellent inhibitory effect on biofilm formation, the biofilm inhibition capacity can reach up to 90.3%. Taken together, this pH-tunable nanoparticle can be employed as a new generation treatment strategy to fight against the fast-growing MRSA infection.

Inhibition of alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2-mediated auto-enhanced photodynamic cancer therapy of co-nanoassembly between V-9302 and photosensitizer

The efficiency of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) is far from satisfactory, because cancer cells can adapt to PDT by upregulating glutathione (GSH) levels. The GSH levels in tumor cells are determined based on glutamine availability via alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2)-mediated entry into cells. Herein, we develop co-assembled nanoparticles (PPa/V-9302 NPs) of the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (PPa) and V-9302 (a known inhibitor of ASCT2) in a 1:1 M ratio using a one-step precipitation method to auto-enhance photodynamic therapy. The computational simulations revealed that PPa and V-9302 could self-assemble through different driving forces, such as π-π stacking, hydrophobic interactions, and ionic bonds. Such PPa/V-9302 NPs could disrupt the intracellular redox homeostasis due to enhanced ROS production via PPa-induced PDT and reduced GSH synthesis via inhibition of the ASCT2-mediated glutamine flux by V-9302. The in vivo assays reveal that PPa/V-9302 NPs could increase the drug accumulation in tumor sites and suppress tumor growth in BALB/c mice bearing mouse breast carcinoma (4 T1) tumor. Our findings provide a new paradigm for the rational design of the PDT-based combinational cancer therapy.

Organelle-targeted therapies: a comprehensive review on system design for enabling precision oncology

Cancer is a major threat to human health. Among various treatment methods, precision therapy has received significant attention since the inception, due to its ability to efficiently inhibit tumor growth, while curtailing common shortcomings from conventional cancer treatment, leading towards enhanced survival rates. Particularly, organelle-targeted strategies enable precise accumulation of therapeutic agents in organelles, locally triggering organelle-mediated cell death signals which can greatly reduce the therapeutic threshold dosage and minimize side-effects. In this review, we comprehensively discuss history and recent advances in targeted therapies on organelles, specifically including nucleus, mitochondria, lysosomes and endoplasmic reticulum, while focusing on organelle structures, organelle-mediated cell death signal pathways, and design guidelines of organelle-targeted nanomedicines based on intervention mechanisms. Furthermore, a perspective on future research and clinical opportunities and potential challenges in precision oncology is presented. Through demonstrating recent developments in organelle-targeted therapies, we believe this article can further stimulate broader interests in multidisciplinary research and technology development for enabling advanced organelle-targeted nanomedicines and their corresponding clinic translations.

Intranuclear Nanoribbons for Selective Killing of Osteosarcoma Cells

Herein, we show intranuclear nanoribbons formed upon dephosphorylation of leucine-rich L- or D-phosphopeptide catalyzed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to selectively kill osteosarcoma cells. Being dephosphorylated by ALP, the peptides are first transformed into micelles and then converted into nanoribbons. The peptides/assemblies first aggregate on cell membranes, then enter cells via endocytosis, and finally accumulate in nuclei (mainly in nucleoli). Proteomics analysis suggests that the assemblies interact with histone proteins. The peptides kill osteosarcoma cells rapidly and are nontoxic to normal cells. Moreover, the repeated stimulation of the osteosarcoma cells by the peptides sensitizes the cancer cells rather than inducing resistance. This work not only illustrates a novel mechanism for nucleus targeting, but may also pave a new way for selectively killing osteosarcoma cells and minimizing drug resistance.

Outward Movement of Targeting Ligands from a Built-In Reserve Pool in Nuclease-Resistant 3D Hierarchical DNA Nanocluster for in Vivo High-Precision Cancer Therapy

Nanostructures made entirely of DNAs display great potential as chemotherapeutic drug carriers but so far cannot achieve sufficient clinic therapy outcomes due to off-target toxicity. In this contribution, an aptamer-embedded hierarchical DNA nanocluster (Apt-eNC) is constructed as an intelligent carrier for cancer-targeted drug delivery. Specifically, Apt-eNC is designed to have a built-in reserve pool in the interior cavity from which aptamers may move outward to function as needed. When surface aptamers are degraded, ones in reserve pool can move outward to offer the compensation, thereby magically preserving tumor-targeting performance in vivo. Even if withstanding extensive aptamer depletion, Apt-eNC displays a 115-fold enhanced cell targeting compared with traditional counterparts and at least 60-fold improved tumor accumulation. Moreover, one Apt-eNC accommodates 5670 chemotherapeutic agents. As such, when systemically administrated into HeLa tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mouse model, drug-loaded Apt-eNC significantly inhibits tumor growth without systemic toxicity, holding great promise for high precision therapy.

In situ generation of micrometer-sized tumor cell-derived vesicles as autologous cancer vaccines for boosting systemic immune responses

Cancer vaccine, which can promote tumor-specific immunostimulation, is one of the most important immunotherapeutic strategies and holds tremendous potential for cancer treatment/prevention. Here, we prepare a series of nanoparticles composed of doxorubicin- and tyrosine kinase inhibitor-loaded and hyaluronic acid-coated dendritic polymers (termed HDDT nanoparticles) and find that the HDDT nanoparticles can convert various cancer cells to micrometer-sized vesicles (1.6-3.2 μm; termed HMVs) with ~100% cell-to-HMV conversion efficiency. We confirm in two tumor-bearing mouse models that the nanoparticles can restrain tumor growth, induce robust immunogenic cell death, and convert the primary tumor into an antigen depot by producing HMVs in situ to serve as personalized vaccines for cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, the HDDT-healed mice show a strong immune memory effect and the HDDT treatment can realize long-term protection against tumor rechallenge. Collectively, the present work provides a general strategy for the preparation of tumor-associated antigen-containing vesicles and the development of personalized cancer vaccines.

Advances in Antitumor Nano-Drug Delivery Systems of 10-Hydroxycamptothecin

10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) is a natural plant alkaloid from Camptotheca that shows potent antitumor activity by targeting intracellular topoisomerase I. However, factors such as instability of the lactone ring and insolubility in water have limited the clinical application of this drug. In recent years, unprecedented advances in biomedical nanotechnology have facilitated the development of nano drug delivery systems. It has been found that nanomedicine can significantly improve the stability and water solubility of HCPT. NanoMedicines with different diagnostic and therapeutic functions have been developed to significantly improve the anticancer effect of HCPT. In this paper, we collected reports on HCPT nanomedicines against tumors in the past decade. Based on current research advances, we dissected the current status and limitations of HCPT nanomedicines development and looked forward to future research directions.

Functionalized-DNA nanostructures as potential targeted drug delivery systems for cancer therapy

Seeman's pioneer idea has led to the foundation of DNA nanostructures, resulting in a remarkable advancement in DNA nanotechnology. Over the last few decades, remarkable advances in drug delivery techniques have resulted in the self-assembly of DNA for encapsulating candidate drug molecules. The nuclear targeting capability of DNA nanostructures is lies within their high spatial addressability and tremendous potential for active targeting. However, effective programming and assembling those DNA molecules remains a challenge, making the path to DNA nanostructures for real-world applications difficult. Because of their small size, most nanostructures are self-capable of infiltrating into the tumor cellular environment. Furthermore, to enable controlled and site-specific delivery of encapsulated drug molecules, DNA nanostructures are functionalized with special moieties that allow them to bind specific targets and release cargo only at targeted sites rather than non-specific sites, resulting in the prevention/limitation of cellular toxicity. In light of this, the current review seeks to shed light on the versatility of the DNA molecule as a targeting and encapsulating moiety for active drugs in order to achieve controlled and specific drug release with spatial and temporal precision. Furthermore, this review focused on the challenges associated with the construction of DNA nanostructures as well as the most recent advances in the functionalization of DNA nanostructures using various materials for controlled and targeted delivery of medications for cancer therapy.

Placental cell translocation of folate-conjugated pullulan acetate non-spherical nanoparticles

Due to the adverse effects of free drugs on the fetus, placental-mediated pregnancy complications still lack effective pharmacotherapy. This study aims to construct a non-spherical drug delivery system based on folate-conjugated pullulan acetate (FPA) for placental targeting and translocation. By adjusting the initial solvent system, FPA nanoparticles with different morphologies were prepared using dialysis method without a surfactant. Cytotoxicity and lactate dehydrogenase release assays indicated the good biocompatibility of FPA nanoparticles in BeWo b30 cells. Cellular uptake and in vitro placental barrier transportation studies showed that FPA nanoparticles entered the cells and transported across the cell monolayer, benefiting from the active target effect mediated by the folate receptor. Moreover, non-spherical FPA nanoparticles showed nuclear translocation due to their shape effect. These findings provide a novel aspect in placental-mediated pregnancy treatment and applications in the obstetrics field of drug use during pregnancy.

Nucleus-Targeting Phototherapy Nanodrugs for High-Effective Anti-Cancer Treatment

DNA is always one of the most important targets for cancer therapy due to its leading role in the proliferation of cancer cells. Phototherapy kills cancer cells by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and local hyperthermia under light. It has attracted extensive interest in the clinical treatment of tumors because of many advantages such as non-invasiveness, high patient compliance, and low toxicity and side effects. However, the short ROS diffusion distance and limited thermal diffusion rate make it difficult for phototherapy to damage DNA deep in the nucleus. Therefore, nucleus-targeting phototherapy that can destroy DNAs via in-situ generation of ROS and high temperature can be a very effective strategy to address this bottleneck. Recently, some emerging nucleus-targeting phototherapy nanodrugs have demonstrated extremely effective anticancer effects. However, reviews in the field are still rarely reported. Here, we comprehensively summarized recent advances in nucleus-targeting phototherapy in recent years. We classified nucleus-targeting phototherapy into three categories based on the characteristics of these nucleus-targeting strategies. The first category is the passive targeting strategy, which mainly targets the nucleus by adjusting the physicochemical characteristics of phototherapy nanomedicines. The second category is to mediate the phototherapy nanodrugs into the nucleus by modifying functional groups that actively target the nucleus. The third category is to assist nanodrugs enter into the nucleus in a light-controlled way. Finally, we provided our insights and prospects for nucleus-targeting phototherapy nanodrugs. This minireview provides unique insights and valuable clues in the design of phototherapy nanodrugs and other nucleus-targeting drugs.

Emerging Single-Atom Catalysts/Nanozymes for Catalytic Biomedical Applications

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are a type of atomically dispersed nanozymes with the highest atom utilization, which employ low-coordinated single atoms as the catalytically active sites. SACs not only inherit the merits of traditional nanozymes, but also hold high catalytic activity and superb catalytic selectivity, which ensure their tremendous application potential in environmental remediation, energy storage and conversion, chemical industry, nanomedicine, etc. Nevertheless, undesired aggregation effect of single atoms during preactivation and reaction processes is significantly enhanced owing to the high surface free energy of single atoms. In this case, appropriate substrates are requisite to prevent the aggregation event through the powerful interactions between the single atoms and the substrates, thereby stabilizing the high catalytic activity of the catalysts. In this review, the synthetic methods and characterization approaches of SACs are first described. Then the application cases of SACs in nanomedicine are summarized. Finally, the current challenges and future opportunities of the SACs in nanomedicine are outlined. It is hoped that this review may have implications for furthering the development of new SACs with improved biophysicochemical properties and broadened biomedical applications.

Near-infrared mediated orthogonal bioimaging and intracellular tracking of upconversion nanophotosensitizers

Although upconversion photodynamic therapy (PDT) has gained extensive interests in disease treatment, the intracellular migration pathway of upconversion photosensitizers and underlying cell-particle interaction mechanism is still largely unexplored. In this work photoswitchable upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are reported  that can release orthogonal emissions excited by two near-infrared lights, i.e., red color of 980-nm and green color of 808-nm light excitation. Taking advantage of the dual-emissive property, a methodology based on Pearson's correlation analysis is proposed to verify the accuracy of upconversion luminescence signals under different excitation lights, which has been previously neglected. Meanwhile, we have designed a near-infrared mediated bioimaging nanoplatform that can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) using one light and simultaneously track the location of upconversion photosensitizers using another excitation light. Our study not only depicts the migration pathway of upconversion photosensitizers, but also demonstrates the organelle escape of these upconversion nanoparticles via PCI (photochemical internalization) process. It is believed that our results inspire more efficient synergistic therapy by combining PDT with other modalities in a programmable manner.

A Photosensitizer Discretely Loaded Nanoaggregate with Robust Photodynamic Effect for Local Treatment Triggers Systemic Antitumor Responses

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), is a rising star for suppression of in situ and metastatic tumors, yet it is impeded by low ROS production and off-target phototoxicity. Herein, an aggregation degree editing strategy, inspired by gene editing, was accomplished by the coordination of an aggregation degree editor, p(MEO₂MA₁₆₀-co-OEGMA₄₀)-b-pSS₃₀ [POEGS; MEO₂MA = 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate, OEGMA = oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate; pSS = poly(styrene sulfonate)] and indocyanine green (ICG) to nontoxic Mg²⁺, forming an ICG discretely loaded nanoaggregate (ICG-DNA). Optimization of the ICG aggregation degree [POEGS/ICG (P/I) = 6.55] was achieved by tuning the P/I ratio, alleviating aggregation-caused-quenching (ACQ) and photobleaching concurrently. The process boosts the PDT efficacy, spurring robust immunogenic cell death (ICD) and systemic antitumor immunity against primary and metastatic immunogenic "cold" 4T1 tumors via intratumoral administration. Moreover, the temperature-sensitive phase-transition property facilitates intratumoral long-term retention of ICG-DNA, reducing undesired phototoxicity to normal tissues; meanwhile, the photothermal-induced tumor oxygenation further leads to an augmented PDT outcome. Thus, this simple strategy improves PDT efficacy, boosting the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_Δ)-dependent ICD effect and systemic antitumor responses via local treatment.

Nucleus Near-Infrared (nNIR) Irradiation of Single A549 Cells Induces DNA Damage and Activates EGFR Leading to Mitochondrial Fission

There has been great interest in identifying the biological substrate for light-cell interaction and their relations to cancer treatment. In this study, a near-infrared (NIR) laser is focused into the nucleus (nNIR) or cytoplasm (cNIR) of a single living cell by a high numerical aperture condenser to dissect the novel role of cell nucleus in mediating NIR effects on mitochondrial dynamics of A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells. Our analysis showed that nNIR, but not cNIR, triggered mitochondrial fission in 10 min. In contrast, the fission/fusion balance of mitochondria directly exposed to cNIR does not change. While the same phenomenon is also triggered by single molecular interactions between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor EGFR, pharmacological studies with cetuximab, PD153035, and caffeine suggest EGF signaling crosstalk to DNA damaging response to mediate rapid mitochondrial fission as a result of nNIR irradiation. These results suggest that nuclear DNA integrity is a novel biological target for cellular response to NIR.

A ROS-Sensitive Nanozyme-Augmented Photoacoustic Nanoprobe for Early Diagnosis and Therapy of Acute Liver Failure

Early diagnosis of acute liver failure (ALF) is critical for curable treatment of patients, because most existing ALF therapies have narrow therapeutic time windows after disease onset. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which lead to the sequential occurrences of hepatocyte necrosis and the leakage of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), represent early biomarkers of ALF. Photoacoustic imaging is emerging as a powerful tool for in vivo imaging of ROS. However, high-performance imaging probes that can boost the photoacoustic signals of the short-lived ROS of ALF are yet to be developed, and there remains a great challenge for ROS-based imaging of ALF. Herein, a ROS-sensitive nanozyme-augmented photoacoustic nanoprobe for successful in vivo imaging of ALF is presented. The deep-penetrating photoacoustic signals of the nanoprobe can be activated by the overexpressed ROS in ALF due to the synergy between nanocatalytic bubbles generation and thermoelastic expansion. Impressively, the nanozyme-augmented ROS imaging enables earlier diagnosis of ALF than the clinical ALT method, and the ROS-activated catalytic activity of nanoprobe permits timely nanocatalytic therapy of ALF.

Molecular recognition-driven supramolecular nanoassembly of a hydrophobic uracil prodrug and hydrophilic cytarabine for precise combination treatment of solid and non-solid tumors

Combination chemotherapy has shown distinct therapeutic advantages over monotherapy in clinical cancer treatment, especially for two chemotherapeutic drugs with different mechanisms of action. However, how to achieve efficient co-delivery of two or more drugs with different physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties for synergistic therapy is still a huge challenge. In particular, it is even more difficult to efficiently co-deliver a hydrophilic drug and a hydrophobic drug into one nanosystem. Herein, inspired by the natural Watson-Crick base pair molecular recognition in nucleic acids, a reduction-sensitive uracil prodrug of doxorubicin (U-SS-DOX) is synthesized and performs supramolecular co-assembly with cytarabine (Ara-C). Interestingly, the hydrophilic Ara-C molecules could readily co-assemble with U-SS-DOX, and multiple hydrogen bonds are found in the nanoassembly with an ultra-high drug loading rate. Moreover, 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR) is used as a fluorescent probe to investigate the pharmacokinetics of U : C NPs. It turns out that the DiR-labeled U : C NPs significantly prolong the systemic circulation and promote the tumor-specific accumulation of DiR when compared with DiR solution. Furthermore, the supramolecular nanoassembly demonstrates potent satisfactory therapeutic effects in treating both solid and non-solid tumors in vivo. This study provides a novel molecular co-assembly nanoplatform for efficient co-delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.

Binary dimeric prodrug nanoparticles for self-boosted drug release and synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy

Chemotherapy is the major strategy for cancer therapy, but its limited therapeutic efficiency and serious toxicity to normal tissues greatly restrict its clinical performance. Herein, we develop carrier-free self-activated prodrug nanoparticles combining chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy to enhance the antitumor efficiency. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive paclitaxel and porphyrin prodrugs are synthesized and co-assembled into nanoparticles without the addition of any adjuvants, which improves the drug content and reduces carrier-associated toxicity. After entering cancer cells, the obtained co-assembled nanoparticles can generate sufficient ROS upon light irradiation not only for photodynamic therapy, but also triggering on-demand drug release for chemotherapy, thus realizing self-enhanced prodrug activation and synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy. This simple and effective carrier-free prodrug nanoplatform unifies the distinct traits of on-demand drug release and combination therapy, thus possessing great potential in advancing cancer treatment.

Multiscale Simulation of Protein Corona Formation on Silver Nanoparticles: Study of Ovispirin-1 Peptide Adsorption

The exposure of nanoparticles (NPs) to biofluids leads to the rapid coverage of proteins, named protein corona, which alters the NPs' chemicophysical and biological properties. Fundamental studies of the protein corona are thus critical to the increasing applications of NPs in nanotechnology and nanomedicines. The present work utilizes multiscale simulations of a model biological system, small ovispirin-1 peptides, and bare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to examine the NPs' size and surface hydrophilicity effects on formation dynamics and the structure of the peptide corona. Our simulations revealed the different adsorption dynamics of ovispirin-1 peptides on the NPs, including the direct adsorption of a single peptide and peptide aggregates and multistep adsorption, as well as an intermediate cycle of desorption and readsorption. Notably, the whole process of peptide adsorption on hydrophilic AgNP surfaces can be generalized as three stages: diffusion to the surface, initial landing via hydrophilic residues, and the final attachment. The decrease in AgNP's size leads to faster adsorption with more heterogeneous peptide interfacial dynamics, a denser and inhomogeneous peptide packing structure, and a wider distribution of adsorption orientations. Subsequent atomistic molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that on the hydrophilic AgNP surfaces, adsorbed peptides display moderate changes in their secondary structure, resulting in further changes of corona composition, i.e., amino acid residue distribution on the surface.