Interruption of p53-MDM2 Interaction by Nutlin-3a in Human Lymphoma Cell Models Initiates a Cell-Dependent Global Effect on Transcriptome and Proteome Level

In most lymphomas, p53 signaling pathway is inactivated by various mechanisms independent to p53 gene mutations or deletions. In many cases, p53 function is largely regulated by alterations in the protein abundance levels by the action of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase MDM2, targeting p53 to proteasome-mediated degradation. In the present study, an integrating transcriptomics and proteomics analysis was employed to investigate the effect of p53 activation by a small-molecule MDM2-antagonist, nutlin-3a, on three lymphoma cell models following p53 activation. Our analysis revealed a system-wide nutlin-3a-associated effect in all examined lymphoma types, identifying in total of 4037 differentially affected proteins involved in a plethora of pathways, with significant heterogeneity among lymphomas. Our findings include known p53-targets and novel p53 activation effects, involving transcription, translation, or degradation of protein components of pathways, such as a decrease in key members of PI3K/mTOR pathway, heat-shock response, and glycolysis, and an increase in key members of oxidative phoshosphorylation, autophagy and mitochondrial translation. Combined inhibition of HSP90 or PI3K/mTOR pathway with nutlin-3a-mediated p53-activation enhanced the apoptotic effects suggesting a promising strategy against human lymphomas. Integrated omic profiling after p53 activation offered novel insights on the regulatory role specific proteins and pathways may have in lymphomagenesis.

Laser-Induced Morphological and Structural Changes of Cesium Lead Bromide Nanocrystals

Metal halide perovskite nanocrystals, an emerging class of materials for advanced photonic and optoelectronic applications, are mainly fabricated with colloidal chemistry routes. On the quest for new properties according to application needs, new perovskite systems of various morphologies and levels of doping and alloying have been developed, often also involving post-synthesis reactions. Recently, laser irradiation in liquids has been utilized as a fast method to synthesize or transform materials and interesting laser-induced transformations on nanocrystals were induced. These studies in general have been limited to small nanocrystals (~15 nm). In the case of halide perovskites, fragmentation or anion exchange have been observed in such laser-based processes, but no crystal structure transformations were actually observed or deliberately studied. Nanocrystals are more sensitive to light exposure compared to the corresponding bulk crystals. Additional factors, such as size, morphology, the presence of impurities, and others, can intricately affect the photon absorption and heat dissipation in nanocrystal suspensions during laser irradiation. All these factors can play an important role in the final morphologies and in the time required for these transformations to unfold. In the present work, we have employed a 513 nm femtosecond (fs) laser to induce different transformations in large nanocrystals, in which two phases coexist in the same particle (Cs4PbBr6/CsPbBr3 nanohexagons of ~100 nm), dispersed in dichlorobenzene. These transformations include: (i) the exfoliation of the primary nanohexagons and partial anion exchange; (ii) fragmentation in smaller nanocubes and partial anion exchange; (iii) side-by-side-oriented attachment, fusion, and formation of nanoplatelets and complete anion exchange; (iv) side-by-side attachment, fusion, and formation of nanosheets. Partial or complete Br-Cl anion exchange in the above transformations was triggered by the partial degradation of dichlorobenzene. In addition to the detailed analysis of the various nanocrystal morphologies observed in the various transformations, the structure–photoluminescence relationships for the different samples were analyzed and discussed.

Highly luminescent and ultrastable cesium lead bromide perovskite patterns generated in phosphate glass matrices

Owing to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, all-inorganic lead halide perovskites offer enormous potential for next generation photonic, light-emitting, and optoelectronic devices. However, their usage is significantly limited by their poor stability upon moisture exposure and lead toxicity issues. Moreover, many of the aforementioned applications rely on the development of confined perovskite patterns of various shapes and periodicities. Here we report a simple and low-temperature method enabling the controlled incorporation of photoluminescent all-inorganic metal halide PNCs into a silver phosphate glass (AgPO3) matrix which is transparent in most of the visible range. The developed fabrication protocol is based on a simple melting encapsulation process in which pre-synthesized perovskite crystals are inserted in the glass matrix, following the initial glass quenching. Using this novel approach, two types of composite perovskite glasses are prepared, one that hosts perovskite isles and the second in which a thin perovskite layer is embedded beneath the glass surface. Both types of composite glasses exhibit remarkable photoluminescence stability when compared to the ambient air-exposed perovskite crystals. More importantly, by means of a simple and fast cw-laser processing technique, we demonstrate the development of encapsulated dotted perovskite micropatterns within the composite perovskite glass. The ability of the proposed system to resolve stability and lead toxicity issues, coupled with the facile formation of highly luminescent perovskite patterns pave the way towards the broad exploitation of perovskite crystals in photonic applications.

Laser-Assisted Fabrication for Metal Halide Perovskite-2D Nanoconjugates: Control on the Nanocrystal Density and Morphology

We report on a facile and rapid photo-induced process to conjugate graphene-based materials with metal-halide perovskite nanocrystals. We show that a small number of laser pulses is sufficient to decorate the 2-dimensional (2D) flakes with metal-halide nanocrystals without affecting their primary morphology. At the same time, the density of anchored nanocrystals could be finely tuned by the number of irradiation pulses. This facile and rapid room temperature method provides unique opportunities for the design and development of perovskite-2D nanoconjugates, exhibiting synergetic functionality by combining nanocrystals of different morphologies and chemical phases with various 2D materials.

Ligand-free all-inorganic metal halide nanocubes for fast, ultra-sensitive and self-powered ozone sensors

Ligand-free all-inorganic lead halide nanocubes have been investigated as ozone sensing materials operating at room temperature. It is found that the nanocubes, crystallined in the orthorhombic CsPbBr₃ structure, can operate at room temperature, be self-powered and exhibit high sensitivity and remarkable repeatability. More importantly, they demonstrate higher sensitivity (54% in 187 ppb) and faster response and recovery times compared to hybrid lead mixed halide perovskite (CH₃NH₃PbI_3-x Cl _x ) layers, which is the only lead halide perovskite material tested for ozone sensing, to date. Following the exposure to an ozone environment, the stoichiometry and the morphology of the nanocubes remain unaltered. The facile and easy fabrication process together with the high responsivity and stability to the ozone environment makes the bare CsPbBr₃ nanocubes a promising material for sensing applications. The sensing properties of the nanoparticulate metal halides presented here provide new exciting opportunities towards engineering reliable and cheap sensing elements for room-temperature operated and self-powered sensors.

Iron Oxide Colloidal Nanoclusters as Theranostic Vehicles and Their Interactions at the Cellular Level

Advances in surfactant-assisted chemical approaches have led the way for the exploitation of nanoscale inorganic particles in medical diagnosis and treatment. In this field, magnetically-driven multimodal nanotools that perform both detection and therapy, well-designed in size, shape and composition, are highly advantageous. Such a theranostic material—which entails the controlled assembly of smaller (maghemite) nanocrystals in a secondary motif that is highly dispersible in aqueous media—is discussed here. These surface functionalized, pomegranate-like ferrimagnetic nanoclusters (40⁻85 nm) are made of nanocrystal subunits that show a remarkable magnetic resonance imaging contrast efficiency, which is better than that of the superparamagnetic contrast agent Endorem©. Going beyond this attribute and with their demonstrated low cytotoxicity in hand, we examine the critical interaction of such nanoprobes with cells at different physiological environments. The time-dependent in vivo scintigraphic imaging of mice experimental models, combined with a biodistribution study, revealed the accumulation of nanoclusters in the spleen and liver. Moreover, the in vitro proliferation of spleen cells and cytokine production witnessed a size-selective regulation of immune system cells, inferring that smaller clusters induce mainly inflammatory activities, while larger ones induce anti-inflammatory actions. The preliminary findings corroborate that the modular chemistry of magnetic iron oxide nanoclusters stimulates unexplored pathways that could be driven to alter their function in favor of healthcare.

Low-temperature benchtop-synthesis of all-inorganic perovskite nanowires

A facile, low-temperature precipitation-based method is utilized for the synthesis of ultra-thin and highly uniform cesium lead bromide perovskite nanowires (NWs). The reactions facilitate the NWs' crystalline nature over micron-size lengths, while they impart tailored nanowire widths that range from the quantum confinement regime (∼7 nm) down to 2.6 nm. This colloidal synthesis approach is the first of its kind that is carried out on the work-bench, without demanding chemical synthesis equipment. Importantly, the NWs' photoluminescence is shown to improve over time, with no requirement for tedious post-synthesis surface treatment.

Assembly-mediated interplay of dipolar interactions and surface spin disorder in colloidal maghemite nanoclusters

Controlled assembly of single-crystal, colloidal maghemite nanoparticles is facilitated via a high-temperature polyol-based pathway. Structural characterization shows that size-tunable nanoclusters of 50 and 86 nm diameters (D), with high dispersibility in aqueous media, are composed of ∼13 nm (d) crystallographically oriented nanoparticles. The interaction effects are examined against the increasing volume fraction, φ, of the inorganic magnetic phase that goes from individual colloidal nanoparticles (φ = 0.47) to clusters (φ = 0.72). The frozen-liquid dispersions of the latter exhibit weak ferrimagnetic behaviour at 300 K. Comparative Mössbauer spectroscopic studies imply that intra-cluster interactions come into play. New insight emerges from the clusters' temperature-dependent ac susceptibility that displays two maxima in χ''(T), with strong frequency dispersion. Scaling-law analysis together with the observed memory effects suggests that a superspin-glass state settles-in at TB ∼ 160-200 K, while at lower-temperatures, surface spin-glass freezing is established at Tf ∼ 40-70 K. In such nanoparticle-assembled systems, with increased φ, Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the role of the inter-particle dipolar interactions and that of the constituent nanoparticles' surface spin disorder in the emerging spin-glass dynamics.

Colloidal assemblies of oriented maghemite nanocrystals and their NMR relaxometric properties

¹H-NMR relaxometric experiments over an extended frequency range show that ferrimagnetic colloidal nanoclusters exhibit enhanced transverse relaxivity, r₂.