Latest ArticlesTumor immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has revolutionized the cancer field. However, the limited response of tumors to immunotherapy is a major obstacle. Tumor immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a death mode of tumor cells that can promote tumor immunity. ICD can induce strong antitumor immune responses through the ectopic exposure of calreticulin on the plasma membrane surface and the release of the non-histone nuclear protein high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), ATP, and interferon (IFN), thus activating an adaptive immune response against dead cell-associated antigens and enhancing the therapeutic effect of tumor immunotherapy. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, photothermal therapy, magneto-thermodynamics therapy, nanopulse stimulation, and oncolytic virus therapy can all induce a strong antitumor immune response by ICD. In addition, the application of nanotechnology can precisely target drug delivery and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. Here we introduce the basic concepts and molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of ICD. Then, we summarize and discuss the progress in the application of nanotechnology in immunotherapy to promote ICD. Finally, we attempt to define the challenges and future directions in this area to extend the benefits of ICD to a broader patient population.
Nowadays, there are still many challenges to skin regeneration. As a new type of skin substitute, hydrogel has emerging gradually with its excellent properties. However, it is still a challenge to combine with biological active agents to facilitate skin regeneration. Under the circumstance, we synthesized arginine-based poly(ester amide) (Arg-PEA) and hyaluronic acid (HA-MA), and combined them into new hybrid hydrogels via photo-crosslinking. We found that the internal structure and physicochemical properties of hybrid hydrogels were greatly improved with the increase of content of Arg-PEA. Therefore, we designed hybrid hydrogels with 5 wt% and 10 wt% of Arg-PEA content, respectively. Besides, we selected the corresponding anti-inflammatory (CRP, TNF-α) indicators to detect the anti-inflammatory properties of the hybrid hydrogels at the protein level, and the corresponding antioxidant indicators (SOD, GSH/GSSG, MDA) were selected to investigate the antioxidant properties of hybrid hydrogels at the cellular level in vitro. In addition, we also selected relevant genes to test the effect of hybrid hydrogels on fibrosis and vascularization in the process of skin wound healing in vitro and verified them in vivo with a mouse dorsum wound model. The results confirmed that Arg-PEA/HA-MA (AH) hybrid hydrogel was a prospective scaffold material for skin regeneration.
The intrinsic hypoxic tumor microenvironment and limited accumulation of photosensitizers (PSs) result in unsatisfied efficiency of photodynamic therapy (PDT). To enhance the PDT efficiency against solid tumors, a functional oxygen self-supplying and PS-delivering nanosystem is fabricated via the combination of catalase (CAT), chlorin e6 (Ce6) and metal-phenolic network (MPN) capsule. It is demonstrated that the CAT encapsulated in the capsules (named CCM capsules) could catalyze the degradation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to produce molecular oxygen (O2), which could be converted into cytotoxicity reactive oxygen species (ROS) by surface-loaded Ce6 under 660 nm laser irradiation, leading to synergistic anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the application of CCM capsule could be a promising strategy to improve PDT effectiveness.
Novel aggregation-induced charge transfer (CT) emission systems with long luminescence lifetime directed by supramolecular strategy have been successfully developed in water. The dimethylacridine-based electron donor (BrAc) with excellent aggregation ability can co-aggregate with a triazine-based electron acceptor (TRZ) to form nanorods in water, which exhibit CT emission with long lifetime (τ = 0.92 µs). As for a similar electron donor (QaAc) with poor aggregation ability, water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5) can be introduced to promote the aggregation process, leading to the obvious CT emission with long lifetime (τ = 0.61 µs). In addition, structural modification of the acceptor with substituent groups possessing stronger electron-accepting capabilities will cause red-shift (about 50 nm) of the emission, which allows conveniently constructing long lifetime organic luminescent materials with different emission colors.
To reduce greenhouse gas emission from oil and gas production, it is essential to better convert methane to useful chemicals (rather) than to flare it. Conversion of methane to liquid oxygenates (mainly methanol) has attracted extensive attention and countless efforts have been made; however, running this reaction in a green, efficient, and practical way has remained elusive. The novel catalyst and oxidants play a critical role in activating methane and converting it to oxygenates (methanol). In this review, the work of commonly used oxidants for methane partial oxidation have been summarized, in which, earth abundant oxidants, O2 and H2O are promising. Moreover, H2 or CO can activate O2 to produce H2O2 that catalyzes methane partial oxidation more efficiently and selectively than O2 or H2O. Therefore, the work of using reducing agent, such as CO and H2 have been reviewed, focusing on rational catalyst design that features multifunction (H2O2 production and CH4 activation). The novel catalyst design has advanced this reaction towards practicality with green oxidants and H2 using zeolites-based catalyst. Environmentally friendly zeolite preparation methods and novel two-dimensional (2D) zeolites that can reduce waste, improve synthesis and catalytical performance substantially are also reviewed in this work to provide insights for a more comprehensive approach to meet the environment protection needs.
As a new type of carbon-based fluorescent nanomaterials, carbon dots (CDs) are provided with the advantages of small size, excellent photoluminescence (PL) property, easy surface modification, robust stability, good water solubility and biocompatibility, which endow them with great potential in sensing. In this review, we first describe the preparation of CDs from different starting materials via various techniques, and pre-/post-modification strategies to modulate their PL properties. Second, we outline the optical properties of CDs, including UV-vis absorption and PL, especially the PL mechanisms of CDs are presented in detail from the size effect, molecular state, surface state and defect state. Third, we summarize the research progress of CDs in sensing environmental pollutants, bioactive substances, biological microenvironments, bacteria and viruses via different mechanisms. In addition, we envision the future development trends and prospects for CDs-based nanosensors. We believe that this type of small nanoparticles will bring about big prospect in the near future.
Atherosclerosis (AS), mainly caused by the changed immune system functions and inflammation, is the central pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of death in the world. In modern medicine, the development of carriers precisely delivering the therapeutic agents to the target sites is the primary goal, which could minimize the potential adverse effects and be more effective in treating lesions. Due to the precise location, real-time monitoring, AS microenvironment response, and low toxicity, stimuli-responsive nano-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs) have been a promising approach in AS treatments. Herein, we will systematically summarize the recent advances in stimuli-responsive NDDSs for AS treatment, including internal stimuli (reactive oxygen species, enzyme, shear stress, and pH) and external stimuli (light, ultrasound, and magnetism) responsive NDDSs. Besides, we will also summarize in detail the classification of stimuli-responsive NDDSs for AS, such as organic NDDSs (e.g., lipid-based and polymer-based nanomaterials), inorganic NDDSs (e.g., metal-based nanoparticles and nonmetallic nanomaterials), and composite multifunctional NDDSs. Finally, the critical challenges and prospects of this field will also be proposed and discussed.
Dansylamide (DNSA) is a typical ICT probe that has a favorable serum albumin sensitivity. Inspired by this, we designed a microenvironment sensitive fluorescent probe 4C-G through introducing DNSA into pillar[5]arene. Unlike DNSA, 4C-G displayed differentiated sensitivity to multiple proteins, which was benefit from pillar[5]arene assisted the probe to form complexes with proteins. 4C-G could not only be applied in imaging of HepG2, but also act as a favorable drug carrier for regorafenib (REG) encapsulation. The 4C-G-REG complex would aggregate into high drug-loading fluorescent nanoparticles in a physiological environment (pH 7.4). Such nanoparticles exhibited pH-triggered enrichment ability, which rapidly enriched REG in the acidic environment (pH 6.0). Furthermore, the complexation between 4C-G and REG maintained the imaging property of the probe and the excellent anticancer activity of the drug on HepG2.
Living single-cell analysis is vital for cell biology, disease pathology, drug discovery and medical treatment. It is of great significance to reveal the law of creature and to explore the mechanism of serious disease. The conventional single cell analysis focuses on a large number of cells or cell lysis, in order to obtain the average information about cells. Therefore, it fails to analyze the real-time and continuous data of differences between the individual cells, thus limiting the development of many fields, such as biomedical. Nanofluidics based biochemical analysis exhibits advantages over conventional methods in terms of small sample volume, rapid turnaround time, straightforward operation, and efficient processing, which has been widely used in complex operations such as single cell capture, separation and single cell detection. Here we review the recent developments of nanofluidic technologies for single-cell analysis, with emphasis on cell trapping, treatment, and biochemical studies. The potential of nanofluidics-based single-cell analysis is discussed.
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