Latest ArticlesNowadays, the development of triplet-involved materials becomes a hot research topic in solid-state luminescence fields. However, the mechanism of triplet-involved emission still remains some mysteries to conquer. Here, we proposed a new concept of excited-state conformation capture for the constructions of different types of triplet-involved materials. Firstly, excited-state conformation could be trapped by supramolecular chains in crystal and form a new optimum excited-state structure which is different from that in solution or simple rigid environment, leading to bright thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emission. Based on excited-state conformation capture methodology, next, we obtained room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) by introducing Br atoms for the enhancement of intersystem crossing. It could be concluded from experimental results that TADF may originate from aggregate effect while RTP may derive from monomers. Finally, heavy-atom free RTP and ultra RTP were achieved by eliminating aggregate effect. This work could not only extend the design methodology of triplet-involved materials but also set clear evidences for the mechanism of triplet-involved emissions.
The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the emerging materials for organic pollutant removal have gradually become a burgeoning research field. Herein, a mini-review of CNTs-based materials currently studies for organic pollutant elimination is presented. This review summarizes the preparation methods of CNTs-based materials. CNTs-based materials can be used as adsorbents to remove organic pollutants in wastewater. The adsorption mechanisms mainly include surface diffusion, pore diffusion and adsorption reaction. Most importantly, an in-depth overview of CNTs-based materials currently available in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) applications for wastewater treatment is proposed. CNTs-based materials can catalyze different oxidants (e.g., hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), persulfates (PMS/PDS), ozone (O3) and ferrate/permanganate (Fe(VI)/Mn(VII)) to generate more reactive oxygen species (ROS) for organic pollutant elimination. Moreover, the possible reaction mechanisms of removing organic pollutants by CNTs-based materials are summarized systematically and discussed in detail. Finally, application potential and future research directions of CNTs-based materials in the environmental remediation field are proposed.
Despite of the promising achievements of immune checkpoints blockade therapy (ICB) in the clinic, which was often limited by low objective responses and severe side effects. Herein, we explored a synergistic strategy to combine in situ vaccination and gene-mediated anti-PD therapy, which was generated by unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) and pshPD-L1 gene co-delivery. PEI worked as the delivery carrier to co-deliver the CpG and pshPD-L1 genes, the formed PDC (PEI/DNA/CpG) nanoparticles were further shielded by aldehyde modified polyethylene glycol (OHC-PEG-CHO) via pH responsive Schiff base reaction for OHC-PEG-CHO-PEI/DNA/CpG nanoparticles (P(PDC) NPs) preparation. All steps could be finished within 30 min. Such simple nanoparticles achieved the synergistic antitumor efficacy in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice, and the amplified T cell responses, together with enhanced NK cells infiltration were observed after the combined treatments. In addition, the pH responsive delivery system reduced the side effects triggered by anti-PD therapy. The facile and effective combination strategy we presented here might provide a novel treatment for tumor inhibition.
Three sesquiterpene-based meroterpenoids psiguamers A–C (1–3) with new skeletons were isolated from Psidium guajava leaves. Compounds (±)-1 and (±)-2 were two pairs of humulene-derived meroterpenoids bearing a rare methylated benzoylphloroglucinol unit, while 3 was an unprecedented adduct of bicyclogermacrene and methylated benzoylphloroglucinol. Their structures were determined based on comprehensive analyses of spectroscopic data, calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, total synthesis, and X-ray crystallographic data. The biomimetic synthesis of (±)-1 and (±)-2 was achieved. Compound (+)-1 exhibited cytotoxic activities against five human tumor cell lines (HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, A549, and U251), with IC50 values of 2.94, 9.01, 6.45, 5.42, and 5.33 μmol/L, respectively.
Although the antitumor drug cabazitaxel shows great therapeutic potential, its high toxicity and poor water solubility limit its utility. However, the use of stimuli-responsive prodrugs is a promising strategy for overcoming these limitations. Herein, we report the synthesis of two highly water soluble, acid-sensitive PEGylated acyclic-ketal-linked cabazitaxel prodrugs (PKCs) with improved antitumor efficacy. In an acidic tumor microenvironment, the PKCs hydrolyzed rapidly to release the native drug, whereas they were stable in the normal physiological environment. Compared with cabazitaxel injection, the PKCs had much higher maximum tolerated doses; and in an MDA-MB-231 subcutaneous xenograft nude mouse model, the PKCs showed better antitumor efficacy and safety than cabazitaxel injection. The prodrug strategy reported herein could be useful for the development of other water soluble, acid-sensitive prodrugs with improved efficacy.
We constructed a reaction-based near-infrared fluorescent probe (Niap) to specifically identify alkaline phosphatase (ALP) with fast red fluorescence enhancement. Based on the positive concentration-dependent manner between the fluorescent intensity of the Niap and ALP, probe Niap was used to study the ALP enrichment and variation in golden apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata) exposed to the molluscicide candidate PPU06. After treatment with different concentrations of PPU06 over various times, three organs of the surviving snails, liver, stomach and plantaris, were frozen and sectioned for fluorescent imaging experiments. With increased PPU06 concentration, red fluorescence substantially increased in the liver and reached a maximum within 24 h when the PPU06 concentration was 0.75 mg/L. No obvious changes in the stomach or foot plantaris were found. It showed PPU06 caused liver injury and stimulated the increase of ALP in the liver of P. canaliculata. This study demonstrates a rapid ALP fluorescent identification method that can be used to study the effects of PPU06 on P. canaliculata. It also provides optical evidence that may aid in the discovery of new chemistry for snail control.
A convenient synthetic protocol for the hexasubstituted benzene derivatives was successfully developed by DABCO promoted domino reaction of arylidene malononitrile with two molecules of dialkyl but-2-ynedioates. The domino reaction resulted in tetraalkyl 6-cyano-[1, 1'-biphenyl]-2, 3, 4, 5-tetracarboxylates in good to high yields. This formal [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition was believed to proceed with sequential nucleophilic addition, Michael addition, annulation and aromatization processes.
The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are tightly associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Thus, the deep and visual insight of aberrant ROS fluctuations in the ER can help us better investigate the ER stress-associated pathology. In this work, a fluorescent probe ERC for HOCl detection in the ER based on phenothiazine-derived coumarin platform was developed. In the presence of HOCl, ERC exhibited an emission change from 609 nm to 503 nm within seconds. It also showed high sensitivity (0.44 μmol/L) and superb photostability. Significantly, ERC displayed low cytotoxicity, good cell membrane permeability, and appreciable ER-targetability. Ultimately, the probe was successfully utilized to image exogenous and endogenous HOCl in living cells and reveal the HOCl burst in cisplatin-treated cancer cells.
Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have been used in biomacromolecules detection. Herein, TPE-dC and TPE-dU acted as the nucleoside-based AIEgens sensors in the first case, which can be used to detect ctDNA and rRNA in vitro and light up the nucleus in vivo depending on the intermolecular binding affinity. This AIE process enables the quantitative analysis or visualization of nucleic acids in solution or gels state, respectively. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images of L929 cells stained with TPE-dC or TPE-dU clearly shows that nucleoside-based AIEgens bio-probes can pass the cell membranes to reach the cell nucleus, without cytotoxicity at the imaging condition (incubation time > 12 h, and 10 μmol/L of concentration). Since the nucleus is rich in DNA/RNA, fluorescence turn-on mode has a great potential in nucleus imaging and clinical diagnosis.
A pair of neolignan enantiomers with an unprecedented carbon skeleton, (+)-/(—)-angelignanine [(+)-/(—)-1], was isolated as minor components of an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root heads (guitou). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis and the absolute configurations were assigned by the circular dichroism (CD) exciton chirality method as well as electronic CD quantum calculations. The enantiomers represent the first 2, 7'-cyclo-8, 9'-neolignans, of which biosynthetic pathways originating from precursors ferulic acid and coniferyl alcohol is proposed. In an in vivo test, both the enantiomers showed significant hypnotic effects at a dose of 10 mg/kg (i.g.).
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