Organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in vivo

In recent years,organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents including semiconducting polymer nanoparticles and small-molecule organic photothermal agents-encapsulated nanoparticles have attracted large attention from researchers in the biomedical field,owing to their excellent optical properties,good biocompatibility,easy processability,and flexible surface functionalization,as well as their combined functions of photoacoustic(PA)imaging and photothermal therapy(PTT).In this review,we summarize the recent advances in organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for in vivo PA imaging and PTT applications.In particular,we focus on the design strategies,which are composed of traditional approaches and emerging mechanisms,especially based on'intramolecular motion-induced photothermy'strategy to regulate the photophysical properties of organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for boosted in vivo PA imaging and PTT.

Endoplasmic reticulum targeted AIE bioprobe as a highly efficient inducer of immunogenic cell death

Focused oxidative stress of the specific organelles(e.g.,endoplasmic reticulum(ER)and mitochondrion)of cancer cells can boost the immunogenic cell death(ICD)effect for cancer immunotherapy.Herein,an ER-targeted bioprobe with aggregationinduced emission(AIE)characteristics(TPE-PR-FFKDEL)was rationally designed and synthesized by integrating a new AIE photosensitizer with ER targeting peptide,which has been demonstrated to be able to efficiently induce ER oxidative stress to evoke ICD.Compared with the photosensitizer hypericin that is well-known as an ER-targeted ICD inducer,TPE-PR-FFKDEL can lead to more robust emission of immunostimulatory damage-associated molecular patterns such as surface-exposed calreticulin,ATP secretion,and high-mobility group protein B1(HMGB1)and heat shock protein 70(HSP 70)expression.Furthermore,a range of immune responses are activated to protect mice from the attack of cancer cells in vivo.

高性能聚集诱导发光纳米探针用于肿瘤切除手术导航

远红/近红外(FR/NIR)发射荧光材料因其在生物成像领域的巨大应用潜力而受到广泛关注.然而,根据“能隙”规则,电子带隙减小时,非辐射失活途径占据能量耗散主导地位,因此制备高量子产率、长发射波长的有机FR/NIR材料仍然是一个挑战.本文通过引入扭曲构象基团(四苯基乙烯)对分子聚集态进行调控,合成了一系列基于苯并硒二唑的供体-受体-供体(D-A-D)型化合物.化合物TPE-DPA-Se在纳米粒子状态下表现出明亮的荧光发射,其量子产率可高达16.48%,证明其在水体系中仍具有良好的发射性能,适用于多个领域.本研究进一步证实了其优秀的细胞成像能力,并将其成功地应用于荧光成像引导的手术导航,特别是微小转移瘤的术中检测.

β-galactosidase responsive AIE fluorogene for identification and removal of senescent cancer cells

The selective identification and removal of senescent cells including senescent cancer cells are very important to prolong life and improve the treatment efficacy of cancer therapy.In this study,we integrated the high selectivity of enzyme-instructed selfassembly(EISA)and efficient reactive oxygen species(ROS)generating property of a novel luminogen with aggregationinduced emission(AIE)character to selectively identify and remove senescent He La(s-He La)cells.The s-He La cells expressed high levels ofβ-galactosidase(β-Gal),which led to the selective accumulation and formation of nanomaterials of Comp.1 in the cells.Upon white light irradiation,the nanomaterials efficiently produced ROS and therefore killed s-He La cells.Our study demonstrated a promising strategy to selectively remove senescent cells and improve the treatment efficacy of cancer therapy.

Ultrastable and colorful afterglow from organic luminophores in amorphous nanocomposites:Advanced anti-counterfeiting and in vivo imaging application

Special attention has been paid to the organic afterglow materials(OAM)for their fascinating properties.However,poor stability at air and complicated structure design hinder the development of OAM.Herein,sol-gel,a facile and simple technique,is employed to synthesize a series of organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposites(N1/SiO2,N2/SiO2,and N3/SiO2)by covalently linking three common aryl imides with crosslinked silica skeleton.These nanomaterials show excitation wavelength-dependent and colorful(yellow,red and green)afterglow of organic imides with long lifetime up to 1.1 s at air.Interestingly,the ultralong phosphorescence is ultrastable under various conditions:water,high temperature,UV irradiation and in vivo,due to the protection of inorganic silica.In particularly,heating to 500℃does not quench the afterglow of organic luminophore in nanocomposites,but forms new ultralong phosphorescence originated from space-conjugation of silica and carbonyl.The afterglow nanomaterials display huge advantages in the applications of advanced anti-counterfeiting and bioimaging.

Sonosensitized Aggregation-Induced Emission Dots with Capacities of Immunogenic Cell Death Induction and Multivalent Blocking of Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 for Amplified Antitumor Immunotherapy

The combination of immunogenic cell death(ICD)induction and immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a major direction of cancer immunotherapy.Among currently available ICD inducers,sonosensitizers that produce reactive oxygen species(ROS)under an external trigger to evoke ICD of tumor cells have shown great promise.However,a highly efficient sonosensitizer-based ICD inducer with an aggregationinduced emission(AIE)characteristic has yet to be developed.Herein,a novel AIE sonosensitizer with a twisted molecular structure,very small energy gap between the singlet and triplet excited states(ΔE_(ST)),and efficient ROS generation ability,which can serve as an effective ICD inducer,is reported for sonodynamic processes in cancer immunotherapy.Furthermore,an AIE sonosensitizer-based nanosystem with surface modification of anti-PD-L1 peptide is constructed for boosting antitumor immunotherapy.In this system,AIE sonosensitizer-mediated sonodynamic therapy can successfully convert a hypoimmunogenic cold tumor to a hot one and further facilitate the multivalent blocking of programed death ligand(PD-L1)by anti-PD-L1 peptides.Such an advanced nanosystem could effectively initiate the activation of antitumoral immune reactions and modulation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment,contributing to systemic antitumor effects to further inhibit the growth of distant tumors.