Branched glycopolymer prodrug-derived nanoassembly combined with a STING agonist activates an immuno-supportive status to boost anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy

Despite the great potential of anti-PD-L1 antibodies for immunotherapy,their low response rate due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has hampered their application.To address this issue,we constructed a cell membrane-coated nanosystem(mB4S)to reverse an immunosuppressive microenvironment to an immuno-supportive one for strengthening the anti-tumor effect.In this system,Epirubicin(EPI)as an immunogenic cell death(ICD)inducer was coupled to a branched glycopolymer via hydrazone bonds and diABZI as a stimulator of interferon genes(STING)agonist was encapsulated into mB4S.After internalization of mB4S,EPI was acidic-responsively released to induce ICD,which was characterized by an increased level of calreticulin(CRT)exposure and enhanced ATP secretion.Meanwhile,diABZI effectively activated the STING pathway.Treatment with mB4S in combination with an anti-PD-L1 antibody elicited potent immune responses by increasing the ratio of matured dendritic cells(DCs)and CD8+T cells,promoting cytokines secretion,up-regulating M1-like tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)and down-regulating immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs).Therefore,this nanosystem for co-delivery of an ICD inducer and a STING agonist achieved promotion of DCs maturation and CD8+T cells infiltration,creating an immuno-supportive microenvironment,thus potentiating the therapy effect of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in both 4T1 breast and CT26 colon tumor mice.

Nucleic acid nanoassembly-enhanced RNA therapeutics and diagnosis

RNAs are involved in the crucial processes of disease progression and have emerged as powerful therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers.However,efficient delivery of therapeutic RNA to the targeted location and precise detection of RNA markers remains challenging.Recently,more and more attention has been paid to applying nucleic acid nanoassemblies in diagnosing and treating.Due to the flexibility and deformability of nucleic acids,the nanoassemblies could be fabricated with different shapes and structures.With hybridization,nucleic acid nanoassemblies,including DNA and RNA nanostructures,can be applied to enhance RNA therapeutics and diagnosis.This review briefly introduces the construction and properties of different nucleic acid nanoassemblies and their applications for RNA therapy and diagnosis and makes further prospects for their development.

Pure photosensitizer-driven nanoassembly with core-matched PEGylation for imaging-guided photodynamic therapy

Pure drug-assembled nanomedicines(PDANs)are currently under intensive investigation as promising nanoplatforms for cancer therapy.However,poor colloidal stability and less tumor-homing ability remain critical unresolved problems that impede their clinical translation.Herein,we report a core-matched nanoassembly of pyropheophorbide a(PPa)for photodynamic therapy(PDT).Pure PPa molecules are found to self-assemble into nanoparticles(NPs),and an amphiphilic PEG polymer(PPaPEG_(2K))is utilized to achieve core-matched PEGylating modification via the p-p stacking effect and hydrophobic interaction between the PPa core and the PPa-PEG_(2K) shell.Compared to PCL-PEG_(2K) with similar molecular weight,PPa-PEG_(2K) significantly increases the stability,prolongs the systemic circulation and improves the tumor-homing ability and ROS generation efficiency of PPa-nanoassembly.As a result,PPa/PPa-PEG_(2K) NPs exert potent antitumor activity in a 4T1 breast tumor-bearing BALB/c mouse xenograft model.Together,such a core-matched nanoassembly of pure photosensitizer provides a new strategy for the development of imaging-guided theragnostic nanomedicines.

Erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged carrier-free nanoassembly of FRET photosensitizer pairs with high therapeutic efficiency and high security for programmed cancer synergistic phototherapy

Phototherapy has been intensively investigated as a non-invasive cancer treatment option.However,its clinical translation is still impeded by unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy and severe phototoxicity.To achieve high therapeutic efficiency and high security,a nanoassembly of Forster Resonance Energy Transfer(FRET)photosensitizer pairs is developed on basis of dual-mode photosensitizer co-loading and photocaging strategy.For proof-of-concept,an erythrocyte-camouflaged FRET pair co-assembly of chlorine e6(Ce6,FRET donor)and 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide(DiR,FRET acceptor)is investigated for breast cancer treatment.Notably,Ce6 in the nanoassemby is quenched by DiR and could be unlocked for photodynamic therapy(PDT)only when DiR is photobleached by 808-nm laser.As a result,Ce6-caused phototoxicity could be well controlled.Under cascaded laser irradiation(808-660 nm),tumor-localizing temperature rise following laser irradiation on DiR not only induces tumor cell apoptosis but also facilitates the tumor penetration of NPs,relieves tumor hypoxia,and promotes the PDT efficacy of Ce6.Such FRET pair-based nanoassembly provides a new strategy for developing multimodal phototherapy nanomedicines with high efficiency and good security.

Precisely engineering a dual-drug cooperative nanoassembly for proteasome inhibition-potentiated photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) has been widely investigated for cancer therapy. The intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species(ROS)-damaged protein facilitates tumor cell apoptosis. However, there is growing evidence that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway(UPP) significantly impedes PDT by preventing the enrichment of ROS-damaged proteins in tumor cells. To tackle this challenge, we report a facile dual-drug nanoassembly based on the discovery of an interesting co-assembly of bortezomib(BTZ, a proteasome inhibitor) and pyropheophorbide a(PPa) for proteasome inhibition-mediated PDT sensitization.The precisely engineered nanoassembly with the optimal dose ratio of BTZ and PPa demonstrates multiple advantages, including simple fabrication, high drug co-loading efficiency, flexible dose adjustment,good colloidal stability, long systemic circulation, favorable tumor-specific accumulation, as well as significant enrichment of ROS-damaged proteins in tumor cells. As a result, the cooperative nanoassembly exhibits potent synergistic antitumor activity in vivo. This study provides a novel dual-drug engineering modality for multimodal cancer treatment.

Tumor acid microenvironment-activated self-targeting&splitting gold nanoassembly for tumor chemo-radiotherapy

Low accumulation and penetration of nanomedicines in tumor severely reduce therapeutic efficacy.Herein,a pH-responsive gold nanoassembly is designed to overcome these problems.Polyethylene glycol linked raltitrexed(RTX,target ligand and chemotherapy drug)and two tertiary amine molecules(1-(2-aminoethyl)pyrrolidine and N,N-dibutylethylenediamine)are modified on the surface of the 6-nm gold nanoparticles by lipoic acid to form gold nanoassembly defined as Au-NNP(RTX).The Au-NNP(RTX)nanoassembly could remain at about 160 nm at the blood circulation(pH 7.4),while split into 6-nm gold nanoparticles due to tertiary amine protonation at tumor extracellular pH(pH 6.8).This pH-responsive disassembly behavior endows Au-NNP(RTX)better tumor tissue permeability through the better diffusion brought by the size reduction.Meanwhile,after disassembly,more RTXs on the surface of gold nanoparticles are exposed from the shielded state of assembly along with 2.25-fold augment of cellular uptake capability.Most importantly,the results show that Au-NNP(RTX)possesses of high tumor accumulation and effective tumor penetration,thereby enhancing the tumor chemo-radiotherapy efficiency.

A non-lithographic plasma nanoassembly technology for polymeric nanodot and silicon nanopillar fabrication

In this work, we present plasma etching alone as a directed assembly method to both create the nanodot pattern on an etched polymeric (PMMA) film and transfer it to a silicon substrate for the fabrication of silicon nanopillars or cone-like nanostructuring. By using a shield to control sputtering from inside the plasma reactor, the size and shape of the resulting nanodots can be better controlled by varying plasma parameters as the bias power. The effect of the shield on inhibitor deposition on the etched surfaces was investigated by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) measurements. The fabrication of quasi-ordered PMMA nanodots of a diameter of 25 nm and period of 54 nm is demonstrated. Pattern transfer to the silicon substrate using the same plasma reactor was performed in two ways:(a) a mixed fluorine-fluorocarbon-oxygen nanoscale etch plasma process was employed to fabricate silicon nanopillars with a diameter of 25 nm and an aspect ratio of 5.6, which show the same periodicity as the nanodot pattern, and (b) high etch rate cryogenic plasma process was used for pattern transfer. The result is the nanostructuring of Si by high aspect ratio nanotip or nanocone-like features that show excellent antireflective properties.

Constructing boronate-bridged core-satellite gold nanoassembly and its application in high sensitive colorimetric detection of benzoyl peroxide residues in food matrices

Here,a new designed core/satellite gold nanoprobe was developed for detecting trace mount of benzoyl peroxide(BPO) based on its deboronation.This gold nanoassembly(the BE-Au NPs_(12/65)) wa s constructed via borate ester formation between large 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid(MPBA) modified Au NPs(the MPBAAu NPs_(65),as cores) and small dopamine modified AuNPs(the D PA-AuNPs_(12),as satellites).Particularly,upon addition of BPO,it would trigger the deboronation for the BE-AuNPs_(12/65) probes accompanying with distinct color changes from blue,purple to wine red,which implied the disassembly of the core/satellite nanostructure after the breakage of carbon to boron chemical bond.By measuring the absorbance ratio at 665 nm and 545 nm,quantification of BPO was achieved in the range of 10.0-100.0 nmol/L,which could also be easily observed by naked eyes.The nanoprobe utilized a boronate deprotection mechanism and the LSPR properties of Au NPs to provide high selectivity for detecting BPO over similar ROS/RNS with the limit of detection as low as 7.2 nmol/L.The practical applicability of this assay was verified through successful determining BPO in flour samples,which demonstrated its great potentials in food safety field.

Crystallographically-Oriented Nanoassembly by ZnS Tricrystals and Subsequent Three-Dimensional Epitaxy

Chemistry gives us the ability to manipulate atoms and molecules into nanometer and micrometer scale building blocks,while the science of crystallography is concerned with the spatial arrangement of atoms,ions,and molecules and thus the morphology and structures of materials.Complex three-dimensional ZnS nanostructures have been fabricated via step-by-step crystallographically-controlled chemical processes.Tricrystals of ZnS whiskers were prepared via a controlled thermal evaporation process,and then the tricrystals were thermally treated in an atmosphere formed by evaporating B N O precursors into N2/NH3 to afford BN-coated arrays of nanobranches.The ZnS nanobranches grew epitaxially on the ternary facets and extended in three[0001]directions forming ordered nanostructures.Meanwhile,the protecting insulating sheath of BN formed on the ZnS nanostructures confined the growth of the nanospines and enhanced their stability.The method may be extended to fabricate other semiconductor nanomaterials with novel structures.

Triboelectric nanogenerator based on electrodeposited Ag octahedral nano-assemblies

The tremendous potential of triboelectric generators-TENGs for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy places them as one of the most promising energy harvesting technologies. In this work, the fabrication of enhanced performance TENGs using Ag octahedron nano-assemblies on ITO as electrodes significantly increases the electric charge collection of the induced tribocharges. Thereby, nanostructured electrical contacts coated with Ag macroscale nano-assemblies with octahedral features were obtained by the electrodeposition technique on flexible PET/ITO substrates. Consequently, the nanostructured triboelectric generator-TENG exhibited 65 times more maximum output power, and almost 10 times more open circuit output voltage than that of a TENG with non-nanostructured contacts passing from μW to m W capabilities, which was attributed to the increment of intrinsic interface states due to a higher effective contact area in the former. Likewise, output performances of TENGs also displayed an asymptotic behavior on the output voltage as the operating frequency of the mechanical oscillations increased, which is attributed to a decrement in the internal impedance of the device with frequency. Furthermore, it is shown that the resulting electrical output power can successfully drive low power consumption electronic devices. On that account, the present research establishes a promising platform which contributes in an original way to the development of the TENGs technology.

Lipid-albumin nanoassemblies co-loaded with borneol and paclitaxel for intracellular drug delivery to C6 glioma cells with P-gp inhibition and its tumor targeting

Successful chemotherapy with paclitaxel(PTX)is impeded by multidrug resistance(MDR)in tumor cells.In this study,lipid-albumin nanoassemblies co-loaded with borneol and paclitaxel(BOR/PTX LANs)were prepared to circumvent MDR in C6 glioma cells.The physiochemical properties including particle size,encapsulation efficiency and morphology were evaluated in vitro.Quantitative and qualitative investigations of cellular uptake were carried out in C6 glioma cells.The cytotoxicity of the BOR/PTX LANs was determined by MTT assay.After that,the tumor targeting was also evaluated in C6 glioma bearing mice by in vivo imaging analysis.BOR/PTX LANs have a higher entrapment efficiency(90.4±1.2%),small particle size(107.5±3.2 nm),narrow distribution(P.I.=0.171±0.02).The cellular uptake of PTX was significantly increased by BOR/PTX LANs compared with paclitaxel loaded lipidalbumin nanoassemblies(PTX LANs)in quantitative research.The result was further confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy qualitatively.The cellular uptake was energy-,timeand concentration-dependent,and clathrin-and endosome/lysosome-associated pathways were involved.The BOR/PTX LANs displayed a higher cytotoxicity agaist C6 glioma cells in comparion with PTX LANs and Taxol.Moreover,the encapsulation of BOR in LANs obviously increased the accumulation of the drug in tumor tissues,demonstrating the tumor targeted ability of BOR/PTX LANs.These results indicated that BOR/PTX LANs could overcome MDR by combination of drug delivery systems and P-gp inhibition,and shown the potential for treatment of gliomas.

Amphiphilic small molecular mates match hydrophobic drugs to form nanoassemblies based on drug-mate strategy

Nanomedicine has made great progress in the targeted therapy of cancer. Here, we established a novel drug-mate strategy by studying the formulation of nanodrugs at the molecular level. In the drug-mate combination, the drug is a hydrophobic drug that is poorly soluble in water, and the mate is an amphiphilic small molecule (SMA) that has both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties. We proposed that the hydrophobic drug could co-assemble with a suitable SMA on a nanoscale without additive agents. The proof-ofconcept methodology and results were presented to support our hypothesis. We selected five hydrophobic drugs and more than ten amphiphilic small molecules to construct a library. Through molecular dynamic simulation and quantum chemistry computation,we speculated that the formation of nanoassemblies was related to the binding energy of the drug-mate, and the drug-mate interaction must overcome drug-drug interaction.Furthermore, the obtained SF/VECOONa nanoassemblieswas selected as a model, which had an ultra-high drug loading content (46%), improved pharmacokinetics, increased bioavailability, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. In summary, the drug-mate strategy is an essential resource to design exact SMA for many hydrophobic drugs and provides a reference for the design of a carrier-free drug delivery system.

Amorphous 3D pomegranate-like NiCoFe nanoassemblies derived by bi-component cyanogel reduction for outstanding oxygen evolution reaction

As a representative type of self-supported templates, cyano-bridged cyanogels provide ideal plateaus for synthesis of three-dimensional(3 D) nanostructures. Herein, 3 D pomegranate-like Fe-doped NiCo nanoassemblies(3 D PG-NiCoFe NAs) were synthesized via facile one-step bi-component cyanogel reduction with NaBH_4 as the reducing agent. Specifically, the influence of the incorporated Fe amount was carefully investigated by finely adjusting the feeding molar ratios of the Ni/Co/Fe atoms in the precursors.By virtue of the unique structure and enriched oxygen vacancies originated from well-modulated electronic structures, the 3 D PG-NiCoFe-211 NAs exhibited outstanding electrocatalytic performances for oxygen evolution reaction(OER) in alkaline solution, outperforming commercial RuO_2 catalyst. The current incorporation of foreign metal atom into host material provides some valuable insights into design and synthesis of metal-based nanocatalysts for constructing practical water splitting devices.

Fine-tuning the structure-tolerance-antitumor efficacy axis of prodrug nanoassemblies via branched aliphatic functionalization

Small-molecule prodrug nanoassemblies have emerged as efficient antitumor drug delivery systems.However,in the case of camptothecins-based prodrug nanoassemblies,linear aliphatic side chain modification often results in rod-shaped or irregularly shaped nanoassemblies,which are highly unfavorable for sterilization through filtration,and may cause capillary blockage upon intravenous injection.The rational design of camptothecins-based prodrug nanoassemblies remains a challenge.Herein,we propose that branched aliphatic alcohol(BAA)functionalization could fine-tune the structure-tolerance-antitumor efficacy axis of prodrug nanoassemblies.Correspondingly,four SN38-BAA prodrugs were synthesized by conjugating 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin(SN38)with BAAs of varying lengths via a tumor redox-responsive disulfide bond,which self-assemble into uniform spherical nanoparticles.The length of BAA was found to significant impact the multiple drug delivery process,including colloidal stability,drug release profiles and pharmacokinetics.Overall,SN38-C21 NPs(SN38-11-heneicosanol nanoparticles),featuring the longest BAA,showcased multiple therapeutic advantages,ultimately culminating the optimal antitumor efficacy and tolerance.The findings underscore the potential of BAA functionalization in strengthening the therapeutic outcomes of prodrug nanoassemblies,and provide valuable insights for developing translational camptothecins-based nanomedicines.

The effect of lengths of branched-chain fatty alcohols on the efficacy and safety of docetaxel-prodrug nanoassemblies

The self-assembly prodrugs are usually consisted of drug modules,activation modules,and assembly modules.Keeping the balance between efficacy and safety by selecting suitable modules remains a challenge for developing prodrug nanoassemblies.This study designed four docetaxel(DTX)prodrugs using disulfide bonds as activation modules and different lengths of branched-chain fatty alcohols as assembly modules(C_(16),C_(18),C_(20),and C_(24)).The lengths of the assembly modules determined the self-assembly ability of prodrugs and affected the activation modules’sensitivity.The extension of the carbon chains improved the prodrugs’self-assembly ability and pharmacokinetic behavior while reducing the cytotoxicity and increased cumulative toxicity.The use of C_(20) can balance efficacy and safety.These results provide a great reference for the rational design of prodrug nanoassemblies.

Ultrasmall,elementary and highly translational nanoparticle X-ray contrast media from amphiphilic iodinated statistical copolymers

To expand the single-dose duration over which noninvasive clinical and preclinical cancer imaging can be conducted with high sensitivity,and well-defined spatial and temporal resolutions,a facile strategy to prepare ultrasmall nanoparticulate X-ray contrast media(nano-XRCM)as dual-modality imaging agents for positron emission tomography(PET)and computed tomography(CT)has been established.Synthesized from controlled copolymerization of triiodobenzoyl ethyl acrylate and oligo(ethylene oxide)acrylate monomers,the amphiphilic statistical iodocopolymers(ICPs)could directly dissolve in water to afford thermodynamically stable solutions with high aqueous iodine concentrations(>140 mg iodine/mL water)and comparable viscosities to conventional small molecule XRCM.The formation of ultrasmall iodinated nanoparticles with hydrodynamic diameters of ca.10 nm in water was confirmed by dynamic and static light scattering techniques.In a breast cancer mouse model,in vivo biodistribution studies revealed that the64Cu-chelator-functionalized iodinated nano-XRCM exhibited extended blood residency and higher tumor accumulation compared to typical small molecule imaging agents.PET/CT imaging of tumor over 3 days showed good correlation between PET and CT signals,while CT imaging allowed continuous observation of tumor retention even after 10 days post-injection,enabling longitudinal monitoring of tumor retention for imaging or potentially therapeutic effect after a single administration of nano-XRCM.

Reactive oxygen species(ROS)-responsive size-reducible nanoassemblies for deeper atherosclerotic plaque penetration and enhanced macrophage-targeted drug delivery

Nanoparticle-based therapeutics represent potential strategies for treating atherosclerosis;however,the complex plaque microenvironment poses a barrier for nanoparticles to target the dysfunctional cells.Here,we report reactive oxygen species(ROS)-responsive and size-reducible nanoassemblies,formed by multivalent host-guest interactions betweenβ-cyclodextrins(β-CD)-anchored discoidal recombinant high-density lipoprotein(NP^(3)_(ST))and hyaluronic acid-ferrocene(HA-Fc)conjugates.The HA-Fc/NP^(3)_(ST)nanoassemblies have extended blood circulation time,specifically accumulate in atherosclerotic plaque mediated by the HA receptors CD44 highly expressed in injured endothelium,rapidly disassemble in response to excess ROS in the intimal and release smaller NP^(3)_(ST),allowing for further plaque penetration,macrophage-targeted cholesterol efflux and drug delivery.In vivo pharmacodynamicses in atherosclerotic mice shows that HA-Fc/NP^(3)_(ST)reduces plaque size by 53%,plaque lipid deposition by 63%,plaque macrophage content by 62%and local inflammatory factor level by 64%compared to the saline group.Meanwhile,HA-Fc/NP^(3)_(ST)alleviates systemic inflammation characterized by reduced serum inflammatory factor levels.Collectively,HA-Fc/NP^(3)_(ST)nanoassemblies with ROS-responsive and size-reducible properties exhibit a deeper penetration in atherosclerotic plaque and enhanced macrophage targeting ability,thus exerting effective cholesterol efflux and drug delivery for atherosclerosis therapy.

Tumor-responsive dynamic nanoassemblies for boosted photoimmunotherapy

Photoimmunotherapy(PIT)is an emerging therapeutic approach that integrates phototherapy and immunotherapy to eliminate primary tumors under an appropriate dosage of local light irradiation,while simultaneously preventing tumor metastasis and recurrence by activating the host antitumor immune response.Tumor-responsive dynamic nanoassemblies(TDNs)have evolved from being a mere curiosity to a promising platform for high-performance PIT.However,the dynamic nano-bio interaction between TDNs and tumor microenvironment remains poorly understood,which shall be critical for precise control of TDNs assembling/disassembling behavior and superior PIT efficacy.To deepen the understanding of the structure–function relationship of TDNs,this review introduces the rational design,nano-bio interactions,and controllable functionalities of cutting-edge TDNs for enhanced PIT.Moreover,the synergetic mechanism between TDNs-based PIT and immunomodulatory agents-mediated immunomodulation is particularly emphasized.Finally,the challenges and future perspectives in this emerging field are assessed.

Electrochemical detection of amino acids based on cucurbit[7]uril-mediated three-dimensional gold nanoassemblies

In this paper, cucurbit[7]uril(CB[7])-mediated three-dimensional gold nanoassemblies were successfully prepared to increase the loaded amount of CB[7] and enhance the electrochemical detection of amino acids. Particle sizes of gold nanoparticles(Au NPs) significantly affect stability and detection sensitivity of nanoassemblies. The volume of gold nanoassemblies first increased and then decreased with the increase of CB[7] concentration. The 3D gold nanoassemblies composed of 16 nm Au NPs and 100 μmol/L CB[7]had excellent stability and maximum volume, exhibiting more sensitive detection for a variety of amino acids. And the detection limits of aromatic amino acids are lower in virtue of the higher binding constant between aromatic amino acids and CB[7]. This study will develop and deepen our understanding of molecular recognition in amino acids detection.

Intracellular aggregation of peptide-reprogrammed small molecule nanoassemblies enhances cancer chemotherapy and combinatorial immunotherapy

The intracellular retention of nanotherapeutics is essential for their therapeutic activity.The immobilization of nanotherapeutics inside target cell types can regulate various cell behaviors.However,strategies for the intracellular immobilization of nanoparticles are limited.Herein,a cisplatin prodrug was synthesized and utilized as a glutathione(GSH)-activated linker to induce aggregation of the cisplatin prodrug/IR820/docetaxel nanoassembly.The nanoassembly has been reprogrammed with peptidecontaining moieties for tumor-targeting and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade.The aggregation of the nanoassemblies is dependent on GSH concentration.Evaluations in vitro and in vivo revealed that GSH-induced intracellular aggregation of the nanoassemblies enhances therapeutic activity in primary tumors by enhancing the accumulation and prolonging the retention of the chemotherapeutics in the tumor site and inducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation and immunogenic cell death.Moreover,the nanoassemblies reinvigorate the immunocytes,especially the systemic immunocytes,and thereby alleviate pulmonary metastasis,even though the population of immunocytes in the primary tumor site is suppressed due to the enhanced accumulation of chemotherapeutics.This strategy provides a promising option for the intracellular immobilization of nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo.