Blending Low-Frequency Vibrations and Push-Pull Effects Affords Superior Photoacoustic Imaging Agents.

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), a state-of-the-art noninvasive in vivo imaging technique, has been widely used in clinical disease diagnosis. However, the design of high-performance PAI agents with three key characteristics, i.e., near-infrared (NIR) absorption (λabs >800 nm), intense PA signals, and excellent photostability, remains a challenging goal. Herein, we present a facile but effective approach for engineering PAI agents by amplifying intramolecular low-frequency vibrations and enhancing the push-pull effect. As a demonstration of this blended approach, we constructed a PAI agent (BDP1-NEt2 ) based on the boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) scaffold. Compared with indocyanine green (ICG, an FDA-approved organic dye widely utilized in PAI studies; λabs =788 nm), BDP1-NEt2 exhibited a UV/Vis-NIR spectrum peaked at 825 nm, superior in vivo PA signal intensity and outstanding stability to offer improved tumor diagnostics. We believe this work provides a promising strategy to develop the next generation of PAI agents.

The relationship between faculty interactions, sense of belonging, and academic stress: a comparative study of the post-COVID-19 college life of Korean and international graduate students in South Korea.

Objective: Rapid changes in post-COVID-19 higher education have increased students' academic stress. This study focused on graduate students' academic stress in South Korea and compared the results for Korean graduate students and those for international graduate students. Method: Using the online survey results, the study verified the relationships between faculty interactions, a sense of belonging, and academic stress among Korean and international graduate students using a mediating effects analysis and a multigroup path analysis. Results: The results were as follows. First, Korean students experienced greater academic stress, faculty interactions, and a sense of belonging, but no statistically significant difference was observed. Second, a sense of belonging had a mediating effect on the relationship between faculty interactions and academic stress. Unlike in previous studies, all paths were found to be statistically significant. Faculty interactions had a negative effect on academic stress and a positive effect on a sense of belonging. A sense of belonging had a negative effect on academic stress. Third, the comparison of Korean and international graduate students showed that international students had a greater effect of faculty interactions on academic stress. Conclusion: Through these results, we explored the post-COVID-19 academic lives of Korean and international graduate students in South Korea and built grounds for effective interventions for alleviating academic stress.

Stimuli-responsive ferroptosis for cancer therapy.

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed cell death mechanism, is regulated by distinct molecular pathways of lipid peroxidation caused by intracellular iron supplementation and glutathione (GSH) synthesis inhibition. It has attracted a great deal of attention as a viable alternative to typical apoptosis-based cancer therapy that exhibits drug resistance. For efficient therapeutic utilization of such a unique and desirable mechanism, precise control using various stimuli to activate the administered nanocarriers is essential. Specific conditions in the tumor microenvironment (e.g., acidic pH, high level of ROS and GSH, hypoxia, etc.) can be exploited as endogenous stimuli to ensure high specificity of the tumor site. Maximized spatiotemporal controllability can be assured by utilizing external energy sources (e.g., magnetic fields, ultrasound, microwaves, light, etc.) as exogenous stimuli that can provide on-demand remote controllability for customized deep tumor therapy with a low inter-patient variation. Strikingly, the utilization of dual endogenous and/or exogenous stimuli provides a new direction for efficient cancer therapy. This review highlights recent advances in the utilization of various endogenous and exogenous stimuli to activate the reactions of nanocarriers for ferroptosis-based cancer therapy that can inspire the field of cancer therapy, particularly for the treatment of intractable tumors.

Photon-Controlled Pyroptosis Activation (PhotoPyro): An Emerging Trigger for Antitumor Immune Response.

Pyroptosis refers to the process of gasdermin-mediated lytic programmed cell death (PCD) characterized by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our knowledge of pyroptosis has expanded beyond the cellular level and now includes extracellular responses. In recent years, pyroptosis has attracted considerable attention due to its potential to induce host immunity. For instance, at the 2022 International Medicinal Chemistry of Natural Active Ligand Metal-Based Drugs (MCNALMD) conference, numerous researchers demonstrated an interest in photon-controlled pyroptosis activation ("PhotoPyro"), an emerging pyroptosis-engineered approach for activating systemic immunity via photoirradiation. Given this enthusiasm, we share in this Perspective our views on this emerging area and expound on how and why "PhotoPyro" could trigger antitumor immunity (i.e., turning so-called "cold" tumors "hot"). In doing so, we have tried to highlight cutting-edge breakthroughs in PhotoPyro while suggesting areas for future contributions. By providing insights into the current state of the art and serving as a resource for individuals interested in working in this area, it is hoped that this Perspective will set the stage for PhotoPyro to evolve into a broadly applicable cancer treatment strategy.

Photoswitchable Microgels for Dynamic Macrophage Modulation.

Dynamic manipulation of supramolecular self-assembled structures is achieved irreversibly or under non-physiological conditions, thereby limiting their biomedical, environmental, and catalysis applicability. In this study, microgels composed of azobenzene derivatives stacked via π-cation and π-π interactions are developed that are electrostatically stabilized with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-bearing anionic polymers. Lateral swelling of RGD-bearing microgels occurs via cis-azobenzene formation mediated by near-infrared-light-upconverted ultraviolet light, which disrupts intermolecular interactions on the visible-light-absorbing upconversion-nanoparticle-coated materials. Real-time imaging and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate the deswelling of RGD-bearing microgels via visible-light-mediated trans-azobenzene formation. Near-infrared light can induce in situ swelling of RGD-bearing microgels to increase RGD availability and trigger release of loaded interleukin-4, which facilitates the adhesion structure assembly linked with pro-regenerative polarization of host macrophages. In contrast, visible light can induce deswelling of RGD-bearing microgels to decrease RGD availability that suppresses macrophage adhesion that yields pro-inflammatory polarization. These microgels exhibit high stability and non-toxicity. Versatile use of ligands and protein delivery can offer cytocompatible and photoswitchable manipulability of diverse host cells.

Cancer therapeutics based on diverse energy sources.

Light-based phototherapy has been developed for cancer treatment owing to its non-invasiveness and spatiotemporal control. Despite the unique merits of phototherapy, one critical disadvantage of light is its limited penetration depth, which restricts its application in cancer treatment. Although many researchers have developed various strategies to deliver light into deep-seated tumors with two-photon and near-infrared light irradiation, phototherapy encounters the peculiar limitations of light. In addition, high oxygen dependency is another limitation of photodynamic therapy to treat hypoxic tumors. To overcome the drawbacks of conventional treatments, various energy sources have been developed for cancer treatment. Generally, most energy sources, such as ultrasound, chemiluminescence, radiation, microwave, electricity, and magnetic field, are relatively free from the restraint of penetration depth. Combining other strategies or therapies with other energy-source-based therapies improves the strength and compensates for the weakness. This tutorial review focuses on recent advances in the diverse energy sources utilized in cancer treatment and their future perspectives.

Photoredox catalysis may be a general mechanism in photodynamic therapy.

Elucidating the underlying photochemical mechanisms of action (MoA) of photodynamic therapy (PDT) may allow its efficacy to be improved and could set the stage for the development of new classes of PDT photosensitizers. Here, we provide evidence that "photoredox catalysis in cells," wherein key electron transport pathways are disrupted, could constitute a general MoA associated with PDT. Taking the cellular electron donor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as an example, we have found that well-known photosensitizers, such as Rose Bengal, BODIPY, phenoselenazinium, phthalocyanine, and porphyrin derivatives, are able to catalyze its conversion to NAD+. This MoA stands in contrast to conventional type I and type II photoactivation mechanisms involving electron and energy transfer, respectively. A newly designed molecular targeting photocatalyst (termed CatER) was designed to test the utility of this mechanism-based approach to photosensitizer development. Photoexcitation of CatER induces cell pyroptosis via the caspase 3/GSDME pathway. Specific epidermal growth factor receptor positive cancer cell recognition, high signal-to-background ratio tumor imaging (SBRTI = 12.2), and good tumor growth inhibition (TGI = 77.1%) are all hallmarks of CatER. CatER thus constitutes an effective near-infrared pyroptotic cell death photo-inducer. We believe the present results will provide the foundation for the synthesis of yet-improved phototherapeutic agents that incorporate photocatalytic chemistry into their molecular design.

NIR-II bioimaging of small molecule fluorophores: From basic research to clinical applications.

Due to the low autofluorescence and deep-photo penetration, the second near-infrared region fluorescence imaging technology (NIR-II, 1000-2000 nm) has been widely utilized in basic scientific research and preclinical practice throughout the past decade. The most attractive candidates for clinical translation are organic NIR-II fluorophores with a small-molecule framework, owing to their low toxicity, high synthetic repeatability, and simplicity of chemical modification. In order to enhance the translation of small molecule applications in NIR-II bioimaging, NIR-II fluorescence imaging technology has evolved from its usage in cells to the diagnosis of diseases in large animals and even humans. Although several examples of NIR-II fluorescence imaging have been used in preclinical studies, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed before they can finally be used in clinical settings. In this paper, we reviewed the evolution of the chemical structures and photophysical properties of small-molecule fluorophores, with an emphasis on their biomedical applications ranging from small animals to humans. We also explored the potential of small-molecule fluorophores.

Immunosonodynamic Therapy Designed with Activatable Sonosensitizer and Immune Stimulant Imiquimod.

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has garnered extensive attention as a noninvasive treatment for deep tumors. Furthermore, imiquimod (R837), an FDA-approved toll-like receptor 7 agonist, is commonly used in clinical settings as an immune adjuvant. We prepared an activatable sonodynamic sensitizer platform (MR) based on glutathione-sensitive disulfide bonds linking Leu-MB, the reduced form of methylene blue (MB), and R837 to achieve efficient combinatory SDT and immunotherapy for tumors without harming normal tissues. We also used the amphiphilic polymer C18PMH-PEG to create self-assembled MB-R837-PEG (MRP) nanoparticles for immunosonodynamic therapy (iSDT). iSDT is a cancer treatment that combines activatable SDT and immunotherapy. Our iSDT demonstrated an excellent sonodynamic effect only at the tumor site, demonstrating high specificity in killing tumor cells when compared to SDT reported in the literature. The iSDT improves its tumor-killing effect by inducing an immune response, which is accomplished by secreted immune adjuvants in the tumor site. MRP was selectively activated by glutathione in the tumor microenvironment to release MB and R837, exhibiting excellent antitumor sonodynamic and immune responses. In addition, when combined with an α-PD-L1 antibody for immune checkpoint blockade, this therapy effectively inhibited tumor metastasis. Furthermore, mice treated with iSDT and α-PD-L1 antibody did not develop tumors even after tumor reinoculation, indicating that long-term immune memory was achieved. The concept of sonodynamic sensitizer preparation as a next-generation iSDT based on a noninvasive synergistic therapeutic modality applicable in the near future is presented in this study.

Mitochondrial targeted AIEgen phototheranostics for bypassing immune barrier via encumbering mitochondria functions.

Photodynamic therapy combined with immunogenic cell death has been proposed to overcome the unsolvable problems of single therapy, such as high levels of tumor recurrence and treatment resistance of tumors. Previous works on this theme have mostly concentrated on endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stressed damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), ignoring the secretion and function of mitochondria-related DAMPs. Herein, our work reports two intersystem crossing photosensitizers based on well-designed multiarylpyrrole structures and draws valuable attention to mitochondria-related DAMP-TFAM (mitochondrial transcription factor) when cancer cells are under forceful oxidative stress. The tumors vanished, and immunogenic experiments were applied to illuminate the advantages of double treatment. Our discovery of new mitochondria-related DAMPs compensates for the lack of ER-stressed DAMPs and offers an innovative target for immunity therapy.

Nanoscale porous organic polymers for drug delivery and advanced cancer theranostics.

Finding a personalized nano theranostics solution, a nanomedicine for cancer diagnosis and therapy, is among the top challenges of current medicinal science. Porous organic polymers (POPs) are permanent porous organic materials prepared by linking relatively rigid multidimensional organic building blocks. POP nanoparticles have a remarkable advantage for cancer theranostics owing to their specific physicochemical characteristics such as high surface area, convincing pore size engineering, stimuli-responsive degradability, negligible toxicity, open covalent post-synthesis modification possibilities etc. POPs have crystalline and non-crystalline characteristics; crystalline POPs are popularly known as covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and have shown potential application across research areas in science. The early research and development on theranostics applications of nanoscale POPs has shown tremendous future potential for clinical translation. This tutorial review highlights the recently developed promising applications of nPOPs in drug loading, targeted delivery, endogenous and exogenous stimuli-responsive release, cancer imaging and combination therapy, regardless of their crystalline and poorly crystalline properties. The review will provide a platform for the future development and clinical translation of nPOPs by solving fundamental challenges of cancer nanomedicines in drug loading efficiency, size-optimization, biocompatibility, dispersibility and cell uptake ability.

Pnictogens in medicinal chemistry: evolution from erstwhile drugs to emerging layered photonic nanomedicine.

Pnictogens (the non-metal phosphorus, metalloids arsenic and antimony, and metal bismuth) possess diverse chemical characteristics that support the formation of extended molecular structures. As witnessed by the centuries-old (and ongoing) clinical utilities, pnictogen-based compounds have secured their places in history as "magic bullet" therapeutic drugs in medicinal contexts. Moreover, with the development of recent metalloproteomics and bio-coordination chemistry, the pnictogen-based drugs functionally binding to proteins/enzymes in biological systems have been underlaid for "drug repurposing" with promising opportunities. Furthermore, advances in the modern materials science and nonotechnology have stimulated a revolution in other newly discovered forms of pnictogens-phosphorene, arsenene, antimonene, and bismuthine (layered pnictogens). Based on their favorable optoelectronic properties, layered pnictogens have shown dramatic superiority as emerging photonic nanomedicines for the treatment of various diseases. This tutorial review outlines the history and mechanism of action of ancient pnictogen-based drugs (e.g., arsenical compounds in traditional Chinese medicine) and their repurposing into modern therapeutics. Then, the revolutionary use of emerging layered pnictogens as photonic nanomedicines, alongside assessments of their in vivo biosafety, is discussed. Finally, the challenges to further development of pnictogens are set forth and insights for further exploration of their appealing properties are offered. This tutorial review may also provide some deep insights into the fields of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicines from the perspective of materials science and nanotechnology.

Fluorescent Diagnostic Probes in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating disorders that feature progressive and selective loss of function or structure of anatomically or physiologically associated neuronal systems. Both chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases are associated with high morbidity and mortality along with the death of neurons in different areas of the brain; moreover, there are few or no effective curative therapy options for treating these disorders. There is an urgent need to diagnose neurodegenerative disease as early as possible, and to distinguish between different disorders with overlapping symptoms that will help to decide the best clinical treatment. Recently, in neurodegenerative disease research, fluorescent-probe-mediated biomarker visualization techniques have been gaining increasing attention for the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. A survey of fluorescent probes for sensing and imaging biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases is provided. These imaging probes are categorized based on the different potential biomarkers of various neurodegenerative diseases, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Guides to develop new sensing strategies, recognition mechanisms, as well as the ideal features to further improve neurodegenerative disease fluorescence imaging are also explored.

Multifunctional sonosensitizers in sonodynamic cancer therapy.

Phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy, has the potential to treat several types of cancer. However, to be an effective anticancer treatment, it has to overcome limitations, such as low penetration depth, low target specificity, and resistance conferred by the local tumor microenvironment. As a non-invasive technique, low-intensity ultrasound has been widely used in clinical diagnosis as it exhibits deeper penetration into the body compared to light. Recently, sonodynamic therapy (SDT), a combination of low-intensity ultrasound with a chemotherapeutic agent (sonosensitizer), has been explored as a promising alternative for cancer therapy. As all known cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, immunotherapy, and drug delivery have been advanced independently enough to complement others substantially, the combination of these therapeutic modalities with SDT is opportune. This review article highlights the recent advances in SDT in terms of sonosensitizers and their formulations and anticancer therapeutic efficacy. Also discussed is the potential of SDT in combination with other modalities to address unmet needs in precision medicine.

Nanomolar detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) using a nanostructured fluorescent chemosensing ensemble.

We report a novel nanostructured chemosensing ensemble PyNp-C13/UD, obtained by self-assembling uranine dye (UD) and an amphiphilic pyridinium salt PyNp-C13. The ensemble was developed for the fluorescence turn-on sensing of ATP in aqueous solutions and inside living cells. The assembly operates via an indicator displacement assay (IDA) method with an ultra-low detection limit of 6.8 nM.

Hg2+-Promoted Spirolactam Hydrolysis Reaction: A Design Strategy for the Highly Selective Sensing of Hg2+ over other Metal Ions in Aqueous Media.

A mercury sensor (N-(rhodamine-6G)lactam-ethylenediamine-4-dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde-RLED) based on the Hg2+-promoted hydrolysis reaction has been designed and developed with a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental investigations. The interaction between RLED and Hg2+ goes through a fast-initial stage with formation of a 1:1 complex, followed by a slow hydrolysis process. The formation of durable intermediate complexes is due to quite a long hydrolysis reaction time. As a result, RLED can selectively detect Hg2+ in the presence of other metal ions, with a detection limit of 0.08 µM for the colorimetric method, and of 0.008 µM with the fluorescent method. In addition, the RLED sensor can work in a solution with a small amount of organic solvent, with a wide pH range from 5 to 10. The time-dependent density functional theory has been used for investigations of the excitation and de-excitation processes in RLED, intermediate complexes, and reaction products, thereby clarifying the changes in the fluorescence intensity before and after the RLED interacts with Hg2+ ions.

Chemiluminescent Probe for the In†Vitro and In†Vivo Imaging of Cancers Over-Expressing NQO1.

Activatable (turn-on) probes that permit the rapid, sensitive, selective, and accurate identification of cancer-associated biomarkers can help drive advances in cancer research. Herein, a NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1)-specific chemiluminescent probe 1 is reported that allows the differentiation between cancer subtypes. Probe 1 incorporates an NQO1-specific trimethyl-locked quinone trigger moiety covalently tethered to a phenoxy-dioxetane moiety through a para-aminobenzyl alcohol linker. Bio-reduction of the quinone to the corresponding hydroquinone results in a chemiluminescent signal. As inferred from a combination of in vitro cell culture analyses and in vivo mice studies, the probe is safe, cell permeable, and capable of producing a "turn-on" luminescence response in an NQO1-positive A549 lung cancer model. On this basis, probe 1 can be used to identify cancerous cells and tissues characterized by elevated NQO1 levels.

Fluorogenic reaction-based prodrug conjugates as targeted cancer theranostics.

Theranostic systems are receiving ever-increasing attention due to their potential therapeutic utility, imaging enhancement capability, and promise for advancing the field of personalized medicine, particularly as it relates to the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer. In this Tutorial Review, we provide an introduction to the concepts of theranostic drug delivery effected via use of conjugates that are able to target cancer cells selectively, provide cytotoxic chemotherapeutics, and produce readily monitored imaging signals in vitro and in vivo. The underlying design concepts, requiring the synthesis of conjugates composed of imaging reporters, masked chemotherapeutic drugs, cleavable linkers, and cancer targeting ligands, are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on highlighting the potential benefits of fluorogenic reaction-based targeted systems that are activated for both imaging and therapy by cellular entities, e.g., thiols, reactive oxygen species and enzymes, which are present at relatively elevated levels in tumour environments, physiological characteristics of cancer, e.g., hypoxia and acidic pH. Also discussed are systems activated by an external stimulus, such as light. The work summarized in this Tutorial Review will help define the role fluorogenic reaction-based, cancer-targeting theranostics may have in advancing drug discovery efforts, as well as improving our understanding of cellular uptake and drug release mechanisms.