Blocking CTLA-4 promotes pressure overload-induced heart failure via activating Th17 cells.

Targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) with specific antibody offers long-term benefits for cancer immunotherapy but can cause severe adverse effects in the heart. This study aimed to investigate the role of anti-CTLA-4 antibody in pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was used to induce cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in mice. Two weeks after the TAC treatment, mice received anti-CTLA-4 antibody injection twice a week at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. The administration of anti-CTLA-4 antibody exacerbated TAC-induced decline in cardiac function, intensifying myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. Further investigation revealed that anti-CTLA-4 antibody significantly elevated systemic inflammatory factors levels and facilitated the differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in the peripheral blood of TAC-treated mice. Importantly, anti-CTLA-4 mediated differentiation of Th17 cells and hypertrophic phenotype in TAC mice were dramatically alleviated by the inhibition of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) by an anti-IL-17A antibody. Furthermore, the C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) antagonist AMD3100, also reversed anti-CTLA-4-mediated cardiotoxicity in TAC mice. Overall, these results suggest that the administration of anti-CTLA-4 antibody exacerbates pressure overload-induced heart failure by activating and promoting the differentiation of Th17 cells. Targeting the CXCR4/Th17/IL-17A axis could be a potential therapeutic strategy for mitigating immune checkpoint inhibitors-induced cardiotoxicity.

Unsymmetrical Benzothieno-Fused BODIPYs as Efficient NIR Heavy-Atom-Free Photosensitizers.

Heavy-atom-free photosensitizers are potentially suitable for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this contribution, a new family of unsymmetrical benzothieno-fused BODIPYs with reactive oxygen efficiency up to 50% in air-saturated toluene was reported. Their efficient intersystem crossing (ISC) resulted in the generation of both 1O2 and O2-• under irradiation. More importantly, the PDT efficacy of a respective 4-methoxystyryl-modified benzothieno-fused BODIPY in living cells exhibited an extremely high phototoxicity with an ultralow IC50 value of 2.78 nM. The results revealed that the incorporation of an electron-donating group at the α-position of the unsymmetrical benzothieno-fused BODIPY platform might be an effective approach for developing long-wavelength absorbing heavy-atom-free photosensitizers for precision cancer therapy.

Synthesis and Properties of Bright Red-to-NIR BODIPY Dyes for Targeting Fluorescence Imaging and Near-Infrared Photothermal Conversion.

An efficient synthesis of 3-pyrrolylBODIPY dyes has been developed from a rational mixture of various aromatic aldehydes and pyrrole in a straightforward condensation reaction, followed by in situ successively oxidative nucleophilic substitution using a one-pot strategy. These resultant 3-pyrrolylBODIPYs without blocking substituents not only exhibit the finely tunable photophysical properties induced by the flexible meso-aryl substituents but also serve as a valuable synthetic framework for further selective functionalization. As a proof of such potential, one 3-pyrrolylBODIPY dye (581/603 nm) through the installation of the morpholine group is applicable for lysosome-targeting imaging. Furthermore, an ethene-bridged 3,3'-dipyrrolylBODIPY dimer was constructed, which displayed a near-infrared (NIR) emission extended to 1200 nm with a large fluorescence brightness (2840 M-1 cm-1). The corresponding dimer nanoparticles (NPs) afforded a high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) value of 72.5%, eventually resulting in favorable photocytotoxicity (IC50 = 9.4 µM) and efficient in vitro eradication of HeLa cells under 808 nm laser irradiation, highlighting their potential application for photothermal therapy in the NIR window.

Solid-State Emissive meso-Aryl/Alkyl-Substituted and Heteroatom-Mixed BOPPY Dyes: Syntheses, Structures, Physicochemical, Redox Properties, and Computational Analysis.

A series of solid-state emissive meso-aryl/alkyl-substituted and heteroatom-mixed bisBF2-anchoring fluorophore incorporating pyrrolyl-pyridylhydrazone (BOPPY) dyes have been developed by a one-pot condensation of ketonized or formylated pyrroles and 2-heterocyclohydrazine as well as the subsequent borylation coordination. Interestingly, the BOPPY dyes with meso-alkyl-substituted groups or oxygen-substituted pyridine moieties exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields (QYs) of up to 79%, the highest solid QY of 74%, and long lifetimes independent of polarity in the available BOPPYs. On the other hand, the BOPPYs with meso-aryl or N-substituted moieties display a high solution QY of up to 93% and slight emission wavelength maxima. However, the S-substituted BOPPY dye exhibited weak fluorescence in all studied solvents, which was attributed to the structural flexibility of the N-C-S bond and different from those BOPPYs with O or N substitution, indicated by quantum calculations. And the significant excited-state structural rearrangement in a polar solvent is further confirmed by femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. More importantly, those novel and barely fluorescent BOPPYs in acetonitrile show advantageous aggregation-induced enhanced emission and viscosity-dependent activities. These advancements in the photophysical and electrochemical properties of BOPPY dyes offer valuable insights into their further development and potential applications.

Multicomponent Diversity-Oriented Access to Boronic-Acid-Derived Pyrrolide Salicyl-Hydrazone Fluorophores with Strong Solid-State Emission.

Fluorescent molecular platforms are highly sought after for their applications in biology and optoelectronics but face challenges with solid-state emission quenching. To address this, bulky substituents or aggregation-induced emission luminogens to restrict intramolecular motion are used to enhance the brightness. Here, we have successfully engineered a novel class of boron complexed pyrrolide salicyl-hydrazone fluorophores named BPSHY. These dyes were synthesized through a diversity-oriented condensation of pyrrole and salicylaldehyde derivatives combined with various aromatic boronic acids. The resulting 3D structures, owing to bulky boron axially substituted aryl groups, impart excellent solubility in a variety of solvents. Significantly, the BPSHY dyes exhibit strong absorption in the visible region and remarkably large Stokes shifts. Crucially, they demonstrate intense emission in aqueous solutions due to aggregation-induced emission effects. In solid-states, these dyes achieve high quantum yields, reaching up to 58%. Further expanding their utility, we developed two new BPSHY probes: one incorporating morpholine and another containing triphenylphosphine salt. Both of them are found to specifically label subcellular organelles such as lysosomes and mitochondria within live cells. Notably, these probes demonstrate exceptional staining efficacy and two-photon fluorescence feature. This highlights the considerable promise of BPSHY fluorophores for monitoring and visualizing the dynamic transformations of organelles.

Twisted Benzothieno-Fused BOPHY Dyes as Triplet Photosensitizers with Long-Lived Triplet Excited States.

The synthesis of a series of photostable [b]-benzothieno-fused BOPHY derivatives is reported via one-pot condensation of formylated isoindoles or formylindoles with hydrazine and subsequent boron complexation. These dyes show strong absorption in the deep red region and acceptable fluorescence quantum yields (∼30%). The two fused benzothiophene moieties are slightly deviated from the BOPHY core (with dihedral angles of 6.1 and 10.2°). This slightly twisted conformation brings an enhanced spin-orbit coupling and a reduced energy band gap between singlet and triplet states. The enhanced intersystem cross process endows these series of dyes with a good singlet oxygen quantum yield (up to 63%), a high triplet-state quantum yield (up to 78%), and a long lifetime value (up to 127 µs). Density functional theory calculations indicate that the transition from S1 to T2 states is crucial for triplet-state formation, highlighting their high efficiency in intersystem crossing. The calculated triplet electron spin surface reveals a widespread distribution of triplet states across the conjugated molecular structure, which enhances the Dexter mechanism for triplet energy transfer in these BOPHY photosensitizers. These findings are helpful for thorough understanding of the fundamental ISC process and developing triplet photosensitizers.

Cobalt/Iron Bimetallic Biochar Composites for Lead(II) Adsorption: Mechanism and Remediation Performance.

The performance of nano-zero-valent iron for heavy metal remediation can be enhanced via incorporation into bimetallic carbon composites. However, few economical and green approaches are available for preparing bimetallic composite materials. In this study, novel Co/Fe bimetallic biochar composites (BC@Co/Fe-X, where X = 5 or 10 represents the CoCl2 concentration of 0.05 or 0.1 mol L-1) were prepared for the adsorption of Pb2+. The effect of the concentration of cross-linked metal ions on Pb2+ adsorption was investigated, with the composite prepared using 0.05 mol L-1 Co2+ (BC@Co/Fe-5) exhibiting the highest adsorption performance. Various factors, including the adsorption period, Pb2+ concentration, and pH, affected the adsorption of Pb2+ by BC@Co/Fe-5. Further characterisation of BC@Co/Fe-5 before and after Pb2+ adsorption using methods such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the Pb2+ adsorption mechanism involved (i) Pb2+ reduction to Pb0 by Co/Fe, (ii) Co/Fe corrosion to generate Fe2+ and fix Pb2+ in the form of PbO, and (iii) Pb2+ adsorption by Co/Fe biochar. Notably, BC@Co/Fe-5 exhibited excellent remediation performance in simulated Pb2+-contaminated water and soil with good recyclability.

Prediction Model for Postoperative Pressure Injury in Patients with Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a risk assessment model to predict postoperative National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel stage 2 or higher pressure injury (PI) risk in patients undergoing acute type A aortic dissection surgery. METHODS: This retrospective assessment included consecutive patients undergoing acute type A aortic dissection surgery in the authors' hospital from September 2017 to June 2021. The authors used LASSO (logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression analysis to identify the most relevant variables associated with PI by running cyclic coordinate descent with 10-times cross-validation. The variables selected by LASSO regression analysis were subjected to multivariate logistic analysis. A calibration plot, receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis were used to validate the model. RESULTS: There were 469 patients in the study, including 94 (27.5%) with postoperative PI. Ten variables were selected from LASSO regression: body mass index, diabetes, Marfan syndrome, stroke, preoperative skin moisture, hemoglobin, albumin, serum creatinine, platelet, and d-dimer. Four risk factors emerged after multivariate logistic regression: Marfan syndrome, preoperative skin moisture, albumin, and serum creatinine. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model was 0.765. The calibration plot and the decision curve analysis both suggested that the model was suitable for predicting postoperative PI. CONCLUSIONS: This study built an efficient predictive model that could help identify high-risk patients.

Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1 Deletion-Mediated Kynurenine Insufficiency in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Exacerbates Arterial Calcification.

BACKGROUND: IDO1 (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1) is the rate-limiting enzyme for tryptophan metabolism. IDO1 malfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) with an osteogenic phenotype promote calcification and features of plaque instability. However, it remains unclear whether aberrant IDO1-regulated tryptophan metabolism causes VSMCs osteogenic reprogramming and calcification. METHODS: We generated global Apoe (apolipoprotein E) and Ido1 double knockout mice, and Apoe knockout mice with specific deletion of IDO1 in VSMCs or macrophages. Arterial intimal calcification was evaluated by a Western diet-induced atherosclerotic calcification model. RESULTS: Global deficiency of IDO1 boosted calcific lesion formation without sex bias in vivo. Conditional IDO1 loss of function in VSMCs rather than macrophages promoted calcific lesion development and the abundance of RUNX2 (runt-related transcription factor 2). In contrast, administration of kynurenine via intraperitoneal injection markedly delayed the progression of intimal calcification in parallel with decreased RUNX2 expression in both Apoe-/- and Apoe-/-Ido1-/- mice. We found that IDO1 deletion restrained RUNX2 from proteasomal degradation, which resulted in enhanced osteogenic reprogramming of VSMCs. Kynurenine administration downregulated RUNX2 in an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent manner. Kynurenine acted as the endogenous ligand of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, controlled resultant interactions between cullin 4B and aryl hydrocarbon receptor to form an E3 ubiquitin ligase that bound with RUNX2, and subsequently promoted ubiquitin-mediated instability of RUNX2 in VSMCs. Serum samples from patients with coronary artery calcification had impaired IDO1 activity and decreased kynurenine catabolites compared with those without calcification. CONCLUSIONS: Kynurenine, an IDO1-mediated tryptophan metabolism main product, promotes RUNX2 ubiquitination and subsequently leads to its proteasomal degradation via an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent nongenomic pathway. Insufficient kynurenine exerts the deleterious role of IDO1 ablation in promoting RUNX2-mediated VSMCs osteogenic reprogramming and calcification in vivo.

Palladium Catalyzed, Annulative Multiple C-H Bond Activations of BODIPYs to Access π-Extended Polycyclic Heteroaromatic Molecules with Deep Red Emissions and Self-aggregation Behaviors.

Aromatic ring fusion on BODIPY core can effectively tune its electronic property, and red-shift its absorption and emission wavelength. In this work, we report that a one-pot Pd(II) catalyzed multiple C-H activation to access acenaphtho[b]-fused BODIPYs though the reaction of α,ß-unsubstituted-BODIPYs and 1,8-dibromonaphthalenes. These newly synthesized acenaphtho[b]-fused BODIPYs revealed intensified deep red absorptions (639-669 nm) and emissions (643-683 nm), with high fluorescence quantum yields (0.53-0.84) in dichloromethane. Notably, these acenaphtho[b]-fused BODIPYs exhibited well-defined self-aggregation behavior in water/THF mixture, and for instance, the absorption of 3 a was red-shifted by 53 nm to 693 nm after forming aggregates.

Red-to-Near-Infrared Emitting PyrrolylBODIPY Dyes: Synthesis, Photophysical Properties and Bioimaging Application.

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores with characteristics such as deep tissue penetration, minimal damage to the biological samples, and low background interference, are highly sought-after materials for in vivo and deep-tissue fluorescence imaging. Herein, series of 3-pyrrolylBODIPY derivatives and 3,5-dipyrrolylBODIPY derivatives have been prepared by a facile regioselective nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction (SN Ar) on 3,5-halogenated BODIPY derivatives (3,5-dibromo or 2,3,5,6-tetrachloroBODIPYs) with pyrroles. The installation of a pyrrolic unit onto the 3-position of the BODIPY chromophore leads to a dramatic red shift of both the absorption (up to 160 nm) and the emission (up to 260 nm) in these resultant 3-pyrrolylBODIPYs with respect to that of the BODIPY chromophore. Their further 5-positional functionalization provides a facile way to fine tune their photophysical properties, and these resulting dipyrrolylBODIPYs and functionalized pyrrolylBODIPYs show strong absorption in the deep red-to-NIR regions (595-684 nm) and intense NIR fluorescence emission (650-715 nm) in dichloromethane. To demonstrate the applicability of these functionalized pyrrolylBODIPYs as NIR fluorescent probes for cell imaging, pyrrolylBODIPY 6 a containing mitochondrion-targeting butyltriphenylphosphonium cationic species was also prepared. It selectively localized in mitochondria of HeLa cells, with low cytotoxicity and intense deep red fluorescence emission.

Synthesis, Properties, and Semiconducting Characteristics of Bisbenzothieno[b]-Fused BODIPYs.

A novel family of bisbenzothieno[b]-fused BODIPYs containing seven fused aromatic rings has been developed from readily available benzothieo[3,2-b]pyrroles through an efficient two-step synthetic route, exhibiting planar skeletons with excellent photostabilities, deep-red absorptions, and near-infrared emissions (up to 753 nm). Importantly, the thin-film transistors based on BTB with a meso-dimethylamino-phenyl group exhibit unipolar n-type charge transporting characteristics with a high electron mobility of 0.013 cm2 V-1 s-1.

Boron-Templated Synthesis of B(III)-Submonoazaporphyrins: The Hybrids of B(III)-Subporphyrins and B(III)-Subporphyrazines.

A new class of hybridized and core-contracted porphyrinoids, B(III)-submonoazaporphyrins, which may be viewed as the hybrids of B(III)-subporphyrins and B(III)-subporphyrazines, was reported. The versatile single-step synthesis was based on an efficient intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction on readily available α-amino-α'-bromotripyrromethenes, while boronic acids, trifluoroborate salts, or trimethoxyborate simultaneously acted as the template and provider of apical substituent. Those new hybrids, as robust and photostable compounds, were fully characterized by NMR, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. They showed intense absorption and emission in the visible region, and their electrochemical properties and computational calculation are also discussed.

Long-Wavelength Photoconvertible Dimeric BODIPYs for Super-Resolution Single-Molecule Localization Imaging in Near-Infrared Emission.

Sulfoxide-bridged dimeric BODIPYs were developed as a new class of long-wavelength photoconvertible fluorophores. Upon visible-light irradiation, a sulfoxide moiety was released to generate the corresponding α,α-directly linked dimeric BODIPYs. The extrusion of SO from sulfoxides was mainly through an intramolecular fashion involving reactive triplet states. By this photoconversion, not only were more than 100 nm red shifts of absorption and emission maxima (up to 648/714 nm) achieved but also stable products with bright fluorescence were produced with high efficiency. The combination of photoactivation and red-shifted excitation/emission offered optimal contrast and eliminated the interference from biological autofluorescence. More importantly, the in situ products of these visible-light-induced reactions demonstrated ideal single-molecule fluorescence properties in the near-infrared region. Therefore, this new photoconversion could be a powerful photoactivation method achieving super-resolution single-molecule localization imaging in a living cell without using UV illumination and cell-toxic additives.

Aromatic-Ring-Fused BOPPY Fluorophores: Synthesis, Spectral, Redox Properties, and Bioimaging Application.

Tetracoordinated organoboron dyes exhibiting strong fluorescence in either solution or the solid state are currently receiving much attraction in view of their photovoltaic, optoelectronic, and biological applications. Herein, a series of aromatic-ring-fused BOPPY dyes have been developed by one-pot condensation of formylated isoindoles or indoles and pyridinylhydrazine followed by subsequent borylation coordination. The facile synthesis provides excellent diversity of these unsymmetrical α-benzo- and ß-benzothiophene-fused BOPPY dyes with intriguing photophysical properties owing to their rigid and planar structure and extended π-conjugation while containing a reactive site. They display intense green to orange fluorescence in solution and red-to-near-infrared emission in the solid state, with high fluorescence quantum yields up to 92 and 21%, respectively, relatively large Stokes shifts, and excellent photostability. Furthermore, two representative benzo-fused BOPPY probes with morpholine or benzenesulfonamide groups were developed and used to selectively "light up" the subcellular organelles such as lysosomes and endoplasmic reticulum under ultralow concentration, respectively.

Aortic balloon occlusion simplifies dissected thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair after frozen elephant trunk.

Here, we report a case of a dissected thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair after frozen elephant trunk implantation, using aortic balloon occlusion technique to simplify the proximal anastomosis and avoid deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

A comparison of single and double arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass for acute type A aortic surgery: A single center, retrospective observational study.

Background: Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a cardiovascular emergency and has high mortality and morbidity. We retrospectively compared the effects on outcomes of single arterial cannulation via axillary artery (AAC) with double arterial cannulation via axillary and femoral artery (DAC) in patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for ATAAD.Methods: Between January 2017 and May 2021, four hundred 29 patients who underwent aortic arch repair with circulatory arrest for ATAAD were divided into AAC group (n = 283) and DAC group (n = 146). The propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis were performed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of the groups.Results: After PSM (n = 137 in each), the DAC group had a longer duration of CPB (229 vs 244, p = 0.011), aortic cross-clamp time (121 vs 149, p < 0.001), durations of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay (7 vs 8, p = 0.014) and hospital stay (19 vs 25, p < 0.001) compared with AAC group. The incidences of dialysis (21% vs. 31%, p = 0.073), postoperative stroke (9% vs 15%, p = 0.143), ECMO support (2% vs 7%, p = 0.077), in-hospital mortality (7% vs 14%, p = 0.071) and follow-up mortality (10% vs 19%, p = 0.059) showed no significant difference between two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed postoperative ECMO (OR: 16.69, 95% CI: 1.78-156.29; p = 0.014) or stroke (OR: 11.34, 95% CI: 2.64-48.72; p < 0.001) were associated with in-hospital mortality. Univariate Cox regression results showed stroke history (OR: 4.61, 95% CI: 1.90-11.16; p = 0.001), aortic valvuloplasty (OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07-0.59; p = 0.003), postoperative ALT day1 (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00-1.00; p = 0.008), ECMO (OR: 16.30, 95% CI: 4.78-55.61; p < 0.001), tracheotomy (OR: 3.78, 95% CI: 1.08-13.20; p = 0.037), postoperative stroke (OR: 4.61, 95% CI: 1.90-11.16; p < 0.001) and re-exploration for bleeding (OR: 3.52, 95% CI: 1.01-12.27; p = 0.048) were associated to follow-up mortality.Conclusions: For surgical treatment of ATAAD with CPB when compared to double axillary and femoral artery, single axillary cannulation was associated with shorter durations of CPB and ACC as well as ICU and hospital stays but no with significant difference in mortality.

PHLDA3 exerts an antitumor function in prostate cancer by down-regulating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway via inhibition of Akt.

Pleckstrin homology-like domain family A, member 3 (PHLDA3) is a novel tumor-related protein that mediates carcinogenesis of multiple cancers. However, the relevance of PHLDA3 in prostate cancer has not been explored. The purpose of this work was to illustrate the possible roles and mechanisms of PHLDA3 in prostate cancer. Our data showed strikingly lower abundance of PHLDA3 in prostate cancer, and that low levels of PHLDA3 in prostate cancer patients was associated with reduced survival. PHLDA3 was also weakly expressed in prostate cancer cells, and demethylation treatment dramatically up-regulated the expression level of PHLDA3. Up-regulation of PHLDA3 restrained proliferation, induced G1 cell cycle arrest, suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition of prostate cancer cells. In addition, up-regulation of PHLDA3 increased the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to docetaxel In-depth research into the mechanism elucidated that PHLDA3 overexpression decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and suppressed the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Overexpression of constitutively active Akt strikingly abolished PHLDA3-mediated inactivation of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. A xenograft assay revealed that prostate cancer cells with PHLDA3 overexpression displayed reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Collectively, these data document that PHLDA3 exerts an outstanding cancer-inhibiting role in prostate cancer by down-regulating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway via the inhibition of Akt. This work highlights PHLDA3 as a novel anticancer target for prostate cancer.

Diurnal variation of transitory starch metabolism is regulated by plastid proteins WXR1/WXR3 in Arabidopsis young seedlings.

Transitory starch is the portion of starch that is synthesized during the day in the chloroplast and usually used for plant growth overnight. Here, we report altered metabolism of transitory starch in the wxr1/wxr3 (weak auxin response 1/3) mutants of Arabidopsis. WXR1/WXR3 were previously reported to regulate root growth of young seedlings and affect the auxin response mediated by auxin polar transport in Arabidopsis. In this study the wxr1/wxr3 mutants accumulated transitory starch in cotyledon, young leaf, and hypocotyl at the end of night. WXR1/WXR3 expression showed diurnal variation. Grafting experiments indicated that the WXRs in root were necessary for proper starch metabolism and plant growth. We also found that photosynthesis was inhibited and the transcription level of DIN1/DIN6 (Dark-Inducible 1/6) was reduced in wxr1/wxr3. The mutants also showed a defect in the ionic equilibrium of Na+ and K+, consistent with our bioinformatics data that genes related to ionic equilibrium were misregulated in wxr1. Loss of function of WXR1 also resulted in abnormal trafficking of membrane lipids and proteins. This study reveals that the plastid proteins WXR1/WXR3 play important roles in promoting transitory starch degradation for plant growth over night, possibly through regulating ionic equilibrium in the root.

A Family of Highly Fluorescent and Membrane-Permeable Bis(BF2) Acyl-Pyridinylhydrazine Dyes with Strong Solid-State Emission and Large Stokes Shifts: The BOAPH Fluorophores.

Organic small-molecule fluorescent chromophores have become essential to modern chemical, biological, and materials related investigations. Herein, a straightforward synthesis and subsequent borylation were presented to form a novel family of bisBF2-anchoring acyl-pyridinylhydrazine, which we named BOAPH. The chromophore enjoys outstanding structural diversities owing to varied acyl chlorides and N-heteroarenylhydrazides. These resultant BOAPH dyes are confirmed by NMR, HRMS, and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Their spectroscopic properties were studied, and most of the strong absorbance and bright fluorescence with maximum wavelengths centered in the range of 400 and 650 nm. More importantly, they exhibit promising fluorescence quantum yields up to 0.79 in solution and solid states, good photostability, and large Stokes shifts. Furthermore, a respective BOAPH dye with a para-dimethylaminophenyl group exhibited the interesting ability of ultrafast staining and two-photon imaging, which can specifically label lipid droplets of living cells immediately without the need for incubation.