Amplifying Radiotherapy by Evoking Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Using a High-performance Aggregation-induced Emission Sonosensitizer.

INTRODUCTION: Developing effective methods to enhance tumor radiosensitivity is crucial for improving the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy (RT). Due to its deep tissue penetration, excellent safety profile, and precise controllability, sonosensitizer- based sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has recently garnered significant attention as a promising combined approach with RT. METHOD: However, the limited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation ability in the aggregated state and the absence of specific organelle targeting in sonosensitizers hinder their potential to augment RT. This study introduces a fundamental principle guiding the design of high-performance sonosensitizers employed in the aggregated state. Building upon these principles, we develop a mitochondria-targeted sonosensitizer molecule (TCSVP) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics by organic synthesis. Then, we demonstrate the abilities of TCSVP to target mitochondria and produce ROS under ultrasound in H460 cancer cells using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and fluorescence microscopy. Subsequently, we examine the effectiveness of enhancing tumor radiosensitivity by utilizing TCSVP and ultrasound in both H460 cells and H460 and 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS: The results indicate that evoking non-lethal mitochondrial oxidative stress in tumors by TCSVP under ultrasound stimulation can significantly improve tumor radiosensitivity (p <0.05). Additionally, the in vivo safety profile of TCSVP is thoroughly confirmed by histopathological analysis. CONCLUSION: This work proposes strategies for designing efficient sonosensitizers and underscores that evoking non-lethal mitochondrial oxidative stress is an effective method to enhance tumor radiosensitivity.

Exciting Bacteria to a Hypersensitive State for Enhanced Aminoglycoside Therapy by a Rationally Constructed AIE Luminogen.

The diminishing effectiveness of existing aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGs) compels scientists to seek new approaches to enhance the sensitivity of current AGs. Despite ongoing efforts, currently available approaches remain restricted. Herein, a novel strategy involving the rational construction of an aggregation-induced-emission luminogen (AIEgen) is introduced to significantly enhance Gram-positive bacteria's susceptibility to AGs. The application of this approach involves the simple addition of AIEgens to bacteria followed by a 5 min light irradiation. Under light exposure, AIEgens efficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevating intrabacterial ROS levels to a nonlethal threshold. Post treatment, the bacteria swiftly enter a hypersensitive state, resulting in a 21.9-fold, 15.5-fold, or 7.2-fold increase in susceptibility to three AGs: kanamycin, gentamycin, and neomycin, respectively. Remarkably, this approach is specific to AGs, and the induced hypersensitivity displays unparalleled longevity and heritability. Further in vivo studies confirm a 7.0-fold enhanced bactericidal ability of AGs against Gram-positive bacteria through this novel approach. This research not only broadens the potential applications of AIEgens but also introduces a novel avenue to bolster the effectiveness of AGs in combating bacterial infections.