Next-generation anti-PD-L1/IL-15 immunocytokine elicits superior antitumor immunity in cold tumors with minimal toxicity.

The clinical applications of immunocytokines are severely restricted by dose-limiting toxicities. To address this challenge, here we propose a next-generation immunocytokine concept involving the design of LH05, a tumor-conditional anti-PD-L1/interleukin-15 (IL-15) prodrug. LH05 innovatively masks IL-15 with steric hindrance, mitigating the "cytokine sink" effect of IL-15 and reducing systemic toxicities associated with wild-type anti-PD-L1/IL-15. Moreover, upon specific proteolytic cleavage within the tumor microenvironment, LH05 releases an active IL-15 superagonist, exerting potent antitumor effects. Mechanistically, the antitumor efficacy of LH05 depends on the increased infiltration of CD8+ T and natural killer cells by stimulating the chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10, thereby converting cold tumors into hot tumors. Additionally, the tumor-conditional anti-PD-L1/IL-15 can synergize with an oncolytic virus or checkpoint blockade in advanced and metastatic tumor models. Our findings provide a compelling proof of concept for the development of next-generation immunocytokines, contributing significantly to current knowledge and strategies of immunotherapy.

Excited-state dynamics of 4-hydroxyisoindoline-1,3-dione and its derivative as fluorescent probes.

Fluorescent probes have become promising tools for monitoring the concentration of peroxynitrite, which is linked to many diseases. However, despite focusing on developing numerous peroxynitrite based fluorescent probes, limited emphasis is placed on their sensing mechanism. Here, we investigated the sensing mechanism of a peroxynitrite fluorescent probe, named BHID-Bpin, with a focus on the relevant excited state dynamics. The photoexcited BHID-Bpin relaxes to its ground state via an efficient nonradiative process (∼300 ps) due to the presence of a minimum energy conical intersection between its first excited state and ground state. However, upon reacting with peroxynitrite, the Bpin moiety is cleaved from BHID-Bpin and BHID is formed. The formed BHID exhibits strong dual band fluorescence which is caused by an ultrafast excited-state intramolecular proton transfer process (∼1 ps).

Blue Long Afterglow and Ultra Broadband Vis-NIR Emission from All-Inorganic Copper-Doped Silver Halide Single Crystals.

All-inorganic metal halides with afterglow emission have attracted increasing attention due to their significantly longer afterglow duration and higher stability compared to their organic-inorganic hybrid counterparts. However, their afterglow colors have not yet reached the blue spectral region. Here, we report all-inorganic copper-doped Rb2AgBr3 single crystals with ultralong blue afterglow (>300 s) by modulating defect states through doping engineering. The introduction of copper(I) ions into Rb2AgBr3 facilitates the formation of bromine vacancies, thus increasing the density of trap states available for charge storage and enabling bright, persistent emission after ceasing the excitation. Moreover, cascade energy transfer between distinct emissive centers in the crystals results in ultra-broadband photoluminescence, not only covering the whole white light with near-unity quantum yield but also extending into the near-infrared region. This 'cocktail' of exotic light-emission properties, in conjunction with the excellent stability of copper-doped Rb2AgBr3 crystals, allowed us to demonstrate their implementation to solid-state lighting, night vision, and intelligent anti-counterfeiting.

Control of the fluorescence lifetime in dye based nanoparticles.

Fluorescent dye based nanoparticles (NPs) have received increased interest due to their high brightness and stability. In fluorescence microscopy and assays, high signal to background ratios and multiple channels of detection are highly coveted. To this end, time-resolved imaging offers suppression of background and temporal separation of spectrally overlapping signals. Although dye based NPs and time-resolved imaging are widely used individually, the combination of the two is uncommon. This is likely due to that dye based NPs in general display shortened and non-mono-exponential lifetimes. The lower quality of the lifetime signal from dyes in NPs is caused by aggregation caused quenching (ACQ) and energy migration to dark states in NPs. Here, we report a solution to this problem by the use of the small-molecule ionic isolation lattices (SMILES) concept to prevent ACQ. Additionally, incorporation of FRET pairs of dyes locks the exciton on the FRET acceptor providing control of the fluorescence lifetime. We demonstrate how SMILES NPs with a few percent rhodamine and diazaoxatriangulenium FRET acceptors imbedded with a cyanine donor dye give identical emission spectra and high quantum yields but very different fluorescence lifetimes of 3 ns and 26 ns, respectively. The two spectrally identical NPs are easily distinguished at the single particle level in fluorescence lifetime imaging. The doping approach for dye based NPs provides predictable fluorescence lifetimes and allows for these bright imaging reagents to be used in time-resolved imaging detection modalities.

Direct Writing of Room Temperature Polariton Condensate Lattice.

Realizing lattices of exciton polariton condensates has been of much interest owing to the potential of such systems to realize analogue Hamiltonian simulators and physical computing architectures. Here, we report the realization of a room temperature polariton condensate lattice using a direct-write approach. Polariton condensation is achieved in a microcavity embedded with host-guest Frenkel excitons of an organic dye (rhodamine) in a small-molecule ionic isolation lattice (SMILES). The microcavity is patterned using focused ion beam etching to realize arbitrary lattice geometries, including defect sites on demand. The band structure of the lattice and the emergence of condensation are imaged using momentum-resolved spectroscopy. The introduction of defect sites is shown to lower the condensation threshold and result in the formation of a defect band in the condensation spectrum. The present approach allows us to study periodic, quasiperiodic, and disordered polariton condensate lattices at room temperature using a direct-write approach.

Application of additively manufactured bone scaffold: a systematic review.

The application of additive manufacturing (AM) technology plays a significant role in various fields, incorporating a wide range of cutting-edge technologies such as aerospace, medical treatment, electronic information, and materials. It is currently widely adopted for medical services, national defense, and industrial manufacturing. In recent years, AM has also been extensively employed to produce bone scaffolds and implant materials. Through AM, products can be manufactured without being constrained by complex internal structures. AM is particularly advantageous in the production of macroscopically irregular and microscopically porous biomimetic bone scaffolds, with short production cycles required. In this paper, AM commonly used to produce bone scaffolds and orthopedic implants is overviewed to analyze the different materials and structures adopted for AM. The applications of antibacterial bone scaffolds and bone scaffolds in biologically relevant animal models are discussed. Also, the influence on the comprehensive performance of product mechanics, mass transfer, and biology is explored. By identifying the reasons for the limited application of existing AM in the biomedical field, the solutions are proposed. This study provides an important reference for the future development of AM in the field of orthopedic healthcare. In conclusion, various AM technologies, the requirements of bone scaffolds and the important role of AM in building bridges between biomaterials, additives, and bone tissue engineering scaffolds are described and highlighted. Nevertheless, more caution should be exercised when designing bone scaffolds and conducting in vivo trials, due to the lack of standardized processes, which prevents the accuracy of results and reduces the reliability of information.

Effects of driving pressure-guided ventilation on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients with COVID-19 undergoing abdominal surgery: A post-hoc propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Application of individualized positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) based on minimum driving pressure facilitates to prevent from postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Whether lung protective ventilation strategy can reduce the risk of PPCs in COVID-19 patients remains unclear. In this study, we compared the effects of driving pressure-guided ventilation with conventional mechanical ventilation on PPCs in patients with COVID-19. Methods: Patients infected COVID-19 within 30-day before surgery were retrospectively enrolled consecutively. Patients were divided into two group: driving pressure-guided lung protective ventilation strategy group (LPVS group) and conventional mechanical ventilation group (Control group). Propensity score matching for variables selected was used by logistic regression with the nearest-neighbor method. The outcomes were the incidence of PPCs and hypoxemia in post-anesthesia care unit. Results: There was no significant difference in the baseline data between both groups (P > 0.05). The incidence of PPCs (12.73 % vs 36.36 %, χ2 = 7.068, P = 0.008) and hypoxemia [18.18 % vs 38.18 %, χ2 = 4.492, P = 0.034], and lung ultrasound scores [4.68 ± 1.60 vs 8.39 ± 1.87, t = 8.383, P < 0.001] in LPVS group were lower than control group. The PEEP, airway pressure and plateau pressure in LPVS group were higher than control group, but driving pressure and tidal volume was lower than control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Individualized PEEP ventilation strategy guided by minimum driving pressure could improve oxygenation and reduce the incidence of PPCs in surgical patients with COVID-19.

Polymeric Metal Halides with Bright Luminescence and Versatile Processability.

Most of current metal halide materials, including all inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrids, are crystalline materials with poor workability and plasticity that limit their application scope. Here, we develop a novel class of materials termed polymeric metal halides (PMHs) through introducing polycations into antimony-based metal halide materials as A-site cations. A series of PMHs with orange-yellow broadband emission and large Stokes shift originating from inorganic self-trapped excitons are successfully prepared, which meanwhile exhibit the excellent processability and formability of polymers. The versatility of these PMHs is manifested as the broad choices of polycations, the ready extension to manganese- and copper-based halides, and the tolerance to molar ratios between polycations and metal halides in the formation of PMHs. The merger of polymer chemistry and inorganic chemistry thus provides a novel generic platform for the development of metal halide functional materials.

The emerging roles of CEACAM6 in human cancer (Review).

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)­related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is a cell adhesion protein of the CEA family of glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol anchored cell surface glycoproteins. A wealth of research has demonstrated that CEACAM6 is generally upregulated in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, breast cancer, non­small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer and other cancers and promotes tumor progression, invasion and metastasis. The transcriptional expression of CEACAM6 is regulated by various factors, including the CD151/TGF­ß1/Smad3 axis, microRNA (miR)­146, miR­26a, miR­29a/b/c, miR­128, miR­1256 and DNA methylation. In addition, the N­glycosylation of CEACAM6 protein at Asn256 is mediated by α­1,6­mannosylglycoptotein 6­ß­N­acetylglucosaminyltransferase. In terms of downstream signaling pathways, CEACAM6 promotes tumor proliferation by increasing levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin­dependent kinase 4 proteins. CEACAM6 can activate the ERK1/2/MAPK or SRC/focal adhesion kinase/PI3K/AKT pathways directly or through EGFR, leading to stimulation of tumor proliferation, invasion, migration, resistance to anoikis and chemotherapy, as well as angiogenesis. This article provides a review of the expression pattern, biological function and relationship with prognosis of CEACAM6 in cancer. In summary, CEACAM6 may be a valuable diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for human cancers exhibiting overexpression of CEACAM6.

Amyloid Precursor Protein: A Regulatory Hub in Alzheimer's Disease.

Decades of research have demonstrated an incontrovertible role of amyloid-ß (Aß) in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the overemphasis on the pathological impacts of Aß may obscure the role of its metabolic precursor, amyloid precursor protein (APP), as a significant hub in the occurrence and progression of AD. The complicated enzymatic processing, ubiquitous receptor-like properties, and abundant expression of APP in the brain, as well as its close links with systemic metabolism, mitochondrial function and neuroinflammation, imply that APP plays multifaceted roles in AD. In this review, we briefly describe the evolutionarily conserved biological characteristics of APP, including its structure, functions and enzymatic processing. We also discuss the possible involvement of APP and its enzymatic metabolites in AD, both detrimental and beneficial. Finally, we describe pharmacological agents or genetic approaches with the capability to reduce APP expression or inhibit its cellular internalization, which can ameliorate multiple aspects of AD pathologies and halt disease progression. These approaches provide a basis for further drug development to combat this terrible disease.

The value of total caudate lobe resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review.

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) is widely considered to have a poor prognosis. In particular, combined caudate lobe resection (CLR) as a strategy for radical resection in HCCA is important for improving the R0 resection rate. However, the criteria for R0 resection, necessity of CLR, optimal extent of hepatic resection, and surgical approach are still controversial. This review aimed to summarize the findings and discuss the controversies surrounding CLR. Numerous clinical studies have shown that combined CLR treatment for HCCA improves the R0 resection rate and postoperative survival time. Whether surgery for Bismuth type I or II is combined with CLR depends on the pathological type. Considering the anatomical factors, total rather than partial CLR is recommended to achieve a higher R0 resection rate. In the resection of HCCA, a proximal ductal margin greater than or equal to 10 mm should be achieved to obtain a survival benefit. Although there is no obvious boundary between the right side (especially the paracaval portion) and the right posterior lobe of the liver, Peng's resection line can serve as a reference marker for right-sided resection. Laparoscopic resection of the caudate lobe may be safer, more convenient, accurate, and minimally invasive than open surgery, but it needs to be completed by experienced laparoscopic doctors.

Targeting polycomb repressor complex 2-mediated bivalent promoter epigenetic silencing of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 inhibits cholangiocarcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) refers to a collection of malignancies that are associated with a dismal prognosis. Currently, surgical resection is the only way to cure patients with CCA. Available systemic therapy is limited to gemcitabine plus cisplatin; however, this treatment is palliative in nature. Therefore, there is still a need to explore new effective therapeutic targets to intervene against CCA. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of EZH2 and the prognosis of patients in CCA. The proliferation, migration and invasion of CCA cells after gene knockdown and overexpression were examined and validated by a xenograft model and a primary CCA mouse model with corresponding gene intervention. Targeting DNA methylation, and RNA-sequencing-based transcriptomic analysis in EZH2 and SUZ12 knockout CCA cells was performed. Bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (PCR), chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR) and reverse-ChIP assays were performed for research purposes. RESULTS: Increased expression of EZH2 in CCA exhibited a significantly poorer prognosis. DNA hypomethylation of the promoter and increased mRNA levels of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) were observed in CCA cells following the inhibition of polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2), which was achieved through a knockout of EZH2, SUZ12 and EED, respectively, or treatment with GSK126 and GSK343. Targeting the SFRP1 promoter DNA hypermethylation with dCas9-DNMT3a decreased the mRNA level of SFRP1. The expression of SFRP1 is regulated by both H3K27me3 and DNA methylation and H3K27me3 plays a crucial role in promoting SFRP1 promotor DNA methylation. GSK343 is a small molecule inhibitor that targets the catalytic activity of EZH2. It effectively inhibits the progression and development of subcutaneous xenografts and primary CCA mouse models. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data strongly suggested that targeting PRC2 promotes the expression of SFRP1, thereby inhibiting the progression of CCA. KEY POINTS/HEADLIGHTS: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) exhibits elevated expression of EZH2, SUZ12 and EED, resulting in increased levels of H3K27me3. Targeting polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2) leads to the removal of H3K27me3 from the secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) promoter and DNA hypomethylation, thereby activating the transcription of SFRP1. Inhibiting PRC2, including the use of EZH2 inhibitors, holds promise as a potential strategy for developing anti-cancer drugs for CCA.

Amyloid precursor protein facilitates SARS-CoV-2 virus entry into cells and enhances amyloid-ß-associated pathology in APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Although there are indications of a trend towards less severe acute respiratory symptoms and a decline in overall lethality from the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more and more attention has been paid to the long COVID, including the increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in COVID-19 patients. In this study, we aim to investigate the involvement of N-terminal amyloid precursor protein (APP) in SARS-CoV-2-induced amyloid-ß (Aß) pathology. Utilizing both in vitro and in vivo methodologies, we first investigated the interaction between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and N-terminal APP via LSPR and CoIP assays. The in vitro impacts of APP overexpression on virus infection were further evaluated in HEK293T/ACE2 cells, SH-SY5Y cells, and Vero cells. We also analyzed the pseudovirus infection in vivo in a mouse model overexpressing human wild-type APP. Finally, we evaluated the impact of APP on pseudovirus infection within human brain organoids and assessed the chronic effects of pseudovirus infection on Aß levels. We reported here for the first time that APP, the precursor of the Aß of AD, interacts with the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, both in vivo and in vitro data further indicated that APP promotes the cellular entry of the virus, and exacerbates Aß-associated pathology in the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD, which can be ameliorated by N-terminal APP blockage. Our findings provide experimental evidence to interpret APP-related mechanisms underlying AD-like neuropathology in COVID-19 patients and may pave the way to help inform risk management and therapeutic strategies against diseases accordingly.

Sensing Mechanism and Excited-State Dynamics of a Widely Used Intracellular Fluorescent pH Probe: pHrodo.

The pHrodo with an "off-on" response to the changes of pH has been widely used as a fluorescent pH probe for bioimaging. The fluorescence off-on mechanism is fundamentally important for its application and further development. Herein, the sensing mechanism, especially the relevant excited-state dynamics, of pHrodo is investigated by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy as well as quantum chemical calculations, showing that pHrodo is best understood using the bichromophore model. Its first excited state (S1) is a charge transfer state between two chromophores. From S1, pHrodo relaxes to its ground state (S0) via an ultrafast nonradiative process (∼0.5 ps), which causes its fluorescence to be "off". After protonation, S1 becomes a localized excited state, which accounts for the fluorescence being turned "on". Our work provides photophysical insight into the sensing mechanism of pHrodo and indicates the bichromophore model might be relevant to a wide range of fluorescent probes.

Revealing the excited-state dynamics of cytidine and the role of excited-state proton transfer process.

The high photostability of DNAs and RNAs is inextricably related to the photochemical and photophysical properties of their building blocks, nucleobases and nucleosides, which can dissipate the absorbed UV light energy in a harmless manner. The deactivation mechanism of the nucleosides, especially the decay pathways of cytidine (Cyd), has been a matter of intense debate. In the current study, we employ high-level electronic structure calculations combined with excited state non-adiabatic dynamic simulations to provide a clear picture of the excited state deactivation of Cyd in both gas phase and aqueous solution. In both environments, a barrierless decay path driven by the ring-puckering motion and a relaxation channel with a small energy barrier driven by the elongation motion of CO bond are assigned to <200 fs and sub-picosecond decay time component, respectively. The presence of ribose group has a subtle effect on the dynamic behavior of Cyd in gas phase as the ribose-to-base hydrogen/proton transfer process is energetically inaccessible with a sizable energy barrier of about 1.4 eV. However, this energy barrier is significantly reduced in water, especially when an explicit water molecule is present. Therefore, we argue that the long-lived decay channel found in aqueous solution could be assigned to the Cyd-water intermolecular hydrogen/proton transfer process. The present study postulates a novel scenario toward deep understanding the intrinsic photostability of DNAs and RNAs and provides solid evidence to disclose the long history debate of cytidine excited-state decay mechanism, especially for the assignment of experimentally observed time components.

Design and Optimization of Heat Treatment Process Parameters for High-Molybdenum-Vanadium High-Speed Steel for Rolls.

High-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel is a new type of high-hardenability tool steel with excellent wear resistance, castability, and high-temperature red hardness. This paper proposes a composition design of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel for rolls, and its specific chemical composition is as follows (wt.%): C2%, Mo7.0%, V7.0%, Si0.3%, Mn0.3%, Ni0.4%, Cr3.0%, and the rest of the iron. This design is characterized by the increase in molybdenum and vanadium in high-speed steel to replace traditional high-speed steel rolls with the tungsten element in order to reduce the heavy elements' tungsten-specific gravity segregation caused by centrifugal casting so that the roll performance is uniform and the stability of use is improved. JMatPro (version 7.0) simulation software is used for the composition design of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel. The phase composition diagram is analyzed under different temperatures. The content of different phases of the organization in different temperatures is also studied. The martensitic transformation temperature and different tempering temperatures with the different types of compounds and grain sizes are calculated. The process parameters of heat treatment of high-molybdenum-vanadium high-speed steel are optimized. The selection of carbon content and the temperature of M50 are calculated and optimized, and the results show that the range of pouring temperatures, quenching temperatures, annealing temperatures, and tempering temperatures are 1360~1410 °C, 1190~1200 °C, 818~838 °C, and 550~600 °C, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the samples obtained by using the above heat treatment parameters is consistent with the simulation results, which indicates that the simulation has important reference significance for guiding the actual production.

Upregulation of RSPO3 via targeted promoter DNA demethylation inhibits the progression of cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) refers to a collection of malignant tumors that develop from the biliary epithelium. Extensive clinical evidence and epidemiological observations indicate a concerning increase in both the incidence and mortality rates of CCA. Surgical resection is currently the sole available cure for CCA. However, it is unfortunate that only a fraction of patients has access to surgery at the time of diagnosis. Moreover, there is a high incidence of cancer recurrence after resection, and systemic treatments have limited efficacy. Therefore, the identification of novel biomarkers for CCA-targeted molecular therapy remains a crucial task in oncology research. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that low expression of RSPO3 was associated with poorer survival rates in patients with CCA. We found that the RSPO3 promoter DNA was hypermethylated in CCA, which was correlated with the low expression of RSPO3. The expression of RSPO3 was influenced by the balance between the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a and the DNA demethylase TET1 in CCA. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that targeting RSPO3 promoter DNA methylation using dCas9DNMT3a promoted tumorigenicity of CCA, while targeted RSPO3 promoter DNA demethylation using dCas9TET1CD inhibited CCA tumorigenicity. Additionally, in our primary CCA model, knockdown of Rspo3 promoted CCA progression, whereas overexpression of Rspo3 inhibited CCA progression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that increased methylation and decreased expression of RSPO3 may indicate a poor prognosis in CCA. Restoring RSPO3 expression by targeting promoter DNA demethylation could offer insights for precise treatment of CCA.

LIMK1 m6A-RNA methylation recognized by YTHDC2 induces 5-FU chemoresistance in colorectal cancer via endoplasmic reticulum stress and stress granule formation.

LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) is a member of the LIMK family that has been considered to be involved in chemoresistance in various tumors, and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant nucleotide modification on mRNA. However, whether elevated expression of LIMK1 leads to chemoresistance due to m6A modification remains to be further studied. The findings of our study indicate that high LIMK1 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells promotes cell proliferation and increases resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Moreover, downregulation of YTH domain-containing 2 (YTHDC2), an m6A "reader", in CRC cells resulted in decreased recognition and binding to the m6A site "GGACA" in LIMK1 mRNA, thereby increasing LIMK1 mRNA stability and expression. Furthermore, the overexpression of LIMK1 facilitated eIF2α phosphorylation, which induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and promoted stress granule (SG) formation, ultimately leading to 5-FU resistance. This study evaluated the specificity of the YTHDC2/LIMK1/eIF2α signalling axis and the efficacy of related drugs in modulating 5-FU sensitivity in CRC.

Achieving Enhanced Visible-Near-Infrared Light Absorption in Stable Lead-Free Vanadium-Based Perovskite Nanocrystals via Structural Regulation.

Lead-free halide perovskites are promising materials for solar energy applications. However, their efficiency is hindered by poor light absorption in the visible-near-infrared region. Herein, we introduce vanadium (V) with low-lying ground/excited-state energy levels to form two types of stable lead-free V-based perovskite (Cs2NaVCl6 and Cs3V2Cl9) colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) with strong light absorption covering the ultraviolet to near-infrared region. We find the absorption can be further enhanced by structural regulation, in which the zero-dimensional (0D) Cs3V2Cl9 NCs show stronger and red-shifted (up to 1400 nm) light absorption compared to the three-dimensional Cs2NaVCl6 NCs. In 0D Cs3V2Cl9 NCs, [V2Cl9]3- dimers play a vital role in governing strong visible-near-infrared light absorption. We demonstrated their application for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Our work sheds light on the structure-property relationship governing the absorption behavior, providing a novel route for tuning the light absorption ability of lead-free halide perovskites.