Deep Red Light Driven Hydrogen Evolution by Heterojunction Polymer Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing.

We describe small heterojunction polymer dots (Pdots) with deep-red light catalyzed H2 generation for diabetic skin wound healing. The Pdots with donor/acceptor heterojunctions showed remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to the donor or acceptor nanoparticles alone. We encapsulate the Pdots and ascorbic acid into liposomes to form Lipo-Pdots nanoreactors, which selectively scavenge •OH radicals in live cells and tissues under 650 nm light illumination. The antioxidant capacity of the heterojunction Pdots is ~10 times higher than that of the single-component Pdots described previously. Under a total light dose of 360 J/cm2, the Lipo-Pdots nanoreactors effectively scavenged •OH radicals and suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in skin tissues, thereby accelerating the healing of skin wounds in diabetic mice. This study provides a feasible solution for safe and effective treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Semiconducting polymer dots for multifunctional integrated nanomedicine carriers.

The expansion applications of semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) among optical nanomaterial field have long posed a challenge for researchers, promoting their intelligent application in multifunctional nano-imaging systems and integrated nanomedicine carriers for diagnosis and treatment. Despite notable progress, several inadequacies still persist in the field of Pdots, including the development of simplified near-infrared (NIR) optical nanoprobes, elucidation of their inherent biological behavior, and integration of information processing and nanotechnology into biomedical applications. This review aims to comprehensively elucidate the current status of Pdots as a classical nanophotonic material by discussing its advantages and limitations in terms of biocompatibility, adaptability to microenvironments in vivo, etc. Multifunctional integration and surface chemistry play crucial roles in realizing the intelligent application of Pdots. Information visualization based on their optical and physicochemical properties is pivotal for achieving detection, sensing, and labeling probes. Therefore, we have refined the underlying mechanisms and constructed multiple comprehensive original mechanism summaries to establish a benchmark. Additionally, we have explored the cross-linking interactions between Pdots and nanomedicine, potential yet complete biological metabolic pathways, future research directions, and innovative solutions for integrating diagnosis and treatment strategies. This review presents the possible expectations and valuable insights for advancing Pdots, specifically from chemical, medical, and photophysical practitioners' standpoints.

A novel pH-activated AIEgen probe for dynamic lysosome tracking and high-efficiency photodynamic therapy.

A novel AIEgen molecular probe (N-3QL) with typical AIE effects, good biocompatibility, lysosome targeting, pH activation, excellent photostability, and high brightness was synthesized using two simple synthetic steps. Spectroscopic and cytotoxicity experiments indicate that N-3QL can not only be used for the dynamic monitoring of cancer cell lysosomes, but also for photodynamic therapy (PDT) ablation of cancer cells.

Recent advances in biological molecule detection based on a three-dimensional graphene structure.

Graphene has become an attractive material in the field of electrochemical detection owing to its unique electrical properties. Although the simple stacking structures of two-dimensional (2D) graphene sheets can provide excellent detection properties, a macroscopic three-dimensional (3D) structure needs to be constructed to enhance its functional properties. Graphene with a 3D structure has elegant functions, unlike graphene with a 2D structure. These properties include a large specific surface area, easy loading of nanomaterials with electrocatalytic and redox functions, and so on. Herein, we outline the preparation methods (self-assembly, chemical vapor deposition, templates, and 3D printing) for 3D graphene structures for obtaining excellent detection performance and applications in detecting biological molecules, bacteria, and cells. Furthermore, this review focuses on the improvement of the detection performance and enhancement of the applicability of graphene-based electrochemical sensors. We hope that this article will provide a reference for the future development of electrochemical sensors based on 3D graphene composites.

Overexpression of FERM Domain Containing Kindlin 2 (FERMT2) in Fibroblasts Correlates with EMT and Immunosuppression in Gastric Cancer.

The mesenchymal feature, dominated by epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stromal cell activation, is one of the main reasons for the aggressive nature of tumors, yet it remains poorly understood. In gastric cancer (GC), the fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2) is involved in macrophage signaling, promoting migration and invasion. However, the function of FERMT2 in fibroblasts remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that downregulation of FERMT2 expression can block EMT in GC cells by inhibiting fibroblast activation in vitro. Furthermore, we found that, in addition to the known pathways, fibroblast-derived FERMT2 promotes M2-like macrophage growth and that in human GC samples, there is a strong positive correlation between FERMT2 and CD163 and CD206 levels. Notably, high FERMT2 expression was significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes and was upregulated in patients with advanced disease. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the fibroblast-FERMT2-EMT-M2 macrophage axis plays a critical role in the GC mesenchymal phenotype and may be a promising target for the treatment of advanced GC.

Self-assembly of three-dimensional liver organoids: virtual reconstruction via endocytosed polymer dots for refactoring the fine structure.

In vitro culture of organoids holds considerable promise for the treatment of diseases or the provision of artificial organs. Traditional 2D differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) faces challenges in replicating the development of embryonic organs at the cellular level; conversely, the cultivation of 3D organoids exhibits potential for application. It is crucial for clinicians and technology researchers to acquire insights into organoid tissue differentiation, autonomous morphogenesis, as well as 3D assembly processes in vitro. In this investigation, novel 3D organoids capable of engendering complex liver-like tissues in vitro were cultured, and a class of high-luminance semiconductor polymer dots (Pdots) was employed to monitor the self-assembly process of 3D liver organoid tissues and cellular interaction and migration dynamics. Three-dimensional liver-bud (3D-LB) organoid tissues were derived through the interplay of induced MSCs, Wharton's Jelly, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and their structural characteristics were determined during the liver-bud organoid development; ultimately, the co-cultured organoid spatial cellular clusters resembling a truffle were successfully replicated. Utilizing R8-Pdots with remarkable resolution and biocompatibility, the structural elements of functional and vascularized organs derived from liver organoid tissues were adeptly reconstituted, and this investigation shall contribute to a further understanding of human hepato-developmental physiology and liver-disease modeling.

Janus biomass aerogel for Highly-Efficient steam Generation, Desalination, degradation of organics and water disinfection.

Solar-driven water purification has been deemed as a cheap, green and renewable technology to mitigate water shortage and pollution. Herein, a biomass aerogel with hydrophilic-hydrophobic Janus structure has been prepared as solar water evaporator, which is achieved by partially modifying hydrothermal-treated loofah sponge (HLS) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). It's a rare design philosophy that HLS serves as a substrate with large pores and hydrophilic properties to ensure continuous and effective water transport, and the hydrophobic layer with rGO modification guarantees good salt resistance in seawater desalination with high photothermal conversion efficiency. As a result, the obtained Janus aerogel, p-HLS@rGO-12, exhibits impressive solar-driven evaporation rates of 1.75 kg m-2h-1 and 1.54 kg m-2h-1 for pure water and seawater respectively, with good cycling stability in the evaporation process. Furthermore, p-HLS@rGO-12 also demonstrates outstanding photothermal degradation of rhodamine B (greater than98.8 % in 2 h) and sterilization of E. coli (nearly 100 % in 2 h). This work offers an unusual approach to achieve highly efficient solar-driven steam generation, seawater desalination, organic pollutant degradation, and water disinfection simultaneously. The prepared Janus biomass aerogel holds great potential application in the field of seawater desalination and wastewater purification.

Bioinspired MoS2 Nanosheet-Modified Carbon Fibers for Synergetic Bacterial Elimination and Wound Disinfection.

Bacterial infection is one of the most frequent wound complications and has become a major public health concern. Increasing resistance to antibiotics has been noted with these agents broadly used in wound management. It is an urgent demand to develop alternative antibacterial strategies with a reduced chance of resistance. Herein, a Nepenthes-mimicking nanosheet array of MoS2 on carbon fibers (CF-MoS2 ) is proposed to achieve dual bactericidal activities. First, the sharp edges of synthesized surfaces are capable of inducing physical disruption of cell membranes, demonstrating mechanical antibacterial activity like their natural counterparts. Second, in the presence of near-infrared light, bioinspired CF-MoS2 nanosheets are able to cause the death of damaged bacteria owing to their inherent photothermal properties. Such dual-functional modes endow the surfaces with nearly 100% killing efficiency for highly concentrated Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Furthermore, their potential to be applied as wound dressings for photothermal treatment of infectious wounds is also investigated in vivo. Bioinspired CF-MoS2 dressings show advantages of synergistic disinfection and efficient promotion of wound regeneration. It is foreseen that this high-performance and multifunctional CF-MoS2 could afford a feasible broad-spectrum treatment for non-antibiotic disinfection.

Tannic Acid-Assisted Biomineralization Strategy for Encapsulation and Intracellular Delivery of Protein Drugs.

Protein therapy has been considered to be one of the most direct and safe ways to regulate cell function and treat tumors. However, safe and effective intracellular delivery of protein drugs is still a key challenge. Herein, we developed a tannic acid-assisted biomineralization strategy for the encapsulation and intracellular delivery of protein drugs. RNase A and glucose oxidase (GOD) were choose as the protein drug model. RNase A, GOD, TA, and Mn2+ are mixed in one pot to attain RG@MT, and CaCO3 coating is subsequently carried out to construct RG@MT@C through biomineralization. Once RG@MT@C is endocytosed, the acidic environment of the lysosome will dissolve the protective layer of CaCO3 and produce plenty of CO2 to cause lysosome bursting, ensuring the lysosome escape of the RG@MT@C and thus releasing the generated TA-Mn2+, RNase A, and GOD into the cytoplasm. The released substances would activate starvation therapy, chemodynamic therapy, and protein therapy pathways to ensure a high performance of cancer therapy. Due to simple preparation, low toxicity, and controlled release in the tumor microenvironment, we expect it can realize efficient and nondestructive delivery of protein drugs and meet the needs for precise, high performance of synergistically antitumor therapy in biomedical applications.

A novel AIEgen photosensitizer with an elevated intersystem crossing rate for tumor precise imaging and therapy.

Herein, we have designed and synthesized a quinolinyl-AIE photosensitizer (TPE-4QL+) with an alternative elevated intersystem crossing (ISC) rate, which exhibits not only highly efficient photosensitivity but also high tumor cell specificity and an excellent mitochondrial targeting ability. In vitro experiments indicate that using TPE-4QL+ as a photosensitizer can induce a series of tumor cells to die with a low dose of radiation, but with no obvious toxicity to normal cells. The in vivo studies on a mouse model bearing a subcutaneous 4T1 xenograft also show that TPE-4QL+ can be used with high efficiency as a photosensitizer in PDT.

Capture and detection of Escherichia coli with graphene aerogels.

Some pathogenic bacteria may cause serious food poisoning as well as catastrophic infections. Thus, it is critical to identify bacteria using simple, quick, and sensitive methods. Herein, we fabricate a graphene aerogel-based biosensing system to capture and detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) with high specificity and sensitivity. A graphene aerogel is prepared by a one-step hydrothermal synthesis method without any reducing reagent. With the help of E. coli antibodies and the graphene foam with a porous structure, E. coli can be captured using the detection substrate with high specificity and selectivity. The electrical resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results of the graphene aerogel foam changed with high sensitivity during E. coli adhesion. Moreover, the resistance change of the graphene device can still be observed when the E. coli concentration was as low as 10 cfu mL-1, while there is no obvious resistance change in the use of Staphylococcus aureus. The subsequent EIS test also found that the charge transfer resistance (Rct) of the detection substrate gradually increased during the E. coli capture process. This nanoelectronic biosensor is simple, quick, safe, and very sensitive, and it may be used as a high-throughput platform for pathogenic bacterial detection, bacterial research, and antimicrobial drug screening.

Luminescence-enhanced conjugated polymer dots through thermal treatment for cell imaging.

Conjugated polymer dots (Pdots) are often used as excellent fluorescent probes in the biomedical field. In the process of preparing Pdots, the rapid change of the solvent polarity will result in a messy and defective stacking of the polymer chains in the particle, and these stacking defects of the polymer chains may weaken its luminescence properties. Here, we try to optimize the stacking of the conjugated polymer chains by the thermal annealing treatment. After the low temperature thermal treatment, the fluorescence intensity of Pdots can be enhanced by about 11%-29%, and Pdots maintain their original stability and biosafety. We used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and single particle fluorescence imaging to reveal the possible mechanism of the chain stacking optimization process, that is, the thermal annealing process of Pdots is the competition between internal chain rearrangement in the particle and particle aggregation. The luminescence-enhanced Pdots exhibit good cellular imaging performance. These results prove that it is feasible to extend the thermal annealing treatment from planar polymer devices to polymer nanoparticles. It provides the possibility to realize stable and complex biological imaging applications using Pdots with a simple molecular structure, and a mature improvement scheme for the mass preparation of Pdots.

Recent advances in the development and applications of conjugated polymer dots.

Conjugated polymer dots or semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) are nanoparticles prepared based on organic polymers. Pdots have the advantages of lower cost, a simple preparation process, good biocompatibility, excellent stability, and easy modification and regulation. Based on these characteristics, they can not only realize super-resolution imaging of subcellular structure, and the localization of deep tissue lesions, but also interact with various substrates to realize quantitative sensing. Besides the imaging and sensing application, these Pdots can also be used as a targeted therapeutic effective agent to achieve several biotherapy functions. In this review, we will focus on the applications of conjugated polymer dots, including related design and preparation strategies, as well as the current situation and future development of specific applications such as imaging and treatment.

Carbonized lotus leaf/ZnO/Au for enhanced synergistic mechanical and photocatalytic bactericidal activity under visible light irradiation.

Nowadays, bacterial resistance has continued to be a troublesome issue caused by the abuse of antibiotics, and it is the paramount difficulty in resolving the bacterial proliferation and infection. In this study, fresh lotus leaf was treated with Zn2+ followed by sintered and modification with gold nanoparticles through the photoreduction process sequentially, and thus a composite of micro/nanostructured carbonized lotus leaf/ZnO/Au (C-LL/ZnO/Au) was obtained to explore its bactericidal properties. C-LL/ZnO/Au retained the papillary structure of fresh lotus leaf and showed great mechanical bactericidal performance and photocatalytic sterilization. The antibacterial rate of mechanical sterilization for C-LL/ZnO/Au amount to 79.5% in 30 min, 4.7 times of fresh lotus leaf's figure under the same conditions. Furthermore, in C-LL/ZnO/Au, the introduction of gold nanoparticles heightened light absorbance through localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect and separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which showed improved photocatalytic sterilization than that of carbonized lotus leaf/ZnO (C-LL/ZnO). Carbonized lotus leaf/ZnO/Au exhibited prominent photocatalytic and mechanical synergistic antibacterial performance against E. coli: all the bacteria were inactivated within 30 min under visible light. The approach presented here could be applied to a variety of biomass materials, which holds a promising application potential in biomedical, public health and other fields.

Monitoring Clinical-Pathological Grading of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using MicroRNA-Guided Semiconducting Polymer Dots.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, noncoding RNAs involved in nearly all genetic central dogma processes and human biological behavior, which also play a significant role in the pathological activity of tumors, such as gene transcription, protein translation, and exosome secretion. Therefore, through the navigation of certain specific miRNAs, we can trace the specific physiological processes or image some specific tissues. Designing and accurately positioning microRNA (miRNA)-sensitive fluorescent nanoprobes with benign specificity and recognition in cells or tissues are a challenging research field. To solve the difficulties, we introduce four semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) as nanoprobes linked by specific miRNA antisense sequences for monitoring the pathological grading by the variation in miRNA expression. Based on the base pairing principle, these miRNA-sensitive Pdots could bind to specific miRNAs within the cancerous cells. As impacted by the background of different pathology gradings, the proportions of the four hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific miRNAs within the cancerous cell are different, and the pathological grading of the patient tissues can be determined by comparing the palette combinations. The short single-stranded RNA-functionalized Pdots, which have excellent microRNA sensitivity, are observed in an experimental cell model and a series of tissue specimens from HCC patients for the first time. Using the Förster (or fluorescence) resonance energy transfer (FRET) model of Pdots and Cy3dt tag to simulate in vivo miRNA detection, the superior sensitivity and specificity of these nanoprobes are verified. The interference of subjective factors in traditional single/bis-dye emission intensity detection is abandoned, and multiple label staining is used to enhance sensitivity further and reduce the false-positive rate. The feasibility exhibited by this novel staining method is verified in normal hepatocellular HCC cell lines and 16 frozen ultrathin tissue sections, which are employed to quantify pathological grading-related color presentation systems for clinical doctors and pathologists' use. The intelligently designed miRNA-guided Pdots will emerge as an ideal platform with promising biological imaging.

Fe Single-Atom Catalyst for Efficient and Rapid Fenton-Like Degradation of Organics and Disinfection against Bacteria.

The Fenton-like reaction has great potential in water treatment. Herein, an efficient and reusable catalytic system is developed based on atomically dispersed Fe catalyst by anchoring Fe atoms on nitrogen-doped porous carbon (Fe SA/NPCs). The catalyst of Fe SA/NPCs exhibits enhanced performance in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for organic pollutant degradation and bacterial inactivation. The Fe SA/NPCs + PMS system demonstrates a high turnover frequency of 39.31 min-1 in Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation as well as a strong bactericidal activity that can completely sterilize an Escherichia coli culture within 5 min. Meanwhile, the degradation activity of RhB by Fe SA/NPCs is improved up to 28 to 371-fold in comparison with the controls. Complete degradation of RhB can be achieved in 30 s by the Fe SA/NPCs + PMS system, demonstrating an efficiency much higher than most traditional Fenton-like processes. Experiments with different radical scavengers and density functional theory calculations have revealed that singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) generated on the N-coordinated single Fe atom (Fe-N4 ) sites is the key reactive species for the effective and rapid pollutant degradation and bacterial inactivation. This work innovatively affords a promising single-Fe-atom catalyst/PMS system for applying Fenton-like reactions in water treatment.

Three-phase interface photocatalysis for the enhanced degradation and antibacterial property.

Semiconductor photocatalysis, as a means of utilizing stranded renewable solar resources, is now emerging as a viable and promising approach for increasingly severe water pollution. In this work, a high-performance photocatalytic system has been fabricated by immobilizing spiky TiO2/Au nanohybrids on one side of hydrophobic nanoPE substrate (PE-TiO2/Au) that forces the enabling of air-liquid-solid triphase photocatalytic interface. Such a triphase system allows efficient oxygen access to the photocatalyst surface, which is feasible for charge separation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Two modes of triphase systems with different gas flow paths were constructed, in which PE-TiO2/Au was floating on the aqueous solution surface (exposed mode) or immersing in aqueous phase (immersed mode). It is worth mentioning that the exposed PE-TiO2/Au enables a more efficient oxygen supply, thus leading to a 5.5-fold and 1.8-fold higher reaction kinetics as compared to normal liquid-solid diphase system and immersed PE-TiO2/Au. Meanwhile, PE-TiO2/Au also exerts bactericidal effect under visible light irradiation, which effectively inactivates S.aureus (>99.9%) in a lean period of 30 min. The qualities of high lethality rate and short reaction time are endowed to PE-TiO2/Au due to the co-effect of unique triphase interface microenvironment and elaborate heterojunction of spiky TiO2/Au nanohybrids. In this paper, we have revealed for the first time that the antibacterial efficiency can be effectively improved by increasing the oxygen supply with the construction of three-phase interface, which represents a promising option in designing highly efficient photocatalytic systems for sewage purification applications.

Microemulsion-Confined Assembly of Magnetic Nanoclusters for pH/H2O2 Dual-Responsive T2-T1 Switchable MRI.

In this work, a T2-T1 switchable superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoprobe with a pH/H2O2 dual response was obtained using a microemulsion method. This novel method for the controllable assembly of small iron clusters followed by their independent modification was reported, which could not be prepared by common synthetic methods. The size of the assembled nanoprobe was uniform and controllable, with a stable T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal under a single condition. When the nanoprobe was exposed to the tumor environment, the higher H+ and H2O2 concentrations at the tumor site could dissociate the nanoprobe and redisperse into small iron clusters. When this occurred, the T2 MRI signal was converted into a T1 MRI signal, achieving specific detection of tumors by a pH/H2O2 dual-response T2-T1 MRI.

Efficient hydrogen generation of vector Z-scheme CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 photocatalyst assisted by cocatalyst Cu nanoparticles.

Herein, the CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 all-solid-state Z-scheme heterojunction is successfully designed via Cu nanoparticles situating at the interface between CaTiO3 and TiO2 with a new synthesis route. Interestingly, TiO2 nanosheets are generated in-situ on the surface of CaTiO3 in the second step hydrothermal reaction. The lifetimes of photoexcited carriers, photoluminescence emission spectra and transient photocurrent response tests have confirmed that the efficient Z-scheme charge transmission path of the CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 is beneficial to facilitate the separation of photogenerated carriers and reduce their recombination efficiency. As expected, the hydrogen generation rate of CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 is increased to 23.550 mmol g-1h-1 with the appropriate amount of copper loading, which is about 981 times and 93 times higher than that of pristine CaTiO3 (0.024 mmol g-1h-1) and CaTiO3/TiO2 (0.253 mmol g-1h-1), respectively. Furthermore, the CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 sample shows good stability in cycle experiments. Particularly, experimental results show that the non-noble metal Cu nanoparticles can be an effective electron mediator. And these merits strongly demonstrate that the CaTiO3/Cu/TiO2 composites have potential application in photocatalytic field. This study can provide fundamental guidance for designing rationally efficient non-noble metal vector Z-scheme system photocatalysts with outstanding photocatalytic H2 generation performance.

Prognostic Value of LHFPL Tetraspan Subfamily Member 6 (LHFPL6) in Gastric Cancer: A Study Based on Bioinformatics Analysis and Experimental Validation.

PURPOSE: The identification of biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets for gastric cancer (GC), the most common cause of cancer-related deaths around the world, is currently a major focus in research. Here, we examined the utility of LHFPL6 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC. METHODS: We explored the clinical relevance, function, and molecular role of LHFPL6 in GC using the MethSurv, cBioPortal, TIMER, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, ONCOMINE, MEXPRESS, and EWAS Atlas databases. The GSE118919, GSE29272, and GSE13861 datasets were used for differential expression analysis. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas, we developed a Cox regression model and assessed the clinical significance of LHFPLs. In addition, we used the "CIBERSORT" algorithm to make reliable immune infiltration estimations. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to examine protein expression. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using transwell experiments. THP-1-derived macrophages and GC cells were co-cultured in order to model tumor-macrophage interactions in vitro. The levels of CD206 and CD163 were measured using immunofluorescence assays. The results were visualized with the "ggplot2" and "circlize" packages. RESULTS: Our results showed that in GC, LHFPL6 overexpression was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. Our findings also suggested that LHFPL6 may be involved in the activation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, LHFPL6 expression showed a positive correlation with the abundance of M2 macrophages, which are potent immunosuppressors. CONCLUSION: LHFPL6 could be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.