Programmable DNA Hydrogel Assisting Microcrystal Formulations for Sustained Locoregional Drug Delivery in Surgical Residual Tumor Lesions and Lymph Node Metastasis.

Surgical residual tumor lesions (R1 resection of surgical procedures (e.g., liver cancer infiltrating the diaphragm, surgical residual breast cancer, postoperative residual ovarian cancer) or boundary residual after ablation) and lymph node metastasis that cannot be surgically resected (retroperitoneal lymph nodes) significantly affect postoperative survival of tumor patients. This clinical conundrum poses three challenges for local drug delivery systems: stable and continuous delivery, good biocompatibility, and the ability to package new targeted drugs that can synergize with other treatments. Here, a drug-laden hydrogel generated from pure DNA strands and highly programmable in adjusting its mesh size is reported. Meanwhile, the DNA hydrogel can assist the microcrystallization of novel radiosensitizing drugs, ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related protein (ATR) inhibitor (Elimusertib), further facilitating its long-term release. When applied to the tumor site, the hydrogel system demonstrates significant antitumor activity, minimized systemic toxicity, and has a modulatory effect on the tumor-immune cell interface. This drug-loaded DNA-hydrogel platform represents a novel modality for adjuvant therapy in patients with surgical residual tumor lesions and lymph node metastasis.

Novel aptasensor-based assay of sonic hedgehog ligand for detection of portal vein invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The high expression of sonic hedgehog ligand (SHh) is closely correlated to the metastasis, drug resistance and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, sensitive, specific and efficient detection methods for SHh are needed for the early diagnosis and assessment of prognosis. Herein, an aptamer, AP32 that specifically binds to SHh (KD = 25.7 ± 4.1 nM) was obtained by SELEX technology with further optimization. In vivo experiments confirmed that AP32 has the potential to be an imaging probe for Huh-7 cell-derived xenograft. The interaction mode in 3-dimensional configuration between the aptamer and SHh was established by molecular simulation and confirmed by mutations at key sites of the aptamer. An aptasensor-based assay was successfully developed by conjugating Texas-Red-labeled AP32 to microbeads, and was used to analyze SHh content in hepatoma cell lysates, serum and HCC specimens. The method exhibited a broad detection range from 0.07 to 62.5 nM with a low detection limit of 69 pM, and a recovery rate of 104.6 ± 3.9% in serum. When the assay was used to measure SHh content in tissue lysates, the results demonstrated that it possessed 57.1% positivity, 100% specificity in distinguishing 28 HCC specimens from normal tissues, and was compensatory for detection of HCC in AFP-negative cases. Moreover, elevated SHh levels are indicative of portal vein invasion at 77.8% positive rate. This novel aptasensor-based SHh assay may offer a reliable means in predicting early metastasis and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Designable ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphases of three alkali metal anodes.

Dendrite growth of alkali metal anodes limited their lifetime for charge/discharge cycling. Here, we report near-perfect anodes of lithium, sodium, and potassium metals achieved by electrochemical polishing, which removes microscopic defects and creates ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase layers at metal surfaces for providing a homogeneous environment. Precise characterizations by AFM force probing with corroborative in-depth XPS profile analysis reveal that the ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase can be designed to have alternating inorganic-rich and organic-rich/mixed multi-layered structure, which offers mechanical property of coupled rigidity and elasticity. The polished metal anodes exhibit significantly enhanced cycling stability, specifically the lithium anodes can cycle for over 200 times at a real current density of 2 mA cm-2 with 100% depth of discharge. Our work illustrates that an ultra-smooth ultra-thin solid-electrolyte interphase may be robust enough to suppress dendrite growth and thus serve as an initial layer for further improved protection of alkali metal anodes.

Influence of polyethylene glycol coating on biodistribution and toxicity of nanoscale graphene oxide in mice after intravenous injection.

In this study, we assessed the in vivo behavior and toxicology of nanoscale graphene oxide (NGO) in mice after intravenous injection. The influence of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating on the distribution and toxicity of the NGO was also investigated. The results show that NGO is mainly retained in the liver, lung, and spleen. Retention in the lung is partially due to NGO aggregation. The PEG coating reduces the retention of NGO in the liver, lung, and spleen and promotes the clearance of NGO from these organs, but NGO and NGO-PEG are still present after 3 months. The PEG coating effectively reduces the early weight loss caused by NGO and alleviates NGO-induced acute tissue injuries, which can include damage to the liver, lung, and kidney, and chronic hepatic and lung fibrosis.

Reactions of fullerenes with reactive methylene organophosphorus reagents: efficient synthesis of organophosphorus group substituted C60 and C70 derivatives.

Treatment of C70 with cycloalkylaminomethylenebisphosphonates in the presence of NaH gave corresponding C70 dimers 1 in good yield, while the methanofullerenes, C70>CH(PO3Et2) (3) and C70>C(PO3Et2)2 (4) or C60>CH(PO3Et2) (5) and C60>C(PO3Et2)2 (6), were obtained, respectively, by the reaction of C70 or C60 with tetraethyl methylenediphosphonate in the presence of NaH. Diethyl cyanomethylphosphonate reacted with C60 or C70 under similar conditions to afford C60>C(PO3Et2)CN (7) and C70>C(PO3Et2)CN (8). Furthermore, the presence of weak electronic interactions between two fullerene cages of fullerene dimers was demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry. A radical mechanism was proposed for the formation of the fullerene derivatives on the basis of the ESR studies.