Anti-Tumor Efficacy of Oleuropein-Loaded ZnO/Au Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle in 5-FU-Resistant Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Purpose: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent used to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). However, 5-FU induces drug resistance and activation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the present study, we designed a novel biocompatible nanomedicine system with high efficacy and biocompatibility by synthesizing mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN)-structured ZnO and gold ions. Oleuropein (OLP) is a phenolic compound derived from olive leaves that exerts anti-cancer effects. Therefore, we synthesized OLP-loaded ZnO/Au MSNs (ZnO/Au/OLP MSNs) and examined their anti-cancer effects on 5-FU-resistant CRC cells. Methods: ZnO/Au MSNs were synthesized and functionalized, and their physical and chemical compositions were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their effects were assessed in terms of cellular proliferation capacity, migration and invasion ability, colony-forming ability, spheroid-forming ability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Results: ZnO/Au MSNs were mostly composed of various ions containing ZnO and gold ions, had a spheroid phenotype, and exhibited no cytotoxicity. ZnO/Au/OLP MSNs reduced cell viability and CSC formation and induced apoptosis of 5-FU-resistant CRC cells via necrosis via ROS accumulation and DNA fragmentation. Conclusion: ZnO/Au/OLP MSNs exhibited anti-cancer activity by upregulating necrosis. These results revealed that ZnO/Au/OLP MSNs are a novel drug delivery system for 5-FU CRC therapy.

Multifunctional Chiral d10 -Metal Coordination Polymers: Tunable Photoluminescence and Efficient Second-Harmonic Generation with Circular Dichroic Response.

A series of homochiral coordination polymers (HCPs), [M2 (SIAP)2 (bpy)2 ] [M(S)] and [M2 (RIAP)2 (bpy)2 ] [M(R)] (M = Zn or Cd, SIAP or RIAP = (S,S)- or (R,R)- 2,2'-(isophthaloylbis(azanediyl))di-propionic acid, bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine), is successfully synthesized through solvothermal reactions, self-assembling d10 metal cations, chiral dicarboxylic ligands, and π-conjugated bipyridyl ligands. The HCPs crystallize in the extremely rare triclinic chiral space group, P1, and present 3D framework structures attributed to the strong intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking. Due to the unique crystal structures, the title compounds reveal efficient photoluminescence emission across a broad visible range, with significant brightness and color tuning by varying the excitation wavelength. Moreover, they exhibit efficient phase-matched second-harmonic generation (SHG) with very high laser-induced damage thresholds, essential for high-power nonlinear optical (NLO) applications. Intriguingly, the title compounds exhibit a measurable contrast in the SHG response under right- and left-handed circularly polarized excitation, thereby providing a unique case of SHG circular dichroism from the chiral centers of SIAP2- or RIAP2- ligand packed in the noncentrosymmetric environment. These exceptional attributes position these HCPs as promising candidates for multifunctional materials, with potential applications ranging from NLO devices to tailored luminescent systems with polarization control.