Fibrotic immune microenvironment remodeling mediates superior anti-tumor efficacy of a nano-PD-L1 trap in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The local microenvironment where tumors develop can shape cancer progression and therapeutic outcome. Emerging evidence demonstrate that the efficacy of immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) is undermined by fibrotic tumor microenvironment (TME). The majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops in liver fibrosis, in which the stromal and immune components may form a barricade against immunotherapy. Here, we report that nanodelivery of a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) trap gene exerts superior efficacy in treating fibrosis-associated HCC when compared with the conventional monoclonal antibody (mAb). In two fibrosis-associated HCC models induced by carbon tetrachloride and a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, the PD-L1 trap induced significantly larger tumor regression than mAb with no evidence of toxicity. Mechanistic studies revealed that PD-L1 trap, but not mAb, consistently reduced the M2 macrophage proportion in the fibrotic liver microenvironment and promoted cytotoxic interferon gamma (IFNγ)+tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)+CD8+T cell infiltration to the tumor. Moreover, PD-L1 trap treatment was associated with decreased tumor-infiltrating polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell (PMN-MDSC) accumulation, resulting in an inflamed TME with a high cytotoxic CD8+T cell/PMN-MDSC ratio conductive to anti-tumor immune response. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of two clinical cohorts demonstrated preferential PD-L1 expression in M2 macrophages in the fibrotic liver, thus supporting the translational potential of nano-PD-L1 trap for fibrotic HCC treatment.

A pH-Reversible Fluorescent Probe for in Situ Imaging of Extracellular Vesicles and Their Secretion from Living Cells.

Our knowledge in how extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted from cells remains inadequate due to the limited technologies available for visualizing them in situ. We report a pH-reversible boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorescent probe for confocal imaging of EVs secreted from living cells without inducing severe cytotoxicity. This probe predominantly assumes a non-fluorescent leuco-BODIPY form under basic conditions, but it gradually switches to its fluorescent parent BODIPY form upon acidification; such pH transition empowers the imaging of acidic EVs (such as CD81-enriched exosomes and extracellular multivesicular bodies) in weakly basic culture medium and intracellular acidic precursor EVs in weakly basic cytoplasm, with minimal false positive signals frequently encountered for "always-on" dyes. Joint application of this probe with plasmid transfection reveals the secretion of some EVs from cellular pseudopodia via microtubule trackways. This probe may provide mechanistic insights into the extracellular transport of EVs and support the development of EV-based nanomedicines.

Dopamine Receptor-Mediated Binding and Cellular Uptake of Polydopamine-Coated Nanoparticles.

Polydopamine (PDA)-coated nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging carriers of therapeutic agents for nanomedicine applications due to their biocompatibility and abundant entry to various cell types, yet it remains unknown whether their cellular entry engages cell-surface receptors. As monomeric dopamine (DA) is an endogenous ligand of dopamine receptor and raw ingredient of PDA, we elucidate the interaction between polyethylene glycol-stabilized, PDA-coated gold NPs (Au@PDA@PEG NPs) and dopamine receptors, particularly D2 (D2DR). After proving the binding of Au@PDA@PEG NPs to recombinant and cellular D2DR, we employ antibody blocking, gene knockdown, and gene overexpression to establish the role of D2DR in the cellular uptake of Au@PDA@PEG NPs in vitro. By preparing a series of PEG-coated AuNPs that contain different structural analogues of DA (Au@PEG-X NPs), we demonstrate that catechol and amine groups collectively enhance the binding of NPs to D2DR and their cellular uptake. By intravenously injecting Au@PDA@PEG NPs to Balb/c mice, we reveal their in vivo binding to D2DR in the liver by competitive inhibition and immunohistochemistry together with their preferential association to D2DR-rich resident Kupffer cells by flow cytometry, a result consistent with the profuse expression of D2DR by resident Kupffer cells. Catechol and amine groups jointly contribute to the preferential association of NPs to D2DR-rich Kupffer cells. Our data highlight the importance of D2DR expression and DA-related functional groups in mediating the cell-nano interactions of PDA-based nanomedicines.

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for real-time monitoring of intracellular glutathione fluctuations in response to cisplatin.

Real-time imaging of fluctuations in intracellular glutathione (GSH) concentrations is critical to understanding the mechanism of GSH-related cisplatin-resistance. Here, we describe a ratiometric fluorescence probe based on a reversible Michael addition reaction of GSH with the vinyl-functionalized boron-dipyrromethene (4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene or BODIPY) 1. The probe was applied for real-time monitoring of the fluctuations in GSH levels in cells under cisplatin treatment. Notably, in cellular cisplatin-sensitive A549 cells, GSH concentrations rose until cell death, while in cisplatin-resistant cell lines, GSH levels first rose to the maximum then fell back to the initial concentration without significant apoptosis. These results indicate that different trends in GSH fluctuation can help distinguish cisplatin-resistant from cisplatin-sensitive cells. As such, this study has shown that probe 1 may potentially be used for real-time monitoring of intracellular GSH levels in response to therapeutics.

Real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy enabled by reaction-based BODIPY dyes.

Real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy in living cells is highly desirable for a better understanding of intracellular degradative processes. Herein, we describe a reaction-based boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dye containing strongly electron-withdrawing diethyl 2-cyanoacrylate groups at the α-positions. The probe exhibits intense red fluorescence in acidic organelles or the acidified cytosol while exhibiting negligible fluorescence in other regions of the cell. The underlying mechanism is a nucleophilic reaction at the central meso-carbon of the indacene core, resulting in the loss of π-conjugation entailed by dramatic spectroscopic changes of more than 200 nm between its colorless, non-fluorescent leuco-BODIPY form and its red and brightly emitting form. The reversible transformation between red fluorescent BODIPY and leuco-BODIPY along with negligible cytotoxicity qualifies such dyes for rapid and direct intracellular lysosome imaging and cytosolic acidosis detection simultaneously without any washing step, enabling the real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy.

A selective colorimetric and fluorometric ammonium ion sensor based on the H-aggregation of an aza-BODIPY with fused pyrazine rings.

The synthesis of a novel aza-BODIPY dye functionalized with fused pyrazine rings, suitable for use as a selective colorimetric and fluorometric sensor for NH(4)(+), is outlined. In addition to significant fluorescence quenching, an obvious colorimetric change from green to red-pink is observed enabling facile "naked-eye" detection of NH(4)(+).

Experimentation and theoretic calculation of a BODIPY sensor based on photoinduced electron transfer for ions detection.

A boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based fluorescence probe with a N,N'-(pyridine-2, 6-diylbis(methylene))-dianiline substituent (1) has been prepared by condensation of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde with 8-(4-amino)-4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene and reduction by NaBH(4). The sensing properties of compound 1 toward various metal ions are investigated via fluorometric titration in methanol, which show highly selective fluorescent turn-on response in the presence of Hg(2+) over the other metal ions, such as Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Pb(2+), Fe(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Ag(+), and Mn(2+). Computational approach has been carried out to investigate the mechanism why compound 1 provides different fluorescent signal for Hg(2+) and other ions. Theoretic calculations of the energy levels show that the quenching of the bright green fluorescence of boradiazaindacene fluorophore is due to the reductive photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the aniline subunit to the excited state of BODIPY fluorophore. In metal complexes, the frontier molecular orbital energy levels changes greatly. Binding Zn(2+) or Cd(2+) ion leads to significant decreasing of both the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of the receptor, thus inhibit the reductive PET process, whereas an oxidative PET from the excited state fluorophore to the receptor occurs, vice versa, which also quenches the fluorescence. However, for 1-Hg(2+) complex, both the reductive and oxidative PETs are prohibited; therefore, strong fluorescence emission from the fluorophore can be observed experimentally. The agreement of the experimental results and theoretic calculations suggests that our calculation method can be applicable as guidance for the design of new chemosensors for other metal ions.

A highly selective and sensitive fluorescent turn-on sensor for Hg2+ and its application in live cell imaging.

A boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivative containing a tridentate diaza-oxa ligand (8H-BDP) was synthesized as a fluorescent turn-on chemosensor for Hg(2+) with high sensitivity (detection limit < or = 2 ppb), a rapid response time (< or = 5 seconds) and specific selectivity over other cations under physiological conditions and in live cells according to the confocal fluorescence microscopy experiment.