Fenton reaction-enhanced mild photothermal therapy for cancer suppression with a multifunctional platform.

Mild photothermal therapy effectively reduces hyperthermia-related tissue injuries; however, its low therapeutic efficiency presents a significant limitation. Herein, we developed an organic multifunctional photothermal platform with enhanced Fenton catalytic activity to increase tumor sensitivity to mild photothermal therapy. This platform incorporated a self-augmented Fenton molecule integrating carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and ferrocene, which was co-encapsulated with the photothermal agent IR 825 via an amphiphilic polymer.

A malondialdehyde-activated fluorescent probe reveals lysosomal dysfunction in atherosclerosis.

Lysosomes, serving as the digestive centers in cells, play a crucial role in lipid metabolism, inflammatory regulation, and cellular homeostasis. The bidirectional vicious cycle between lysosomal dysfunction and oxidative stress synergistically promotes the occurrence, development and instability of atherosclerosis. Therefore, accurate assessment of lysosomal oxidative stress contributes to monitoring atherosclerosis progression and facilitating early diagnosis.

Metabolic Hijacking: An MOF-Based Nanoprogrammer Overcomes Drug Resistance in Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the deadliest solid cancers with limited treatment options. Resistance to Temozolomide (TMZ), the most common oral anticancer drug available for GBM, develops rapidly and frequently in patients. This study reveals TMZ-sensitive GBM cells rely on glycolysis, while resistant counterparts preferentially utilize fatty acid oxidation (FAO).

Surface-Engineered Nanoshuttles Hijack Macrophages In Vivo to Boost Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration and Immunomodulation for Targeted Glioblastoma Therapy.

Macrophage-hitchhiking drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has garnered considerable attention for its potential in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. However, challenges such as the complexity of in vitro synthesis and the risk of macrophage polarization toward protumor phenotypes hinder its practical application. We developed a receptor ligand-free nanoshuttle that can hitchhike on macrophages in vivo for efficient BBB penetration and targeted drug delivery while inducing macrophage polarization toward antitumor phenotypes for GBM therapy.

Electrochemical surface reconstruction of amorphous Co-based boride for nitrate reduction process.

The development of efficient catalysts for nitrate reduction to ammonia is crucial for sustainable nitrogen cycle management. In this study, we introduce an amorphous multimetal borides (CoFeNiB) catalyst that demonstrates exceptional performance in the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in-situ Raman spectroscopy reveal that the catalyst exhibits a unique surface reconstruction during the reaction, leading to the formation of CoOOH, where Co ions can serve as active sites, significantly enhancing the adsorption of nitrate ions and atomic hydrogen, thereby promoting the reduction reaction.

A Ratiometric Multimode Optical Sensor for Highly Selective and Sensitive Detection of Ammonia by Hydrogen Bonding Interaction Regulation.

Ammonia, as one of the most important industrial chemicals and a promising energy carrier, plays an important role in our daily lives. However, the high ammonia content discharged in water will not only affect the growth of aquatic organisms and the safety of aquatic products but also threaten the surrounding environment and destroy the ecosystem. Therefore, conveniently but accurately monitoring aqueous ammonia is always significant and imperative.

AIE-Active Probe for Unveiling the Role of Protein Sulfenylation : Specific Imaging and Therapeutic Insights.

Protein sulfenylation (protein-SOH) is a central oxidation product of protein post-translational modification (PTM) that is crucial for signal transduction and cell behavior. However, the natural properties of protein-SOH, especially its low responsiveness and dynamic reversibility, pose a great challenge to the development of chemical probes to visualize protein-SOH . Here, we report an activated aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probe for specifically lighting-up protein-SOH .

An Enzyme-Triggered Au-Se Nanodevice for Precise Imaging of MicroRNA.

In situ imaging of microRNA (miRNA) in tumor cells is vital for clinical diagnosis and pathological research. However, achieving high-precision imaging is always limited by undesirable background signals. Herein, we introduced a gold-selenium-based nanodevice (AuSeND) for high-fidelity imaging of miRNA via enzyme-triggered catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA).

GalNAc-functionalized metal-organic frameworks for targeted siRNA delivery: enhancing survivin silencing in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a potent method for silencing survivin mRNA within cells, offering a promising option for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) since survivin is specifically overexpressed in HCC cells. However, the clinical use of gene therapy with siRNA is limited by factors such as rapid enzyme degradation, low cell uptake, and non-specific distribution in the body. In this study, we investigate the use of a specially selected metal-organic framework (MOF) to encapsulate siRNA, with the aim of silencing survivin mRNA in HCC cells and reducing the survivin protein level.

Lateral Flow Platform for Lung Cancer Diagnosis through Simultaneous Detection of ctDNA and MicroRNA.

Early cancer screening is essential for reducing cancer-related mortality and improving survival rates. Simultaneous detection of multiple tumor markers can enhance the accuracy and specificity of cancer diagnosis, helping us to mitigate false-positive results associated with single-marker analysis. Here, we have developed a lateral flow detection platform that combines recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), CRISPR Cas9, and catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA) for the simultaneous detection of KRAS ctDNA and miRNA-223 in lung cancer.

Apical Anchoring and Cofactor Customizing To Achieve Ultrahigh Active Nanoenzymes for Removing O Interference in Glucose Electro-oxidation.

Noble metal nanozymes (NMs) are promising alternatives to the fragile glucose oxidase (GOD), however, in all previously reported NMs, O consumes electrons from glucose by competing with electrodes, which remarkably limits the Faraday efficiency. The low NM utilization rate and sluggish mass transfer severely limit the electrocatalytic activity. Herein, we report the first Au nanozyme that can catalyze glucose electro-oxidation (GEO) via a distinctive O immune pathway with record-breaking mass activity based on apical anchoring and cofactor customization.

An Au-Se bond-based fluorescent nanoprobe for thermophoretic aggregation imaging of exosomal miRNAs.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently gained prominence as promising biomarkers for non-invasive lung cancer screening. In this study, we innovatively developed an innovative fluorescent nanoprobe based on stable Au-Se bonds to detect lung cancer-associated miRNAs in exosomes. This nanoprobe integrates gold nanoparticles with selenated DNA molecular beacons (MBs) conjugated via 1,4-phenyldiisothiocyanate (PDITC).

A nitric oxide-boosting molecular agent to enhance mild-temperature photothermal therapy.

A nitric oxide (NO)-boosting molecular agent (CyHU) was developed for enhanced mild-temperature photothermal therapy (MPTT). This photothermal agent can specifically target mitochondria and efficiently produce NO, inhibiting adenosine triphosphate-dependent heat shock proteins, reversing tumor heat tolerance and ultimately achieving MPTT of cancer cells.

Doxorubicin prodrug for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase imaging and on-demand cancer therapy.

The γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GGT) is an important tumor marker, which has been reported to be firmly associated with the developmental stage of liver cancer. Therefore, it makes sense to image and monitor γ-GGT level and design γ-GGT-responsive prodrug for integrated diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer. Herein, we prepare a doxorubicin (Dox) prodrug for imaging γ-GGT and on-demand treating liver cancer.

Cu-MOF-based targeted nanomedicine utilizing biorthogonally catalyzed chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy with spatiotemporal orchestration to treat hepatocellular carcinoma.

A nanomedicine was developed using a Cu-based metal-organic framework (MOF) to co-deliver Cu(I) and prodrugs for targeted biorthogonally catalyzed chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

A Multimode Optical Sensor for Highly Selective and Sensitive Detection of Hypochlorous Acid in Water and Body Fluid.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO), as an important reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays a crucial role in our daily life and in biological systems, and its convenient and accurate detection is significant and imperative. In this work, a self-calibrated multimode optical sensor for convenient and accurate HClO detection was elaborately fabricated based on a multifunctional metal-organic framework platform with catalytic active metal nodes, fluorescent responsive bridging ligands, and intrinsic pores for functional molecule accommodation. The sensor shows not only turn-on and ratiometric fluorescence response but also color change in response to HClO.

A Highly Selective Ammonia Ratiometric Fluorescence Sensor Based on Multifunctional Metal-Organic Framework Platform with Rich Brønsted Acidic Metal Clusters.

Ammonia is a critical chemical in industry and our daily life, but its corrosiveness and toxicity also require enough attention. With the increasing pursuit of beauty, the safety of cosmetics has aroused widespread concern. Aqueous ammonia has been widely used as a universal additive in cosmetics, especially in different types of hair dye products.

Tandem Cyclization of -Hydroxyphenyl Propargyl Alcohols with Thionucleophiles: A Metal-Free and Modular Access to 3-Fluoroalkylsulfonyl/Thio Benzofurans.

Despite both fluoroalkylsulfonyl groups and benzofurans are important bioactive moieties, the construction of fluoroalkanesulfonylated benzofurans that incorporate these two fragments remains underdeveloped. Here, we report a tandem cyclization protocol to construct a wide range of 3-fluoroalkylsulfonyl benzofurans using readily accessible -hydroxyphenyl propargyl alcohols and sodium fluoroalkanesulfinates. Furthermore, this synthetic strategy can also be adapted to prepare 3-thio benzofurans by changing the S-nucleophiles to thiols or thiophenols.

Synergistically Activated Aggregation-Induced Emission Probe for Precise In Situ Staining of Lipids in Atherosclerotic Plaques.

Visualizing the localization and distribution of lipids within arteries is crucial for studying atherosclerosis. However, existing lipid-specific probes face challenges such as strong hydrophobicity and nonspecific staining of lipophilic organelles or tissues, making them impractical for the precise identification of atherosclerotic plaques. To address this issue, we design a synergistically activated probe, Cbz-Lys-Lys-TPEB, which responds to cathepsin B (CTB) and HO for the in situ generation of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens).

Accelerated ammonia electrosynthesis of cobalt hydroxide through electronic modulation with ultralow noble metal doping.

This study introduces an innovative method to ammonia production through electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate using Ru-doped Co(OH). The incorporation of Ru into the Co(OH) was found to markedly enhance the catalytic activity by optimizing the electronic structure and increasing the number of active sites.

Filter Membrane-Based Colorimetric Approach for Point-of-Care Detection of Biomarkers Using CRISPR-Cas12a.

CRISPR-Cas-based point-of-care testing (POCT) strategies have been widely explored for the detection of diverse biomarkers. However, these methods often require complicated operations, such as careful solution transfer steps, to achieve high sensitivity and accuracy. In this study, we combine a filter membrane-based POCT method with CRISPR-Cas12a for colorimetric detection of biomarkers.

GalNAc-modified FeS nanoparticles for specific chemodynamic and gas therapy against orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma.

GalNAc-modified ferrous sulfide nanoparticles have been developed to conduct chemodynamic and gas therapy for fighting against orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma. This nanomedicine owns good liver targeting ability, which takes full advantage of the tumor microenvironment to ensure the therapy effect and improve the safety.

Dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules.

Stimuli-responsive theranostic agents represent a class of molecules that integrate therapeutic and diagnostic functions, offering the capability to respond to disease-associated biomarkers. Dual-stimuli responsive agents, particularly those based on small molecules, have shown considerable promise for precise imaging-guided therapeutic applications. In this Highlight, we summarize the progress of dual-stimuli responsive theranostic agents based on small molecules, for diagnostic and therapeutic studies in biological systems.

Two-dimensional confined topotactic transformation to produce Co-Pi/CoO hybrid porous nanosheets for promoted water oxidation.

Exploring advanced electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of great importance in pursuing efficient and sustainable hydrogen production via electrolytic water splitting. Considering the structure-activity-stability relationship for designing advanced OER catalysts, two-dimensional (2D) porous catalyst with single crystallinity is deemed to be an ideal platform which could simultaneously endow enriched active sites, facile mass and charge transport ability as well as robust structural stability. Herein, we proposed a facile 2D confined topotactic phase transformation approach, which realizes the fabrication of highly porous single-crystalline CoO nanosheets with in-situ surface modification of amorphous Co-Pi active species.