Nanozymes for regulation of reactive oxygen species and disease therapy

With high catalytic activity and stability, nanozymes have huge advantage in generating or eliminating the reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to their intrinsic enzyme-mimicking abilities, therefore attracting wide attention in ROS-related disease therapy. To better design nanozyme-based platforms for ROS-related biological application, we firstly illustrate the catalytic mechanism of different activities, and then introduce different strategies for using nanozymes to augment or reduce ROS level for the applications in cancer therapy, pathogen infection, neurodegeneration, etc. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities are proposed for the development and application of nanozymes.     

Ultrathin Niobium Carbide MXenzyme for Remedying Hypertension by Antioxidative and Neuroprotective Actions

Hypertension, as a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, is associated with oxidative stress and impairment of endogenous antioxidant mechanisms, but there is still a tremendous knowledge gap between hypertension treatment and nanomedicines. Herein, we report a specific nanozyme based on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) niobium carbide (Nb₂C) MXene, termed Nb₂C MXenzyme, to fight against hypertension by achieving highly efficient reactive oxygen species elimination and inflammatory factors inhibition. The biocompatible Nb₂C MXenzyme displays multiple enzyme-mimicking activities, involving superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and peroxidase, inducing cytoprotective effects by resisting oxidative stress, thereby alleviating inflammatory response and reducing blood pressure, which is systematically demonstrated in a stress-induced hypertension rat model. This strategy not only opens new opportunities for nanozymes to treat hypertension but also expands the potential biomedical applications of 2D MXene nanosystems.     

Design of an Oxygen-Tolerant Photo-RAFT System for Protein-Polymer Conjugation Achieving High Bioactivity

Protein-polymer conjugates have significant potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. To enable their widespread use, robust conjugation techniques are crucial. This study introduces a photo-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (Photo-RAFT) polymerization system that exhibits excellent oxygen tolerance. This system allows for the synthesis of protein-polymer conjugates with high bioactivity under mild and aerobic conditions. Three photocatalytic systems utilizing Eosin Y (EY) as the photocatalyst with two different cocatalysts (ascorbic acid and triethanolamine) were investigated, each generating distinct reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. The impact of these ROS on three model proteins (lysozyme, albumin, and myoglobin) was evaluated, demonstrating varying bioactivities based on the ROS produced. The EY/TEOA system was identified as the optimal photo-RAFT initiating system, enabling the preparation of protein-polymer conjugates under aerobic conditions while maintaining high protein enzymatic activity. To showcase the potential of this approach, lysozyme-poly(dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) conjugates were successfully prepared and exhibited enhanced antimicrobial property against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.     

Lime peel extract induced NiFe2O4 NPs: Synthesis to applications and oxidative stress mechanism for anticancer,antibiotic activity

Nanobiotechnology, joined with green science, has incredible potential for the advancement of novel and important products that benefit human health, climate, and industries. Green chemistry of materials from synthesis to diverse biomedical applications is a talk of town in today’s sustainable ideal world. Green synthesized nickel ferrites nanoparticles via biogenic lime peel extract (LPE) are investigated with precision and complete trail has been reported as multiple efficacies. The fcc crystal structure with the crystallite size (31 nm) were accessed by the XRD, magnetic properties using VSM, and FTIR for the functional group analysis of NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles mediated by Lime peel extract (NiFe₂O₄@LPE NPs). From TEM and SEM analysis the average diameter of the NPs was observed in the range of 31–35 nm. In 3D view, the surface morphology was analyzed by the AFM. NiFe₂O₄@LPE NPs were used to assess cytotoxicity and cellular morphological alterations in In Vitro cervical cancerous cells (HeLa). Nanosized NiFe₂O₄@LPE accompanied the considerable NPs topology induced dose dependent MMP in HeLa cells unlike the previous interpretation of controlled metabolism anticancer activity for HeLa cancerous cells. Therefore, it is referred by oxidative stress and reduction phenomena for anticancer effects and inactivation of carcinogen. Moreover, Antioxidant DPPH radical scavenging method and antibacterial Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus activity were observed in the synthesized nickel ferrites NPs.     

A Molybdenum Disulfide Nanozyme with Charge-Enhanced Activity for Ultrasound-Mediated Cascade-Catalytic Tumor Ferroptosis

The deficient catalytic activity of nanozymes and insufficient endogenous H₂O₂ in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are major obstacles for nanozyme-mediated catalytic tumor therapy. Since electron transfer is the basic essence of catalysis-mediated redox reactions, we explored the contributing factors of enzymatic activity based on positive and negative charges, which are experimentally and theoretically demonstrated to enhance the peroxidase (POD)-like activity of a MoS₂ nanozyme. Hence, an acidic tumor microenvironment-responsive and ultrasound-mediated cascade nanocatalyst (BTO/MoS₂@CA) is presented that is made from few-layer MoS₂ nanosheets grown on the surface of piezoelectric tetragonal barium titanate (T-BTO) and modified with pH-responsive cinnamaldehyde (CA). The integration of pH-responsive CA-mediated H₂O₂ self-supply, ultrasound-mediated charge-enhanced enzymatic activity, and glutathione (GSH) depletion enables out-of-balance redox homeostasis, leading to effective tumor ferroptosis with minimal side effects.     

A Nanozyme with Photo‐Enhanced Dual Enzyme‐Like Activities for Deep Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

Nanozymes have attracted extensive interest owing to their high stability, low cost and easy preparation, especially in the field of cancer therapy. However, the relatively low catalytic activity of nanozymes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) has limited their applications. Herein, we report a novel nanozyme (PtFe@Fe₃O₄) with dual enzyme‐like activities for highly efficient tumor catalytic therapy. PtFe@Fe₃O₄ shows the intrinsic photothermal effect as well as photo‐enhanced peroxidase‐like and catalase‐like activities in the acidic TME, thereby effectively killing tumor cells and overcoming the tumor hypoxia. Importantly, a possible photo‐enhanced synergistic catalytic mechanism of PtFe@Fe₃O₄ was first disclosed. We believe that this work will advance the development of nanozymes in tumor catalytic therapy.     

DNA-Targeting RuII-Polypyridyl Complex with a Long-Lived Intraligand Excited State as a Potential Photodynamic Therapy Agent

Subtle ligand modifications on Ru^II-polypyridyl complexes may result in different excited-state characteristics, which provides the opportunity to tune their photo-physicochemical properties and subsequently change their biological functions. Here, a DNA-targeting Ru^II-polypyridyl complex (named Ru1 ) with highly photosensitizing ³IL (intraligand) excited state was designed based on a classical DNA-intercalator [Ru(bpy)₂(dppz)] ⋅ 2 PF₆ by incorporation of the dppz (dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine) ligand tethered with a pyrenyl group, which has four orders of magnitude higher potency than the model complex [Ru(bpy)₂(dppz)] ⋅ 2 PF₆ upon light irradiation. This study provides a facile strategy for the design of organelle-targeting Ru^II-polypyridyl complexes with dramatically improved photobiological activity.     

A pinacol boronate caged NIAD-4 derivative as a near-infrared fluorescent probe for fast and selective detection of hypochlorous acid

A pinacol boronate caged NIAD-4 derivative was demonstrated to be a near-infrared fluorescent probe for fast and selective detection of hypochlorite over other ROS species.     

Reactions of the OOH radical with guanine: Mechanisms of formation of 8-oxoguanine and other products

The mutagenic product 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoGua) is formed due to intermediacy of peroxyl (OOR) radicals in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation-induced DNA damage. The mechanisms of these reactions are not yet understood properly. Therefore, in the present study, the mechanisms of formation of 8-oxoGua and other related products due to the reaction of the guanine base of DNA with the hydroperoxyl radical (OOH) were investigated theoretically employing the B3LYP and BHandHLYP hybrid functionals of density functional theory and the polarizable continuum model for solvation. It is found that the reaction of the OOH radical with guanine can occur following seven different mechanisms leading to the formation of various products including 8-oxoGua, its radicals, 5-hydroxy-8-oxoguanine and CO₂. The mechanism that yields 8-oxoGua as an intermediate and 5-hydroxy-8-oxoGua as the final product was found to be energetically most favorable.     

Ce1-xMnxO2表面性质对催化CO2和甲醇直接合成DMC反应活性的影响

通过共沉淀法制备了一系列Mn掺杂量不同的Ce_1-xMn_xO₂催化剂, 并将其用于催化CO₂和甲醇直接合成碳酸二甲酯(DMC). 通过X射线衍射(XRD)、 氮气吸附-脱附、 透射电子显微镜(TEM)、 X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和程序升温脱附(TPD)等手段研究了Ce_1-xMn_xO₂表面性质对催化CO₂和甲醇直接合成DMC反应活性的影响. 结果表明, Mn离子进入CeO₂晶格中形成固溶体, 随着Mn掺杂量增加, 催化剂表面弱酸碱位数量逐渐降低, 中强酸碱和强酸碱位数量增加, 催化剂表面氧空位含量呈先增加后减少的变化趋势, 当Mn掺杂量较少时, 催化剂表面Mn²⁺比例较高, 有利于Ce⁴⁺+Mn²⁺→Ce³⁺+Mn³⁺反应的进行, 促进催化剂表面氧空位生成; 进一步提高Mn掺杂量时, 催化剂表面Mn⁴⁺比例提高, 有利于Ce³⁺+Mn⁴⁺→Ce⁴⁺+Mn³⁺反应的进行, 导致催化剂表面氧空位含量减少. 研究发现Ce_1-xMn_xO₂催化剂活性与表面氧空位含量线性相关.     

Characterization of crosslinked Macrotyloma uniflorum(Horsegram) protein films for packaging and medical applications

Natural polymers such as proteins and polysaccharides are of great demand in packaging and medical applications. Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is a good source of protein and possess excellent antioxidant properties. The present study investigates the development and potential applications of transparent and water-resistant horse gram protein-based films crosslinked with citric acid. Films prepared were further characterized for their physical, chemical and biological properties. Films crosslinked at higher concentrations (15%) of citric acid exhibited 50% reduction in water sorption and reduced water vapor permeability. At 15% citric acid concentration, the films showed excellent free radical scavenging of up to 96%. Also, maximum antimicrobial activity against clinical isolates were observed for the 15% citric acid crosslinked films. Increase in thermal stability and decrease in water vapor permeability was obtained at higher levels of crosslinking. The crosslinked films were cytocompatible and showed potential to be used as substrates for cell culture. Citric acid crosslinked horse gram protein films have good physicochemical properties along with biological activities and could be suitable for applications in the packaging and medical fields.     

Hidden in plain sight: unlocking the full potential of cyclic voltammetry with the thin-film rotating (ring) disk electrode studies for the investigation of oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts

Cyclic voltammetry conducted with a thin-film rotating disk electrode, or ring-disk electrode (CV-TF-R(R)DE) is a very popular ‘ex situ’ tool for the rapid screening of electrocatalysts for their activity in oxygen reduction reaction. Despite its popularity and broad use, in most instances only a small part of the information that could be accessed by CV-TF-R(R)DE is actually used by scientists in their research. This work outlines both innovative and more traditional (but half-forgotten) ways of using CV-TF-R(R)DE to its optimal or full potential in the ongoing quest to study the most relevant features of oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts and quickly identify the most promising candidates for their applications in fuel cells or other electrochemical devices.     

Bioactivated in vivo assembly(BIVA) peptide-tetraphenylethylene(TPE) probe with controllable assembled nanostructure for cell imaging

The emergence of fluorescent light-up molecular probe, which can specifically turn on their fluorescent in the presence of stimulation factors, has open up a new opportunity to advance biosensing and bioimaging. In this work, we designed and synthesized a peptide-AIE conjugate probe for cell imaging with controlled in situ assembled nanostructures. The modular designed probe is consisted of a selfassembled peptide-tetraphenylethene(TPE) motif, a fibroblast activation protein alpha(FAP-α)responsive motif, a hydrophilic motif and a targeting motif. The probe exhibits typically turn-on fluorescence property specifically triggered by FAP-α, which is a significant overexpressed membrane protein on pancreatic tumor cells. Interestingly, the peptide modified the TPE dramatically impacts the assembled nanostructure, which can be modulated by peptide sequences. As a result, the peptide FF(PhePhe) modification of TPE as the self-assembled motif provides a suitable balance of the probe with lightup property and nanofiber assembled structure in situ. Finally, our probe could effectively detect the FAP-α on tumor cells with high specificity. Meantime, the nanofibers in situ assembled on the surface of CAFs enhanced the probe accumulation and prolonged the retention for cell imaging. We envision that this study may inspire new insights into the design of nanostructure controlled AIE light-up bio-probe.     

基于单克隆抗体G250修饰的肿瘤细胞靶向基因载体研究

用宫颈癌细胞Hela表面高表达G250抗原的单克隆抗体G250修饰非病毒基因载体, 获得肿瘤靶向基因载体. 通过注射G250杂交瘤细胞于小鼠腹腔, 制备富含G250mAb的腹水, 用正辛酸-硫酸铵沉淀法和Protein A Agarose分离纯化, 获得高纯度的G250mAb. 通过二硫键将PEI与G250mAb偶联, 得到修饰的基因载体G250mAb-PEI, 研究其转基因靶向性. 结果表明, G250mAb-PEI对Hela细胞的基因转染具有显著的靶向性, 对Hela细胞的转基因效率是肝癌细胞HepG2(G250阴性)的2倍; 而对正常血管平滑肌细胞(SMC)的基因转染效率比Hela低近20倍, G250mAb修饰与否对SMC没有靶向性; 对3T3细胞的毒性显著低于未修饰的PEI, 表明G250mAb-PEI是一种高效、低毒和具有靶向性的基因载体.     

Surface modification of polydimethylsiloxane with photo-grafted poly(ethylene glycol) for micropatterned protein adsorption and cell adhesion

In this study, we applied photo-induced graft polymerization to micropatterned surface modification of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with poly(ethylene glycol). Two types of monomers, polyethylene glycol monoacrylate (PEGMA) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), were tested for surface modification of PDMS. Changes in the surface hydrophilicity and surface element composition were characterized by contact angle measurement and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. The PEGMA-grafted PDMS surfaces gradually lost their hydrophilicity within two weeks. In contrast, the PEGDA-grafted PDMS surface maintained stable hydrophilic characteristics for more than two months. Micropatterned protein adsorption and micropatterned cell adhesion were successfully demonstrated using PEGDA-micropatterned PDMS surfaces, which were prepared by photo-induced graft polymerization using photomasks. The PEGDA-grafted PDMS exhibited useful characteristics for microfluidic devices (e.g. hydrophilicity, low protein adsorption, and low cell attachment). The technique presented in this study will be useful for surface modification of various research tools and devices.     

聚(苯乙烯-丙烯酸)载体铁邻菲啰啉(5-硝基邻菲啰啉)配合物的合成及其对丁二烯聚合的催化活性

合成了不同邻菲啰啉(phen)含量的聚(苯乙烯-丙烯酸)载体铁邻菲啰啉配合物(SAAC·Fe·phen)和不同5-硝基邻菲啰啉(Nphen)含量的聚(苯乙烯-丙烯酸)载体铁5-硝基邻菲啰啉配合物(SAAC·Fe·Nphen)。元素分析和红外结果证明SAAC·Fe·phen具有下面的结构:SAAC·Fe·phen-(i-Bu)_3Al二元体系的催化效率是SAAC·Fe-phen-(i-Bu)_3Al三元体系的2倍,是小分子铁的400倍。在SAAC·Fe·phen和SAAC·Fe·Nphen体系中,当phen(或N pnen)/Fe的摩尔比为0.7左右时催化活性最高。催化活性随着Al/Fe摩尔比的增大而升高,但当Al/Fe摩尔比大于70以上活性趋于恒定,和小分子铁催化荆相比这种高分子铁催化剂可以提高聚合温度。     

Metastable Hexagonal Phase SnO2 Nanoribbons with Active Edge Sites for Efficient Hydrogen Peroxide Electrosynthesis in Neutral Media

Electrochemical two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2 e⁻ ORR) to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a promising alternative to the energetically intensive anthraquinone process. However, there remain challenges in designing 2 e⁻ ORR catalysts that meet the application criteria. Here, we successfully adopt a microwave-assisted mechanochemical-thermal approach to synthesize hexagonal phase SnO₂ (h-SnO₂) nanoribbons with largely exposed edge structures. In 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ electrolyte, the h-SnO₂ catalysts achieve the excellent H₂O₂ selectivity of 99.99 %. Moreover, when employed as the catalyst in flow cell devices, they exhibit a high yield of 3885.26 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The enhanced catalytic performance is attributed to the special crystal structure and morphology, resulting in abundantly exposed edge active sites to convert O₂ to H₂O₂, which is confirmed by density functional theory calculations.     

Linker‐free Gold Nanoparticle Superstructure Coated with Poly(dopamine) by Site‐Specific Polymerization for Amplifying Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Although linker‐free Au nanoparticle superstructures (AuNPSTs) have demonstrated to have satisfactory photothermal conversion efficiency owing to their enhanced visible‐near‐infrared absorption caused by the interparticle coupling, they cannot be used directly for in vivo photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancer because of poor stability. To address this issue, we herein propose a polymer‐coating strategy, dressing AuNPST on a poly(dopamine) (PDA) coat, and successfully investigate the in vivo PTT effect of AuNPSTs. By employing Triton X‐100 as an emulsifier for the formation of AuNPSTs, dopamine was site‐specifically polymerized around each AuNPST by the interaction between ?OH of Triton X‐100 and ?NH₂ of dopamine. As‐fabricated AuNPST/PDA has a sphere‐like shape with an average diameter of ～106 nm and the PDA shell is about 10 nm PDA thick. The AuNPST/PDA shows enhanced durability to heat, acid, and alkali compared with bare AuNPST. Also, under 808 nm laser irradiation, AuNPST/PDA shows photothermal conversion efficiency of ～33%, higher than bare AuNPST (～23%). Significantly, AuNPST/PDA can be used as in‐vitro and in‐vivo PTT agent and shows excellent therapeutic efficacy for tumor ablation thanks to its enhanced stability and biocompatibility, indicative of its potential practicability in clinical PTT.     

Photocatalytic Activities for Water Splitting of RuO_2-loaded MGa_2O_4（M=Zn,Ni） with d~（10） Configuration

MGa2O4(M=Zn,Ni) rods with similar crystallinity and BET surface area were prepared via a facile template-engaged reaction.The photocatalytic activities for water splitting of RuO2-loaded MGa2O4(M=Zn,Ni) were investigated under high-pressure Hg lamp.RuO2-loaded ZnGa2O4 catalyst exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than RuO2-loaded NiGa2O4.Factors affecting the photocatalytic activities of RuO2-loaded MGa2O4(M=Zn,Ni) were discussed.It was suggested that the electronic structure of oxide semiconductor was a predominant factor of the photocatalytic behavior for RuO2-loaded MGa2O4(M=Zn,Ni).     

Recent advances in fluorescent probes for the detection of reactive oxygen species

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have captured the interest of many researchers in the chemical, biological, and medical fields since they are thought to be associated with various pathological conditions. Fluorescent probes for the detection of ROS are promising tools with which to enhance our understanding of the physiological roles of ROS, because they provide spatial and temporal information about target biomolecules in in vivo cellular systems. ROS probes, designed to detect specific ROS with a high selectivity, would be desirable, since it is now becoming clear that each ROS has its own unique physiological activity. However, dihydro-compounds such as 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH), which have traditionally been used for detecting ROS, tend to react with a wide variety of ROS and are not completely photostable. Some attractive fluorescent probes that exhibit a high degree of selectivity toward specific ROS have recently been reported, and these selective probes are expected to have great potential for elucidating unknown physiological mechanisms associated with their target ROS. This review focuses on the design, detection mechanism, and performance of fluorescent probes for the detection of singlet oxygen (¹O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), hydroxyl radicals (^.OH), or superoxide anion (O₂ ^−.), a field in which remarkable progress has been achieved in the last few years.