Regioselective Synthesis and Photophysical and Electrochemical Studies of 20‐Substituted Cyanine Dye–Purpurinimide Conjugates: Incorporation of NiII into the Conjugate Enhances its Tumor‐Uptake and Fluorescence‐Imaging Ability

We report herein a simple and efficient approach to the synthesis of a variety of meso‐substituted purpurinimides. The reaction of meso ‐ substituted purpurinimide with N‐bromosuccinimide regioselectively introduced a bromo functionality at the 20‐position, which on further reaction with a variety of boronic acids under Suzuki reaction conditions yielded the corresponding meso‐substituted analogues. Interestingly, the free base and the metalated analogues showed remarkable differences in photosensitizing efficacy (PDT) and tumor‐imaging ability. For example, the free‐base conjugate showed significant in vitro PDT efficacy, but limited tumor avidity in mice bearing tumors, whereas the corresponding Ni^II derivative did not produce any cell kill, but showed excellent tumor‐imaging ability at a dose of 0.3 μmol kg^?1 at 24, 48, and 72 h post‐injection. The limited PDT efficacy of the Ni^II analogue could be due to its inability to produce singlet oxygen, a key cytotoxic agent required for cell kill in PDT. Based on electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical data in DMSO, the first one‐electron oxidation (0.52 V vs. SCE) and the first one‐electron reduction (?0.57–0.67 V vs. SCE) of both the free base and the corresponding Ni^II conjugates are centered on the cyanine dye, whereas the second one‐electron reduction (?0.81 V vs. SCE) of the two conjugates is assigned to the purpurinimide part of the molecule. Reduction of the cyanine dye unit is facile and occurs prior to reduction of the purpurinimide group, which suggests that the cyanine dye unit as an oxidant could be the driving force for quenching of the excited triplet state of the molecules. An interaction between the cyanine dye and the purpurinimide group is clearly observed in the free‐base conjugate, which compares with a negligible interaction between the two functional groups in the Ni^II conjugate. As a result, the larger HOMO–LUMO gap of the free‐base conjugate and the corresponding smaller quenching constant is a reason to decrease the intramolecular quenching process and increase the production of singlet oxygen to some degree.     

Integrated Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Target Drug/siRNA Co‐Delivery

A hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticle (HMSNP) based drug/siRNA co‐delivery system was designed and fabricated, aiming at overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells for targeted cancer therapy. The as‐prepared HMSNPs have perpendicular nanochannels connecting to the internal hollow cores, thereby facilitating drug loading and release. The extra volume of the hollow core enhances the drug loading capacity by two folds as compared with conventional mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs). Folic acid conjugated polyethyleneimine (PEI‐FA) was coated on the HMSNP surfaces under neutral conditions through electrostatic interactions between the partially charged amino groups of PEI‐FA and the phosphate groups on the HMSNP surfaces, blocking the mesopores and preventing the loaded drugs from leakage. Folic acid acts as the targeting ligand that enables the co‐delivery system to selectively bind with and enter into the target cancer cells. PEI‐FA‐coated HMSNPs show enhanced siRNA binding capability on account of electrostatic interactions between the amino groups of PEI‐FA and siRNA, as compared with that of MSNPs. The electrostatic interactions provide the feasibility of pH‐controlled release. In vitro pH‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery experiments were conducted on HeLa cell lines with high folic acid receptor expression and MCF‐7 cell lines with low folic acid receptor expression for comparison, showing effective target delivery to the HeLa cells through folic acid receptor meditated cellular endocytosis. The pH‐responsive intracellular drug/siRNA release greatly minimizes the prerelease and possible side effects of the delivery system. By simultaneously delivering both doxorubicin (Dox) and siRNA against the Bcl‐2 protein into the HeLa cells, the expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2 was successfully suppressed, leading to an enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Thus, the present multifunctional nanoparticles show promising potentials for controlled and targeted drug and gene co‐delivery in cancer treatment.     

阿尔茨海默症病理机制中的金属代谢和金属药物

随着人口老龄化进程的发展,阿尔茨海默症(AD)已成为威胁中国和世界人口健康和经济的重大疾病.本文综述了近年来AD病理的分子机制的新进展,分析了其中金属代谢的意义.研究发现,在AD进程中,围绕淀粉样斑块(AP)和神经缠绕斑(NFT)的形成,多因素相互联系并发挥作用,这些主要因素包括金属内稳态、胰岛素抵抗、神经炎症、线粒体和血脑屏障改变等.与AD病理过程密切相关的主要蛋白质均参与了金属元素的生理代谢过程,而细胞金属离子的内稳态失衡加剧了AD病理的恶化.金属药物在AD诊断和治疗中可能具有以下的发展潜力:(1)AD早期诊断探针;(2)调节金属内稳态的配体和/或微量元素补充;(3)抗糖尿病金属配合物;(4)神经元和血脑屏障(BBB)保护金属药物.     

溶酶体靶向吲哚氟硼二吡咯光敏剂的合成、 双光子荧光成像及光动力治疗

通过Knoevenagel缩合反应制备了一个具有溶酶体靶向的近红外光敏剂IMBDP-Lys, 用于双光子荧光成像和光动力治疗. IMBDP-Lys由2个吲哚吗啉功能团连接到氟硼二吡咯(BODIPY)母核的3?位和8?位构筑而成, 是一种重原子诱导的光敏剂. 采用高斯09W理论计算光敏剂S₁态和T₂态能量值相差0.12 eV, 可以有效地发生系间窜越. 在二氯甲烷溶液中, 光敏剂IMBDP-Lys的最大吸收波长为631 nm, 最大发射波长为684 nm. 在 660 nm的光照下, 以亚甲基蓝为参比, 单线态氧量子产率经计算为48.3%. 此外, 含有2个吗啉基团的光敏剂IMBDP-Lys具有良好的生物相容性和精准的靶向能力, 可以快速地进入斑马鱼体内进行双光子荧光成像, 并且与溶酶体绿色染料Lyso-Tracker Green共定位系数为0.95. 溴化噻唑蓝四氮唑(MTT)实验结果表明, 光敏剂具有低的暗毒性(≥85%)和高的光毒性(IC₅₀=0.52 μmol/L). 在660 nm的光照下, 利用活性氧荧光探针2’,7’-二氯二氢荧光素二乙酸酯（DCFH-DA）证明光敏剂可以产生活性氧, 同时吖啶橙/溴化乙锭(AO/EB)染色实验和细胞迁移实验表明产生的活性氧不仅能诱导A549细胞凋亡, 还能有效地抑制肿瘤细胞迁移. 因此, 近红外光敏剂IMBDP-Lys在双光子荧光成像和溶酶体靶向的光动力治疗中具有重要的应用价值.     

硫代部花菁类染料生物成像及诊疗的研究进展

硫代部花菁是氮杂环阳离子和末端氨基、 羟基或烷氧基通过π共轭桥连在一起的一类荧光染料, 具有优异的光学性质和生物相容性, 其近红外发射优势以及光敏特性使以硫代部花菁为骨架的荧光探针和诊疗试剂在荧光/光声成像和肿瘤治疗方面发挥着重要作用. 本文综合评述了基于硫代部花菁构建的荧光探针和诊疗分子在识别各种生命或环境分析物以及光基疗法中的研究及应用, 讨论了该领域面临的问题, 并对未来的发展趋势进行了展望.     

近红外二区活体荧光成像在肿瘤诊疗中的应用

由于具备组织穿透深度深和时空分辨率高等优势, 近年来近红外二区(Near-infrared-Ⅱ, NIR-Ⅱ, 1000~1700 nm)荧光成像技术得到了快速发展, 其在肿瘤临床诊断和治疗的潜力更是引发了广泛关注. 本文首先阐释了NIR-Ⅱ窗口荧光成像的原理及其优势, 随后根据结构分类归纳总结了现有荧光团的特征, 重点介绍了荧光探针在性能优化上的进展以及在肿瘤早期检测、 术中导航和光疗中的应用, 最后讨论了现有NIR-Ⅱ 荧光探针的局限以及临床转化面临的挑战, 并对未来的发展方向进行了展望.     

小分子基温敏聚合物纳米粒子的制备及在近红外二区荧光成像与光热治疗中的应用

以有机小分子4,9-二(5-9H-芴-2-基-噻吩-2-基)-6',7-联苯[1,2,5]噻二唑并[3,4-g]喹喔啉(TQF)为前驱体, 通过化学方法将其修饰为可引发可逆加成-断裂链转移聚合(RAFT)反应的小分子链转移剂TQF-苯基硫代链 转移剂（CTA）. 以TQF-CTA为链转移剂, 以偶氮二异丁腈为引发剂, 引发N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(NIPAAm)和 甲基丙烯酸寡聚乙二醇酯(OEGMA)发生RAFT聚合反应, 合成了具有良好水溶性和较低临界溶解温度(LCST)的小分子基共聚物[TQF-P(NIPAAm-co-OEGMA), TPNO]. 将其直接溶于水中可制备成温敏的球形纳米粒子 TPNO NPs. 研究结果表明, TPNO NPs在温度大于LCST(35 ℃)时表现出一个明显的粒径变化和显著的荧光 增强行为(2.2倍), 并成功实现了对活体小鼠血管与肿瘤的明亮近红外二区(NIR-Ⅱ)荧光成像(FI). 同时, TPNO NPs有着良好的光热转换效率(PCE=29.8%), 通过体外细胞实验证明了其对细胞具有较好的光热治疗(PTT)效果.     

基于框架核酸的细胞表面受体配体相互作用研究进展

细胞表面受体与配体之间的特异性相互作用在细胞生物学过程中起着重要作用。然而,与均相溶液不同,受体分子在细胞膜上的分布是非连续的、动态的,因此细胞表面的受体配体相互作用通常呈现复杂的非线性结合模式。框架核酸作为一类具有确定几何形状的DNA纳米支架,可用于多价配体的偶联,为深入揭示受体配体相互作用机制提供了可靠的工具。利用框架核酸纳米分辨率的可寻址特性,可实现对配体数目、间距及空间构象等参数的精确调控,进而研究细胞表面受体配体的结合特性及影响因素,优化结合条件最终实现高效的分子识别及靶向治疗。本文综述了基于框架核酸的细胞表面受体配体相互作用研究进展,通过探讨细胞表面受体配体相互作用的重要影响因素及生物学应用,对该研究领域的发展前景和未来趋势予以展望。     

Cell Membrane-camouflaged Multi-functional Dendritic Large Pore Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Combined Photothermal Therapy and Radiotherapy of Cancer

Combining photothermal therapy and radiotherapy(PTT-RT) with reducing tumor hypoxia acts as an important antitumor modality. However, it is a great challenge to realize photothermal therapy, radiotherapy and exogenous oxygen supply in one nanosystem. To realize a combination of the three functions, we fabricated a red blood cell membrane(RBCm)-camouflaged, red blood cell content(RBCc) and the copper sulfide(CuS) co-loaded dendritic large pore mesoporous silica nanoparticle(DLMSN/CuS/RBCc/ RBCm). The cell membrane coating endowed the nanoparticles with good stability in the physiological environment, and CuS allowed the nanoparticle exhibiting good photothermal and radiosensitization properties. RBCc loaded nanoparticle DLMSN/CuS/RBCc enhanced superior anti-tumor effect than DLMSN/CuS during combined PTT-RT therapy because the introduction of RBCc increased the exogenous oxygen supply. The in vitro study further demonstrated that the combination of photothermal therapy and radiotherapy induced superior antitumor efficacy than single therapy. Our work thus presents a unique multifunctional nanoscale platform favorable for combined PTT and RT.     

An Iridium Complex as an AIE-active Photosensitizer for Image-guided Photodynamic Therapy

Image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) has received growing attention due to its non-invasiveness and precise controllability. However, the PDT efficiency of most photosensitizers are decreased in living system due to the aggregation-caused singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation decreasing. Herein, we present an Iridium (III) pyridylpyrrole complex (Ir-1) featuring of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and ¹O₂ generation characteristics for image-guided PDT of cancer. Ir-1 aqueous solution exhibits bright red phosphorescence peaked at 630 nm, large Stokes shift of 227 nm, and good ¹O₂ generation ability. The ¹O₂ generating rate of Ir-1 in EtOH/water mixture solution is 2.3 times higher than that of Rose Bengal. In vitro experimental results revealed that Ir-1 has better biocompatibility and higher phototoxicity compared with clinically used photosensitizers (Rose Bengal and Ce6), suggesting that Ir-1 can serve as a photosensitizer for image-guided PDT of cancer.