Self-Boosting Catalytic Nanoreactors Integrated with Triggerable Crosslinking Membrane Networks for Initiation of Immunogenic Cell Death by Pyroptosis

Synthetic polymer vesicles spur novel strategies for producing intelligent nanodevices with precise and specific functions. Engineering vesicular nanodevices with tunable permeability by a general platform without involving trade-offs between structural integrity, flexibility, and functionality remains challenging. Herein, we present a general strategy to construct responsive nanoreactors based on polyion complex vesicles by integrating stimuli-responsive linkers into a crosslinking membrane network. The formulated ROS-responsive nanoreactor with self-boosting catalytic glucose oxidation could protect glucose oxidase (GOD) to achieve cytocidal function by oxidative stress induction and glucose starvation, which is ascribed to stimuli-responsive vesicle expansion without fracture and size-selective cargo release behavior. The GOD-loaded therapeutic nanoreactor induced an immunostimulatory form of cell death by pyroptosis, which has the great potential to prime anti-tumor immune responses.     

Multi‐Stimuli‐Responsive Polymer Materials: Particles,Films, and Bulk Gels

Stimuli‐responsive polymers have received tremendous attention from scientists and engineers for several decades due to the wide applications of these smart materials in biotechnology and nanotechnology. Driven by the complex functions of living systems, multi‐stimuli‐responsive polymer materials have been designed and developed in recent years. Compared with conventional single‐ or dual‐stimuli‐based polymer materials, multi‐stimuli‐responsive polymer materials would be more intriguing since more functions and finer modulations can be achieved through more parameters. This critical review highlights the recent advances in this area and focuses on three types of multi‐stimuli‐responsive polymer materials, namely, multi‐stimuli‐responsive particles (micelles, micro/nanogels, vesicles, and hybrid particles), multi‐stimuli‐responsive films (polymer brushes, layer‐by‐layer polymer films, and porous membranes), and multi‐stimuli‐responsive bulk gels (hydrogels, organogels, and metallogels) from recent publications. Various stimuli, such as light, temperature, pH, reduction/oxidation, enzymes, ions, glucose, ultrasound, magnetic fields, mechanical stress, solvent, voltage, and electrochemistry, have been combined to switch the functions of polymers. The polymer design, preparation, and function of multi‐stimuli‐responsive particles, films, and bulk gels are comprehensively discussed here.     

Supramolecular Vesicles Coassembled from Disulfide‐Linked Benzimidazolium Amphiphiles and Carboxylate‐Substituted Pillar[6]arenes that Are Responsive to Five Stimuli

Novel supramolecular vesicles based on host–guest systems were coassembled from carboxylate‐substituted pillar[6]arene (CPA[6]) and disulfide‐linked benzimidazolium amphiphiles, and the microstructures of the CPA‐based supramolecular vesicles were clearly elaborated. The supramolecular vesicles showed controlled drug release in response to five stimuli, with glutathione, pH, CO₂, Zn²⁺ ions, and hexanediamine, leading to cleavage of the disulfide bonds, protonation of the carboxylate groups, metal chelation, and competitive binding. This is the first case of a smart pillararene‐based supramolecular vesicle being integrated with five stimuli‐responsive functions to meet the diverse requirements of controlled drug release. Importantly, each of the five stimuli is closely related to microenvironments of tumors and diseases of the human body. The smart stimuli‐responsive supramolecular vesicles have promising applications in drug therapy of tumors and relevant diseases.     

Cationic Vesicles Based on Amphiphilic Pillar[5]arene Capped with Ferrocenium: A Redox‐Responsive System for Drug/siRNA Co‐Delivery

A novel ferrocenium capped amphiphilic pillar[5]arene (FCAP) was synthesized and self‐assembled to cationic vesicles in aqueous solution. The cationic vesicles, displaying low cytotoxicity and significant redox‐responsive behavior due to the redox equilibrium between ferrocenium cations and ferrocenyl groups, allow building an ideal glutathione (GSH)‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery system for rapid drug release and gene transfection in cancer cells in which higher GSH concentration exists. This is the first report of redox‐responsive vesicles assembled from pillararenes for drug/siRNA co‐delivery; besides enhancing the bioavailability of drugs for cancer cells and reducing the adverse side effects for normal cells, these systems can also overcome the drug resistance of cancer cells. This work presents a good example of rational design for an effective stimuli‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery system.     

Immobilized Fullerene C60‐Enzyme‐Based Electrochemical Glucose Sensor

A mixed‐valence cluster of cobalt(II) hexacyanoferrate and fullerene C60‐enzyme‐based electrochemical glucose sensor was developed. A water insoluble fullerene C60‐glucose oxidase (C60‐GOD) was prepared and applied as an immobilized enzyme on a glassy carbon electrode with cobalt(II) hexacyanoferrate for analysis of glucose. The glucose in 0.1 M KCl/phosphate buffer solution at pH = 6 was measured with an applied electrode potential at 0.0 mV (vs Ag/AgCl reference electrode). The C60‐GOD‐based electrochemical glucose sensor exhibited efficient electro‐catalytic activity toward the liberated hydrogen peroxide and allowed cathodic detection of glucose. The C60‐GOD electrochemical glucose sensor also showed quite good selectivity to glucose with no interference from easily oxidizable biospecies, e.g. uric acid, ascorbic acid, cysteine, tyrosine, acetaminophen and galactose. The current of H₂O₂ reduced by cobalt(II) hexacyanoferrate was found to be proportional to the concentration of glucose in aqueous solutions. The immobilized C60‐GOD enzyme‐based glucose sensor exhibited a good linear response up to 8 mM glucose with a sensitivity of 5.60 × 10² nA/mM and a quite short response time of 5 sec. The C60‐GOD‐based glucose sensor also showed a good sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.6 × 10^‐6 M and a high reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 4.26%. Effects of pH and temperature on the responses of the immobilized C60‐GOD/cobalt(II) hexacyanoferrate‐based electrochemical glucose sensor were also studied and discussed.     

Glucose oxidase electrodes of polyaniline,poly(o‐toluidine) and their copolymer as a biosensor: a comparative study

A simple technique is described for constructing a glucose sensor by the entrapment of glucose oxidase (GOD) in a polyaniline (PA), poly(o‐toluidine) (POT) and their copolymer poly(aniline‐co‐o‐toluidine) (PA‐co‐POT) thin films, which were electrochemically deposited on a platinum plate in phosphate and acetate buffer. The maximum current response was observed for PA, POT, and PA‐co‐POT GOD electrodes at pH 5.5 and potential 0.60 V (v. Ag/AgCl). The phosphate buffer gives fast response as compared to acetate buffer in amperometric measurements. PA GOD electrode shows the fastest response followed by PA‐co‐POT and POT GOD electrodes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Interactive Model of Communication between Abiotic Nanodevices and Microorganisms

The construction of communication models at the micro‐/nanoscale involving abiotic nanodevices and living organisms has the potential to open a wide range of applications in biomedical and communication technologies. However, this area remains almost unexplored. Herein, we report, as a proof of concept, a stimuli‐responsive interactive paradigm of communication between yeasts (as a model microorganism) and enzyme‐controlled Janus Au–mesoporous silica nanoparticles. In the presence of the stimulus, the information flows from the microorganism to the nanodevice, and then returns from the nanodevice to the microorganism as a feedback.     

Facile Fabrication of a Graphene‐based Electrochemical Biosensor for Glucose Detection

A simple and effective glucose biosensor based on immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) in graphene (GR)/Nafion film was constructed. The results indicated that the immobilized GOD can maintain its native structure and bioactivity, and the GR/Nafion film provides a favorable microenvironment for GOD immobilization and promotes the direct electron transfer between the electrode substrate and the redox center of GOD. The electrode reaction of the immobilized GOD shows a reversible and surface‐controlled process with the large electron transfer rate constant (k_s) of 3.42±0.08 s^?1. Based on the oxygen consumption during the oxidation process of glucose catalyzed by the immobilized GOD, the as‐prepared GOD/GR/Nafion/GCE electrode exhibits a linear range from 0.5 to 14 mmol·L^?1 with a detection limit of 0.03 mmol·L^?1. Moreover, it displays a good reproducibility and long‐term stability.     

Unadulterated Glucose Biosensor Based on Direct Electron Transfer of Glucose Oxidase Encapsulated Chitosan Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

Glucose oxidase (GOD) was encapsulated in chitosan matrix and immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode, achieving direct electron transfer (DET) reaction between GOD and electrode without any nano‐material. On basis of such DET, a novel glucose biosensor was fabricated for direct bioelectrochemical sensing without any electron‐mediator. GOD incorporated in chitosan films gave a pair of stable, well‐defined, and quasireversible cyclic voltammetric peaks at about ?0.284 (E_pa) and ?0.338 V (E_pc) vs. Ag/AgCl electrode in phosphate buffers. And the peak is located at the potentials characteristic of FAD redox couples of the proteins. The electrochemical parameters, such as midpoint potential (E_1/2) and apparent heterogeneous electron‐transfer rate constants (k_s) were estimated to ?0.311 V and 1.79 s^?1 by voltammetry, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the encapsulated GOD retains its catalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose. Such a GOD encapsulated chitosan based biosensor revealed a relatively rapid response time of less than 2 min, and a sufficient linear detection range for glucose concentration, from 0.60 to 2.80 mmol L^?1 with a detection limit of 0.10 mmol L^?1 and electrode sensitivity of 0.233 μA mmol^?1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) is under 3.2% (n=7) for the determination of practical serum samples. The biologic compounds probably existed in the sample, such as ascorbic acid, uric acid, dopamine, and epinephrine, do not affect the determination of glucose. The proposed method is satisfactory to the determination of human serum samples compared with the routine hexokinase method. Both the unique electrical property and biocompatibility of chitosan enable the construction of a good bio‐sensing platform for achieved DET of GOD and developed the third‐generation glucose biosensors.     

A Nanocomposite Chitosan Based on Ferrocene‐Modified Silica Nanoparticles and Carbon Nanotubes for Biosensor Application

A novel amperometric biosensor for glucose was developed by entrapping glucose oxidase (GOD) in a chitosan composite doped with ferrocene monocarboxylic acid‐aminated silica nanoparticles conjugate (FMC‐ASNPs) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The entrapped FMC‐ASNPs conjugate performed excellent redox electrochemistry and the presence of MWNTs improved the conductivity of the composite film. This matrix showed a biocompatible microenvironment for retaining the native activity of the entrapped GOD and was in favor of the accessibility of substrate to the active site of GOD, thus the affinity to substrates is improved greatly. Under optimal conditions this biosensor was able to detect glucose with a detection limit of 10 μM (S/N=3) in the linear range of 0.04 to 6.5 mM. The proximity of these three components FMC‐ASNPs, MWNTs and GOD enhanced the electron transfer between the film and electrode. This composite film can be extended to immobilize other enzymes and biomolecules, which will greatly facilitate the development of biosensors and other bioelectrochemical devices.     

Preparation of GOD/Sol‐Gel Silica Film on Prussian Blue Modified Electrode for Glucose Biosensor Application

A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was fabricated by in situ incorporating glucose oxidase (GOD) within the sol‐gel silica film on a Prussian blue (PB) modified electrode. The method is simple and controllable, which combined the merits of in situ immobilizing biomolecules in sol‐gel silica film by electrochemical method and the synergic catalysis effects of PB and GOD molecules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the GOD/sol‐gel silica film was homogeneous with a large number of three‐dimensional nanopores, which not only enhanced mass transport, but also maintained the active configuration of the enzyme molecule and prevented the leakage of enzyme, therefore improved the stability and sensitivity of the biosensor. The fabricated biosensor showed fast response time (10 s), high sensitivity (26.6 mA cm^?2 M^?1), long‐term stability, good suppression of interference, and linear range of 0.01 mM–5.8 mM with a low detection limit of 0.94 μM for the detection of glucose. In addition, the biosensor was successfully applied to determine glucose in human serum samples.     

Electrochemical Reduction of a Conjugated Cinnamic Acid Diazonium Salt as an Immobilization Matrix for Glucose Biosensor

Initial results on the synthesis of a new conjugated diazonium salt of trans‐4‐cinnamic acid diazonium fluoroborate, which is used for the chemical modification of the glassy carbon (GC) electrode with trans‐4‐cinnamic acid groups through electrochemical reduction, and direct covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) on the cinnamic acid groups are presented. The chemically modified GC electrode exhibits a good selectivity relative to the bare GC electrode for the various possible interfering compounds in glucose analysis: namely ascorbic acid and 4‐acetamidophenol. Covalent immobilization of GOD on the chemically modified GC electrode produces a biosensor which responds to glucose concentration changes in the presence of a soluble redox mediator (ferrocenemethanol). The chemical modification of GC by cinnamic acid groups is potentially useful for the attachment of other enzymes and biochemical reagents.     

A Homogenous Assay of FAD Using a Binding Between Apo‐Glucose Oxidase and FAD Labeled with an Electroactive Compound

A homogenous assay of FAD using a binding between glucose oxidase (apo‐GOD) and FAD labeled with an electroactive compound was developed. Because daunomycin is sensitively detected with voltammetry, daunomycin was connected to FAD with a cross‐linker. The peak current decreased due to the apo‐GOD‐labeled FAD binding. Competitive reaction to the apo‐GOD between FAD and the labeled FAD produces the increase of peak current. Accordingly, FAD is detected on the basis of the reaction. The merit of this method is that the influence from FMN and riboflavin in the measurement of FAD can be suppressed by the high selective binding.     

Reagentless Glucose Biosensor Based on the Direct Electrochemistry of Glucose Oxidase on Carbon Nanotube‐Modified Electrodes

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) was revealed at a carbon nanotube (CNT)‐modified glassy carbon electrode, where the enzyme was immobilized with a chitosan film containing gold nanoparticles. The immobilized GOD displays a pair of redox peaks in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solutions (PBS) with the formal potential of about ?455 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) and shows a surface‐controlled electrode process. Bioactivity remains good, along with effective catalysis of the reduction of oxygen. In the presence of dissolved oxygen, the reduction peak current decreased gradually with the addition of glucose, which could be used for reagentless detection of glucose with a linear range from 0.04 to 1.0 mM. The proposed glucose biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, good stability and reproducibility, and was also insensitive to common interferences such as ascorbic and uric acid. The excellent performance of the reagentless biosensor is attributed to the effective enhancement of electron transfer between enzyme and electrode surface by CNTs, and the biocompatible environment that the chitosan film containing gold nanoparticles provides for immobilized GOD.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Glucose Oxidase Immobilized on Titanium Carbide‐Au Nanoparticles‐Fullerene C60 Composite Film and Its Biosensing for Glucose

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) immobilized on the designed titanium carbide‐Au nanoparticles‐fullerene C₆₀ composite film modified glassy carbon electrode (TiC‐AuNPs‐C₆₀/GCE) and its biosensing for glucose were investigated. UV‐visible and Fourier‐transform infrared spectra of the resulting GOD/TiC‐AuNPs‐C₆₀ composite film suggested that the immobilized GOD retained its original structure. The direct electron transfer behaviors of immobilized GOD at the GOD/TiC‐AuNPs‐C₆₀/GCE were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in which a pair of well‐defined, quasi‐reversible redox peaks with the formal potential (E^0′) of ‐0.484 V (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer solution (0.05 M, pH 7.0) at the scan rate of 100 mV·s^?1 were obtained. The proposed GOD modified electrode exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of glucose, and the currents of glucose reduction peak were linearly related to glucose concentration in a wider linearity range from 5.0 × 10^?6 to 1.6 × 10^?4 M with a correlation coefficient of 0.9965 and a detection limit of 2.0 × 10^?6 M (S/N = 3). The sensitivity and the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant (K_M^app) were determined to be 149.3 μA·mM^?1·cm^?2 and 6.2 × 10^?5 M, respectively. Thus, the protocol will have potential application in studying the electron transfer of enzyme and the design of novel electrochemical biosensors.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase in a colloid Au-dihexadecylphosphate composite film and its application to develop a glucose biosensor

Colloid Au (Au(nano)) with a diameter of about 10 nm was prepared and used in combination with dihexadecylphosphate (DHP) to immobilize glucose oxidase (GOD) onto the surface of a graphite electrode (GE). The direct electrochemistry of GOD confined in the composite film was investigated. The immobilized GOD displayed a pair of redox peaks with a formal potential of -0.475 mV in pH 7.0 O(2)-free phosphate buffers at scan rate of 150 mV s(-1). The GOD in the composite film retained its bioactivity and could catalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Upon the addition of glucose, the reduction peak current of dissolved oxygen decreased, which could be developed for glucose determination. A calibration linear range of glucose was 0.5-9.3 mM with a detection limit of 0.1 mM and a sensitivity of 1.14 microA mM(-1). The glucose biosensor showed good reproducibility and stability. The general interferences that coexisted in human serum sample such as ascorbic acid and uric acid did not affect glucose determination.     

Metal Ion,Light, and Redox Responsive Interaction of Vesicles by a Supramolecular Switch

Chemical, photochemical and electrical stimuli are versatile possibilities to exert external control on self‐assembled materials. Here, a trifunctional molecule that switches between an “adhesive” and a “non‐adhesive” state in response to metal ions, or light, or oxidation is presented. To this end, an azobenzene–ferrocene conjugate with a flexible N,N′‐bis(3‐aminopropyl)ethylenediamine spacer was designed as a multistimuli‐responsive guest molecule that can form inclusion complexes with β‐cyclodextrin. In the absence of any stimulus the guest molecule induces reversible aggregation of host vesicles composed of amphiphilic β‐cyclodextrin due to the formation of intervesicular inclusion complexes. In this case, the guest molecule operates as a noncovalent cross‐linker for the host vesicles. In response to any of three external stimuli (metal ions, UV irradiation, or oxidation), the conformation of the guest molecule changes and its affinity for the host vesicles is strongly reduced, which results in the dissociation of intervesicular complexes. Upon elimination or reversal of the stimuli (sequestration of metal ion, visible irradiation, or reduction) the affinity of the guest molecules for the host vesicles is restored. The reversible cross‐linking and aggregation of the cyclodextrin vesicles in dilute aqueous solution was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), optical density measurements at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ‐potential measurements and cyclic voltammetry (CV). To the best of our knowledge, a dynamic supramolecular system based on a molecular switch that responds orthogonally to three different stimuli is unprecedented.     

Development of Enzyme Loaded Polyion Complex Vesicle (PICsome): Thermal Stability of Enzyme in PICsome Compartment and Effect of Coencapsulation of Dextran on Enzyme Activity

Applications of enzymes are intensively studied, particularly for biomedical applications. However, encapsulation or immobilization of enzymes without deactivation and long‐term use of enzymes are still at issue. This study focuses on the polymeric vesicles “PICsomes” for encapsulation of enzymes to develop a hecto‐nanometer‐scaled enzyme‐loaded reactor. The catalytic activity of a PICsome‐based enzyme nanoreactor is carefully examined to clarify the effect of compartmentalization by PICsome. Encapsulation by PICsome provides a stability enhancement of enzymes after 24 h incubation at 37 °C, which is particularly helpful for maintaining the high effective concentration of β‐galactosidase. Moreover, to control the microenvironment inside the nanoreactor, a large amount of dextran, a neutral macromolecule, is encapsulated together with β‐galactosidase in the PICsome. The resulting dextran‐coloaded nanoreactor contributes to the enhancement of enzyme stability, even after exposure to 24 h incubation at −20 °C, mainly due to the antifreezing effect.

     

Amperometric Detection of Glucose with Glucose Oxidase Immobilized in Layered Double Hydroxides

A novel cheap and simple amperometric biosensor, based on the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) into anionic clay; layered double hydroxides (LDHs) [Zn₃‐Al‐Cl] is presented. GOD can be entrapped in the LDHs gel via electrostatic interaction. Amperometric detection of glucose with an unmediated sensor at 0.6 V (vs. SCE) results in a rapid response (5 s), a wide linear range of 0.001–12 mM, as well as good operational stability. The low detection limit was 0.1 μM at 3σ. The apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant (K is 4.4 mM. The general interferences that coexisted in blood serum do not affect glucose determination, except for uric acid. In addition, optimization of the biosensor construction and the effects of the applied potential on the amperometric response of the sensor were investigated and discussed herein.     

Stimuli‐Responsive Molecular Photon Upconversion

The addition of stimuli‐responsiveness to anti‐Stokes emission provides a unique platform for biosensing and chemosensing. Particularly, stimuli‐responsive photon upconversion based on triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA‐UC) is promising due to its occurrence at low excitation intensity with high efficiency. This Minireview summarizes the recent developments of TTA‐UC switching by external stimuli such as temperature, oxygen, chemicals, light, electric field, and mechanical force. For the systematic understanding of the underlying general mechanisms, the switching mechanisms are categorized into four types: 1) aggregation‐induced UC; 2) assembly‐induced air‐stable UC; 3) diffusion‐controlled UC; and 4) energy‐transfer‐controlled UC. The development of stimuli‐responsive smart TTA‐UC systems would enable sensing with unprecedented sensitivity and selectivity, and expand the scope of TTA‐UC photochemistry by combination with supramolecular chemistry, materials chemistry, mechanochemistry, and biochemistry.