Regulation of redox balance using a biocompatible nanoplatform enhances phototherapy efficacy and suppresses tumor metastasis

Many cancer treatments including photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilize reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill tumor cells. However, elevated antioxidant defense systems in cancer cells result in resistance to the therapy involving ROS. Here we describe a highly effective phototherapy through regulation of redox homeostasis with a biocompatible and versatile nanotherapeutic to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. We systematically explore and exploit methylene blue adsorbed polydopamine nanoparticles as a targeted and precise nanocarrier, oxidative stress amplifier, photodynamic/photothermal agent, and multimodal probe for fluorescence, photothermal and photoacoustic imaging to enhance anti-tumor efficacy. Remarkably, following the glutathione-stimulated photosensitizer release to generate exogenous ROS, polydopamine eliminates the endogenous ROS scavenging system through depleting the primary antioxidant, thus amplifying the phototherapy and effectively suppressing tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, this approach enables a robust inhibition against breast cancer metastasis, as oxidative stress is a vital impediment to distant metastasis in tumor cells. Innovative, safe and effective nanotherapeutics via regulation of redox balance may provide a clinically relevant approach for cancer treatment.

Amplified oxidative stress achieved by modulating redox homeostasis with PDA–MB for highly effective synergistic phototherapy to inhibit primary tumors and metastases.     

Stereodivergent and regioselective synthesis of 3,4-cis- and 3,4-trans-pyrrolidinediols from alpha-amino acids

[reaction: see text] Highly stereodivergent Woodward-Prevost reaction applied to iodoacetates derived from homochiral alpha-amino acids afforded enantiopure 3,4-cis- and 3,4-trans-pyrrolidinediol derivatives, with control over the protecting group, allowing for differential protection.     

熔融LiCL中的Voronoi多面体

分子动力学计算表明,在熔融LiCl中存在与组分离子尺寸相当的微观空孔。微观空孔的分布规律对理解系统的扩散系数、电导系数、粘度、压缩率和热膨胀系数等都有重要意义,它们与自由体积模型中的自由体积也有密切的关系。     

Synthesis, structure and thermal stability of fully hydrophobic porphyrin-DNA conjugates

The DNAs modified with tetraphenyl porphyrin at the center of 13mer oligonucleotide were synthesized using phosphoramidite chemistry and automated DNA synthesis. When the porphyrin modified oligonucleotide was annealed with its complementary strand, they formed a standard B-form duplex. The porphyrin moiety intercalated in the duplex, and moderately lowered the thermal stability.     

Pseudo-MS3 in a MALDI orthogonal quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer

Both the matrix selected and the laser fluence play important roles in MALDI-quadrupole/time of flight (QqTOF) fragmentation processes. "Hot" matrices, such as alpha-cyano4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCCA), can increase fragmentation in MS spectra. Higher laser fluence also increases fragmentation. Typical peptide fragment ions observed in the QqTOF are a, b, and y ion series, which resemble low-energy CID product ions. This fragmentation may occur in the high-pressure region before the first mass-analyzing quadrupole. Fragment ions can be selected by the first quadrupole (Q1), and further sequenced by conventional MS/MS. This allows pseudo-MS3 experiments to be performed. For peptides of higher molecular weight, pseudo-MS3 can extend the mass range beyond what is usually accessible for sequencing, by allowing one to sequence a fragment ion of lower molecular weight instead of the full-length peptide. Peptides that predominantly show a single product ion after MS/MS yield improved sequence information when this technique is applied. This method was applied to the analysis of an in vitro phosphorylated peptide, where the intact enzymatically-generated peptide showed poor dissociation via MS/MS. Sequencing a fragment ion from the phosphopeptide enabled the phosphorylation site to be unambiguously determined.     

四配位硅单体及其共聚物的制备和结构表征

研究了直接从无定形二氧化硅出发, 与乙二醇、氢氧化钾反应, 生成高反应活性的五配位硅钾化合物, 并以此为原料与含活泼氯的3-氯丙烯反应制备出含双键官能团的四配位硅单体. 讨论了合成单体的条件如温度、反应时间、反应物浓度、溶液pH值及溶剂等因素的影响. 然后以该四配位硅单体与甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)在偶氮二异丁腈(AIBN)作引发剂下进行自由基聚合得到支链含硅共聚物. 并借助于红外光谱(IR)、核磁共振(¹³C和¹H, ²⁹Si)、能谱元素分析对合成的单体进行了结构表征; 用红外光谱(IR)、热失重谱(TG)、差示扫描量热谱(DSC)、凝胶渗透色谱法(GPC)等现代测试手段对支链含硅共聚物进行了结构表征及热性能分析. IR表明四配位硅单体在1646 cm^－1处是C＝C的伸缩振动吸收峰, 在共聚物中此峰消失; TG表明共聚物在249.6 ℃才开始失重, 552 ℃有机部分失重完毕; GPC分析表明共聚物的数均分子量为8.7万.     

Synthesis,characterization and DNA-binding properties of mixed porphyrin–polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes

Two mixed porphyrin–polypyridyl Ru^II complexes [Ru(bpy)₂(MPyTPP)Cl]Cl (1) and [Ru(phen)₂(MPyTPP)Cl]Cl ( 2 ) (bpy=2,2-bipyridine; phen=1,10-phenanthroline; MPyTPP=5-monopyridyl-10,15,20–triphenylporphyrin) have been synthesized and characterized by elementary analysis, e.s.–m.s., cyclic voltammetry and u.v.–vis. spectroscopy. The DNA-binding properties of these complexes were investigated by electronic spectra, c.d. spectra and viscosity experiments. The results suggested that both complexes (1) and (2) bind to DNA in an outside binding mode. At the same time, theoretical calculations applying the ab initio and the density functional theory (DFT) methods were also performed, and the results showed that there is no good planarity on the main ligand MPyTPP of these complexes, and there are rather great distortion angles (dihedral angles ca. 72°) between the porphrin ring and each of the 10-, 15-, 20-phenyl groups. This may be the reason why the complexes bind to DNA in an outside mode, instead of an intercalative mode.     

Quantitative analysis of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid in mouse plasma using electrospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

23-Hydroxybetulinic acid is a newly isolated derivative of betulinic acid. The agent exhibits potential anti-tumor activity and functions in this regard via apoptosis. In support of pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluations, a new assay based on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was developed for the quantitative analysis of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid. Sample preparation consisted of extraction of the plasma by the addition of methylene chloride followed by centrifugation. Aliquots of the supernatant were analyzed using an isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system coupled to a negative ion electrospray mass spectrometer. Molecules of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid and the internal standard limonin were detected using selected ion monitoring at m/z 471 and 469, respectively. The limit of detection of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid was 0.05 pg (0.11 fmol) injected on-column (10 pg/mL, 5 microL injection volume), and the limit of quantitation was 10 pg (21.19 fmol, 2 ng/mL, 5 muL injection volume). 23-Hydroxybetulinic acid was stable in plasma samples at -20 degrees C for at least 3 weeks. The intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation of the assay were 3.0 and 4.8%, respectively. The utility of the assay was demonstrated by measuring 23-hydroxybetulinicacid in mouse plasma following intragastric administration (IG) in vivo. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the 3P97 pharmacokinetic software package. A two-compartment, first-order model was selected for pharmacokinetic modeling. The result showed that after IG of 200 mg/kg 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, the plasma concentrations reached peaks at 2 h with C(max) of 3.1 microg/mL. The 200 mg/kg 23-hydroxybetulinic acid suspension IG doses were found to have long elimination half-lives of 25.6 h and low bioavailability of 2.3%. No interference was noted due to endogenous substances. These analytical methods should be of value in future studies related to the development and characterization of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid.     

乙醇和甲苯组成的最低共沸混合物热力学性质的研究

The molar heat capacity of the azeotropic mixture composed of ethanol and toluene was measured by a high precision adiabatic calorimeter from 80 to 320 K. The glass transition and phase transitions of the azeotropic mixture were determined based on the heat capacity measurements. A glass transition at 103.350 K was found. A solid-solid phase transition at 127.282 K, two solid-liquid phase transitions at 153.612 and 160.584 K were observed, which correspond to the transition of metastable crystal to stable crystal of ethanol and the melting of ethanol and toluene, respectively. The thermodynamic functions and the excess ones of the mixture relative to the standard temperature 298.15 K were derived based on the relationships of the thermodynamic functions and the function of the measured heat capacity with respect to temperature.     

Electronic structure and field emission of multiwalled carbon nanotubes depending on growth temperature

The electronic structure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been investigated, depending on the growth temperature, using synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field emission measurements. The vertically aligned CNTs are grown via pyrolysis of ferrocene and acetylene in a broad temperature range 600-1000 degrees C. The CNTs have a cylindrical structure with a uniform diameter of 20 nm. As growth temperature increases, due to an improved crystallinity of the graphitic sheets, the width of the XPS C 1s peak becomes narrower and the intensity of the valence band increases. Field emission from the as-grown CNTs exhibits a large enhancement of current density with growth temperature, strongly correlated with the electronic structure revealed by XPS.