Mitochondrion-anchoring AIEgen with Large Stokes Shift for Imaging-guided Photodynamic Therapy

Photosensitizers that can target and accumulate in mitochondria are expected to achieve good therapeutic effects in photodynamic therapy,as mitochondria are the energy generation factory in cells.Herein,we designed and synthesized a novel mitochondrion-targeting photosensitizer TPC-Py with aggregation-induced emission characteristics for image-guided photodynamic therapy.TPC-Py possessed an efficient production of 1O2,with a quantum yield of 11.65%,upon mild white light irradiation(6 mW/cm²).TPC-Py exhibited good biocompatibility under dark condition,but showed remarkable cytotoxicity towards human cervical carcinoma(HeLa)cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of 3.2μmol/L when exposed to white light irradiation(14.4 J/cm²).In addition,the Stokes shift of TPC-Py was as high as 150 nm,so that it could prevent self-absorption and increase the signal-to-noise ratio of fluorescence imaging.The excellent performance of TPC-Py makes it a promising candidate in imaging-guided clinical PDT for cancer in the near future.     

NO in Viral Infections: Role and Development of Antiviral Therapies

Nitric oxide is a ubiquitous signaling radical that influences critical body functions. Its importance in the cardiovascular system and the innate immune response to bacterial and viral infections has been extensively investigated. The overproduction of NO is an early component of viral infections, including those affecting the respiratory tract. The production of high levels of NO is due to the overexpression of NO biosynthesis by inducible NO synthase (iNOS), which is involved in viral clearance. The development of NO-based antiviral therapies, particularly gaseous NO inhalation and NO-donors, has proven to be an excellent antiviral therapeutic strategy. The aim of this review is to systematically examine the multiple research studies that have been carried out to elucidate the role of NO in viral infections and to comprehensively describe the NO-based antiviral strategies that have been developed thus far. Particular attention has been paid to the potential mechanisms of NO and its clinical use in the prevention and therapy of COVID-19.     

Recent Advances in Synergistic Antitumor Effects Exploited from the Inhibition of Ataxia Telangiectasia and RAD3-Related Protein Kinase (ATR)

As one of the key phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinases (PIKKs) family members, ataxia telangiectasia and RAD3-related protein kinase (ATR) is crucial in maintaining mammalian cell genomic integrity in DNA damage response (DDR) and repair pathways. Dysregulation of ATR has been found across different cancer types. In recent years, the inhibition of ATR has been proven to be effective in cancer therapy in preclinical and clinical studies. Importantly, tumor-specific alterations such as ATM loss and Cyclin E1 (CCNE1) amplification are more sensitive to ATR inhibition and are being exploited in synthetic lethality (SL) strategy. Besides SL, synergistic anticancer effects involving ATRi have been reported in an increasing number in recent years. This review focuses on the recent advances in different forms of synergistic antitumor effects, summarizes the pharmacological benefits and ongoing clinical trials behind the biological mechanism, and provides perspectives for future challenges and opportunities. The hope is to draw awareness to the community that targeting ATR should have great potential in developing effective anticancer medicines.     

Synthesis of 15P-Conjugated PPy-modified Gold Nanoparticles and Their Application to Photothermal Therapy of Ovarian Cancer

In this work, we synthesized the polypyrrole（PPy） modified gold nanoparticles and demonstrated their negligible cytotoxicity in vitro. These nanoparticles have also been demonstrated to efficiently ablate different kinds of tumor cells in vitro under the irradiation of the near-infrared laser. When the PPy modified gold nanoparticles were conjugated with the tumor-targeted molecule of 15P（sequence： SHSWHWLPNLRHYAS）, these conjugates displayed hyperthermia effects on the human ovarian cancer cell line SK-OV-3 cells in vitro under the irradiation of near-infrared laser, showing great tumor-targeted treatment efficiency. To determine the potential hyperthermia effect of PPy modified gold nanoparticles or 15P-conjugate on tumor cells in vivo, the SK-OV-3 cells were used to induce the subcutaneous tumor-bearing nude mice. The significant inhibition effects of near-infrared laser mediated PPy modified gold nanoparticles or 15P-conjugate on the tumor growth were observed. These composite results suggest that the 15P-conjugated PPy modified gold nanoparticles exhibit great biocompatibility, particularly tumor-targeted effect and the effective photothermal ablation of tumor cells, which warrants the potential therapeutic value of this conjugate for further application to the in vivo localized tumor therapy.     

Cathepsin B-responsive nanodrug delivery systems for precise diagnosis and targeted therapy of malignant tumors

The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences cancer evolution and therapeutic efficacy. Targeting biofunctional molecules to the TME has long been appreciated as a means of raising local drug concentrations and reducing systemic toxicities. The booming nanotechnology field has realized the importance of cathepsin B to derive a variety of intelligent enzyme-responsive nanosized drug delivery systems (nanoDDS) to improve treatment responses and clinical outcomes. In this tutorial review, after introducing the molecular structure and physiological/pathological functions of cathepsin B, the outstanding achievements of cathepsin B-responsive nanoplatforms in the precise diagnosis, targeted therapy, and synergistic theranostics of malignant tumors are systematically described. Finally, the challenges of enzyme-substrate incompatibility, low diagnostic sensitivity, mass production and biocompatibility of multifunctional nanoDDS are considered in order to successfully promote them to clinical applications     

Ultrasonic and Raman Scattering Spectroscopy of Zinc Thiocyanate Complexes in Water at 25<Superscript>∘</Superscript>C: Kinetics of Complex Formation Determined by Multivariate Analysis

Advances have been made recently in broadening the accessible ultrasonic absorption frequency range and improving the detectability of minor species present in solution using Raman spectroscopy. Development of chemometric techniques in these areas needs to keep pace with the improvement of these experimental methods. Refinements in the analysis of ultrasonic and Raman data based on multivariable least squares and factor analysis, respectively, are examined to investigate the kinetics of zinc thiocyanate complex formation in water. Analysis of ultrasonic absorption relaxation spectra verified that the observed process in aqueous Zn(SCN)₂ involves substitution of water from the first coordination shell of Zn²⁺. Use of a multivariable least-squares error surface is described that enhances the reliability of assigned frequencies of ultrasonic absorption maxima. Factor analysis of Raman scattering data provided direct evidence that at least four complex species, such as Zn(SCN)⁺ and Zn(SCN)₂, are simultaneously present in the aqueous zinc thiocyanate solutions.     

焦脱镁叶绿酸的Knoevenagel反应及其杂环取代衍生物的合成

以焦脱镁叶绿酸-d甲酯(MPPd)为起始原料, 通过其醛基与连有五元杂环的β-二酮、α-氰基酮和丙二腈的活性亚甲基进行Knoevenagel反应, 完成3-位五元杂环取代的焦脱镁叶绿酸-a甲酯衍生物. 所合成的新化合物均经UV, IR, ¹H NMR及元素分析证明其结构.     

红紫素-18酰亚胺衍生物的合成

以脱镁叶绿酸甲酯为原料, 通过对其3-位乙烯基的氧化, 得到3-(2,2-二甲氧基乙基)-3-去乙烯基脱镁叶绿酸甲酯, 经过甲酸处理得到3-(2-氧代乙基)-3-去乙烯基脱镁叶绿酸甲酯, 选择适当的条件, 通过Grignard 反应合成了对应的3-(2-羟基烷基)-3-去乙烯基脱镁叶绿酸甲酯. 实验结果表明: 3-(2-氧代乙基)-3-去乙烯基脱美叶绿酸甲酯和Grignard试剂的反应, 只要反应条件控制得当, 13²-位的甲氧甲酰基不会脱去. 结合E环的改造, 将其转变成酸酐环进而转变成N-取代的酰亚胺环. 目标化合物的合成也可以将3-(2,2-二甲氧基乙基)-去乙烯基脱镁叶绿酸甲酯转变成N-取代的酰亚胺后, 再和Grignard试剂反应, 完成目标化合物的合成. 合成的一系列化合物具有长波长的紫外吸收. 化合物的结构变化对紫外吸收的影响作了相应的讨论. 合成的新化合物均由核磁共振、红外光谱、元素分析予以证实.     

污泥和沉积物中微量大环内酯类、磺胺类抗生素、甲氧苄胺嘧啶和氯霉素的测定

利用超声波辅助萃取(USE)技术,联合固相萃取(SPE)净化浓缩以及液相色谱-电喷雾串联质谱(LC-ESI-MS/MS)技术,建立了城市污泥和河流底泥中微量-痕量大环内酯类、磺胺类抗生素、甲氧苄胺嘧啶和氯霉素的多目标定量分析方法.样品经USE提取,SPE净化后,用LC-ESI-MS/MS检测.选择C18为分析柱,甲醇、5 mmol/L醋酸铵和0.1%甲酸混合溶液为流动相,选择在ESI正电离源下多反应监测(MRM)模式检测.对比了USE和加速溶剂萃取(ASE)对抗生素的萃取效率,优化了萃取条件.结果表明: USE和ASE对所选抗生素的萃取效率相当; 而50%甲醇溶液在酸性条件下(pH 2)萃取效率最好.抗生素的方法检出限为2.2～66.9 ng/g(干重,下同); 回收率介于74.7%～111.8%之间; 相对标准偏差小于10.6%.应用此方法在广州某污水处理厂脱水污泥及某河涌底泥中检测到磺胺二甲基嘧啶、克拉霉素、脱水红霉素及罗红霉素等多种抗生素,含量为6.8～125.6 ng/g.     

微波辅助萃取与超声波萃取丹参中丹酚酸B的比较研究

本文对微波辅助萃取和超声波萃取丹参中丹酚酸B进行了比较研究,并用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定了丹参中丹酚酸B.考察了微波辅助萃取和超声波萃取参数的影响,在各自最佳萃取条件下进行了丹参中的丹酚酸B提取率的比对,结果表明:微波辅助萃取6 min的提取率高于超声波萃取30 min的提取率.微波辅助萃取法与超声波萃取法相比具有省时、高效和溶剂用量少的特点.利用指纹图谱比较了两种萃取方式提取的化学成分的差异,结果显示两种萃取方法提取的主要成分组成基本相同,其共有成分比例相近.