Singlet oxygen generation by hybrid structures based on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and tetraphenylporphyrin in organic medium

Nanomaterials for Fluorescence and Multimodal Bioimaging

Bioconjugated nanomaterials replace molecular probes in bioanalysis and bioimaging in vitro and in vivo. Nanoparticles of silica, metals, semiconductors, polymers, and supramolecular systems, conjugated with contrast agents and drugs for image-guided (MRI, fluorescence, PET, Raman, SPECT, photodynamic, photothermal, and photoacoustic) therapy infiltrate into preclinical and clinical settings. Small bioactive molecules like peptides, proteins, or DNA conjugated to the surfaces of drugs or probes help us to interface them with cells and tissues. Nevertheless, the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of nanodrugs, nanoprobes, and their components become the clinical barriers, underscoring the significance of developing biocompatible next-generation drugs and contrast agents. This account provides state-of-the-art advancements in the preparation and biological applications of bioconjugated nanomaterials and their molecular, cell, and in vivo applications. It focuses on the preparation, bioimaging, and bioanalytical applications of monomodal and multimodal nanoprobes composed of quantum dots, quantum clusters, iron oxide nanoparticles, and a few rare earth metal ion complexes.

Hydrophilic, dual amino acid-functionalized zinc sulfide quantum dot for specific identification of N-glycopeptides from biological samples

RATIONALE

Glycosylation of proteins is one of the most significant and complex post-translational modifications, and N-glycosylation plays a crucial role in life activities. Mass spectrometry (MS) has been a powerful technique in the analysis of protein glycosylation. However, the direct detection of glycoproteins in biological samples based on MS still suffers from huge challenges. Therefore, enrichment and purification of samples before MS analysis is an essential prerequisite.

METHODS

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) has significantly developed for selective enrichment of glycopeptides due to its simple operation process and unbiased enrichment. Herein, hydrophilic, dual amino acid-functionalized zinc sulfide quantum dots (ZnS QDs) were prepared to enrich glycopeptides using an easy procedure. The enriched glycopeptides were detected using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

RESULTS

The obtained material exhibited high selectivity (1:2000), low detection limit (0.1 fmol/μl), good repeatability (10 times), and excellent recovery (89.8%) in glycopeptide enrichment. In the actual application in biological samples, 71 N-glycopeptides and 161 N-glycopeptides were detected from human saliva and serum, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ZnS-Au-GC was successfully prepared using an easy method. The results showed that the obtained material exhibited excellent performance in glycopeptide enrichment. Furthermore, it had showed great potential for glycopeptide enrichment in complex biological samples.

High Drug-Loading Nanomedicines for Tumor Chemo-Photo Combination Therapy: Advances and Perspectives

The combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy (chemo−photo combination therapy) is an excellent attempt for tumor treatment. The key requirement of this technology is the high drug-loading nanomedicines, which can load either chemotherapy drugs or phototherapy agents at the same nanomedicines and simultaneously deliver them to tumors, and play a multimode therapeutic role for tumor treatment. These nanomedicines have high drug-loading efficiency (>30%) and good tumor combination therapeutic effect with important clinical application potential. Although there are many reports of high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor therapy at present, systematic analyses on those nanomedicines remain lacking and a comprehensive review is urgently needed. In this review, we systematically analyze the current status of developed high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy and summarize their types, methods, drug-loading properties, in vitro and in vivo applications. The shortcomings of the existing high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy and the possible prospective development direction are also discussed. We hope to attract more attention for researchers in different academic fields, provide new insights into the research of tumor therapy and drug delivery system and develop these nanomedicines as the useful tool for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy in the future.

Magneto-Luminescent Nanocomposites Based on Carbon Dots and Ferrite with Potential for Bioapplication

Multifunctional nanocomposites that combine both magnetic and photoluminescent (PL) properties provide significant advantages for nanomedical applications. In this work, a one-stage synthesis of magneto-luminescent nanocomposites (MLNC) with subsequent stabilization is proposed. Microwave synthesis of magnetic carbon dots (M-CDs) was carried out using precursors of carbon dots and magnetic nanoparticles. The effect of stabilization on the morphological and optical properties of nanocomposites has been evaluated. Both types of nanocomposites demonstrate magnetic and PL properties simultaneously. The resulting MLNCs demonstrated excellent solubility in water, tunable PL with a quantum yield of up to 28%, high photostability, and good cytocompatibility. Meanwhile, confocal fluorescence imaging showed that M-CDs were localized in the cell nuclei. Consequently, the multifunctional nanocomposites M-CDs are promising candidates for bioimaging and therapy.

Chitosan nanocomposites with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and porphyrin

Water-soluble nanocomposites based on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and hydrophobic tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) molecules passivated by chitosan (CS) have been formed. Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra evidence TPP presence in both monomeric and agglomerated forms in the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites demonstrate more pronounced singlet oxygen generation compared to free TPP in CS at the same concentration due to the intracomplex Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) with a 45% average efficiency.