Evaluating Hyperthyroidism-Induced Liver Injury Based on In Situ Fluorescence Imaging of Glutathione and Phosphate via Nano-MOFs Sensor

Case report: Severe cholestatic jaundice associated with hyperthyroidism treated with methimazole

RATIONALE

We present a case of a 43-year-old female patient diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. This study aims to demonstrate the rare association between hyperthyroidism and severe cholestatic jaundice, and the effectiveness of methimazole treatment.

PATIENT CONCERNS

The patient developed severe jaundice, a typically mild symptom in most hyperthyroidism cases.

DIAGNOSIS

The severe jaundice was suspected to be a result of cholestasis induced by hyperthyroidism, with other potential causes such as drug-induced or autoimmune liver dysfunction being ruled out.

OUTCOMES

The patient was effectively treated with methimazole. Outcomes: Treatment with methimazole alleviated the severe cholestatic jaundice and restored normal thyroid function.

LESSONS

The specific mechanism of cholestasis as a secondary complication of hyperthyroidism remains unclear, and there are no specific biochemical markers for cholestasis caused by this hormonal disease. This case underscores the possibility of severe jaundice as a clinical manifestation of hyperthyroidism, and highlights antithyroid drug treatment as an effective strategy for managing severe cholestatic jaundice.

Preparation of a Multifunctional and Multipurpose Chitosan/Cyclodextrin/MIL-68(Al) Foam Column and Examining Its Adsorption Properties for Anionic and Cationic Dyes and Sulfonamides

A multifunctional cylindrical hybrid foam column, referred to as the chitosan/cyclodextrin/MIL-68(Al) (CS/CD/MIL-68(Al)) foam column, was prepared for the first time. The prepared foam column could be used for the adsorption/removal of hydrophilic and hydrophobic contaminants by different forms. Here, it was placed in hydrophilic dye solutions to investigate the adsorption behavior of methylene blue and trypan blue. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with R2 ranging from 0.9983 to 0.9998 for methylene blue and from 0.9993 to 1.0000 for trypan blue, and the adsorption process was consistent with the Langmuir isothermal model with R2 greater than 0.96. The RL values for methylene blue and trypan blue were 0.8871 and 0.5366, respectively, which were present between 0 and 1, indicating that the adsorption behaviors of the two dyes onto the CS/CD/MIL-68(Al) foam column were favorable. The maximum adsorption capacities (Qm) of methylene blue and trypan blue were 60.61 and 454.55 mg/g at 298 K, respectively. Also, the CS/CD/MIL-68(Al) foam column was spun into a syringe and used to adsorb trace hydrophobic sulfonamides from water in the form of filtration. The porous structure impeded the need for any external force and equipment, allowing the water sample to pass through the foam column smoothly. The conditions of the CS/CD/MIL-68(Al) foam column were optimized. The adsorption was carried out under the condition of pH = 4, the amount of the adsorbent was two foam columns, and no salt was added. It was found that the removal rate of the CS/CD/MIL-68(Al) foam column for six sulfonamides was 100%, and it could be reused at least five times. Therefore, this CS/CD/MIL-68(Al) foam column had a simple preparation method, offered a flexible and diverse form of use, was nonpolluting, biodegradable, and reusable, and could have a wider application in the field of environmental pollutant removal and adsorption.

Reversible and Turn-On Fluorescence Detection of Phosphate in Aqueous Solution and Living Cell Imaging by Supramolecular Metallacycles with AIE-Active Ligands

Luminescent supramolecular metallacycles have attracted great interest as a new promising class of sensing substrates. In this work, two tetraphenylethene (TPE)-based diimidazole and dipyrazole ligands with the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature were designed for the construction of supramolecular tetragonal metallacycles 1-4 with two 90° mononuclear [(bpy)M]2+ or dinuclear [(bpy)2M2]4+ acceptors (bpy = 2,2'-dipyridine; M = Pd, Pt), in which the fluorescence can be quenched to an "off" state due to the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). Metallacycle 1 was utilized as a fluorescence sensor for phosphate (PO43-) detection in aqueous solution by means of disassembly, leading to the release of the ligand. Additionally, the metallacycle can be regenerated through self-assembly via the introduction of Pd(II) acceptors. PO43- was detected using TPE-based metallacycles over a wide concentration range, with a detection limit as low as 2.1 × 10-8 M. Furthermore, sensor 1 also presented the semiquantitative visual detection ability for PO43- in the test paper mode via fluorescence changes. The aforementioned studies not only enhance the current research on fluorescent materials but also offer a strategy for the creation of stimuli-responsive supramolecular coordination complexes.

Nanotechnology in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Traditional cancer diagnosis has been aided by the application of nanoparticles (NPs), which have made the process easier and faster. NPs possess exceptional properties such as a larger surface area, higher volume proportion, and better targeting capabilities. Additionally, their low toxic effect on healthy cells enhances their bioavailability and t-half by allowing them to functionally penetrate the fenestration of epithelium and tissues. These particles have attracted attention in multidisciplinary areas, making them the most promising materials in many biomedical applications, especially in the treatment and diagnosis of various diseases. Today, many drugs are presented or coated with nanoparticles for the direct targeting of tumors or diseased organs without harming normal tissues/cells. Many types of nanoparticles, such as metallic, magnetic, polymeric, metal oxide, quantum dots, graphene, fullerene, liposomes, carbon nanotubes, and dendrimers, have potential applications in cancer treatment and diagnosis. In many studies, nanoparticles have been reported to show intrinsic anticancer activity due to their antioxidant action and cause an inhibitory effect on the growth of tumors. Moreover, nanoparticles can facilitate the controlled release of drugs and increase drug release efficiency with fewer side effects. Nanomaterials such as microbubbles are used as molecular imaging agents for ultrasound imaging. This review discusses the various types of nanoparticles that are commonly used in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Kill two birds with one stone: Ratiometric sensing of phosphate via a single-component probe with fluorescence-scattering dual-signal response behavior

Ratiometric fluorescence sensors gain stronger anti-interference ability via self-calibration. Nevertheless, ratiometric analysis of phosphate (Pi) still faces problems such as complicated construction process of dual emission probes and possible interferences from outputting mono-category fluorescent signal. Herein, we propose a "kill two birds with one stone" strategy to address these challenges, by simply introducing a single-component probe, porphyrin paddlewheel framework-3 (PPF-3) nanosheets without modification, encapsulation or complex, to integrate fluorescence (FL)-second-order scattering (SOS) dual-signal for ratiometric detection of Pi. PPF-3 nanosheets are constructed by coordination of Co²⁺ with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyl-phenyl)-porphyrin (TCPP) ligands, displaying weak FL and strong SOS, two different and independent signals. In the response system to Pi, Co²⁺ and TCPP serve as the recognition element and signal unit, respectively. After interacting with Pi, the high affinity for Co²⁺ makes Pi snatch Co²⁺ from the PPF-3 nanosheets, causing their structure disassembly (SOS decrease) and TCPP release (FL increase). Finally, the FL-SOS ratiometric platform is successfully employed to access Pi in real water samples. Synchronous collection of FL and SOS from the single-component probe provides a simpler and more efficient way on ratiometric sensor design as well as a new useful technique for monitoring target-induced aggregation and disaggregation behavior.

Graves' disease as a driver of depression: a mechanistic insight

Graves' disease (GD) is characterized by diffuse enlargement and overactivity of the thyroid gland, which may be accompanied by other physical symptoms. Among them, depression can dramatically damage patients' quality of life, yet its prevalence in GD has not received adequate attention. Some studies have established a strong correlation between GD and increased risk of depression, though the data from current study remains limited. The summary of mechanistic insights regarding GD and depression has underpinned possible pathways by which GD contributes to depression. In this review, we first summarized the clinical evidence that supported the increased prevalence of depression by GD. We then concentrated on the mechanistic findings related to the acceleration of depression in the context of GD, as mounting evidence has indicated that GD promotes the development of depression through various mechanisms, including triggering autoimmune responses, inducing hormonal disorders, and influencing the thyroid-gut-microbiome-brain axis. Finally, we briefly presented potential therapeutic approaches to decreasing the risk of depression among patients with GD.

In-situ formation of MnO2 nanoparticles on Ru@SiO2 nanospheres as a fluorescent probe for sensitive and rapid detection of glutathione

Glutathione (GSH)-switched fluorescent assays have appealed much attention due to rapid signal changes of fluorescent probes. However, exposure to exterior environment of fluorescent probe causes photobleaching and premature leakage, leading to low sensitivity and poor photostability. Herein, luminescent SiO₂ nanoparticles encapsulated with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ (Ru@SiO₂) were designed and synthesized as fluorescent probe to construct a GSH-switched fluorescent assay. The encapsulation of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ in the SiO₂ nanoparticles could effectively prevent the leakage of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ molecules, improving the photostability of probe. The fluorescence of Ru@SiO₂ nanoparticles was quenched by coating MnO₂ nanoparticles on Ru@SiO₂ surface (Ru@SiO₂@MnO₂ nanocomposites) through an in situ growth approach, which reduced background of the assay. The MnO₂ nanoparticles not only further inhibited the leakage of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ molecules, but also could serve as a recognition unit of GSH. In the presence of GSH, the MnO₂ nanoparticles on the surface of Ru@SiO₂ nanoparticles were reduced to Mn²⁺, resulting the fluorescence recovery of Ru@SiO₂ nanoparticles. Thus, a signal-on fluorescent strategy was constructed for GSH detection. The assay displayed good analytical performance for GSH detection with a low detection limit of 16.2 nM due to excellent fluorescence quenching ability of MnO₂ nanoparticles and special role of Ru@SiO₂ nanoparticles to block probe leakage. The proposed assay was also applied to measure GSH levels in human serum samples. This work paves a new way to detect GSH with high sensitivity.

Dual-Channel Recognition of Human Serum Albumin and Glutathione by Fluorescent Probes with Site-Dependent Responsive Features

Design of chemical probes with high specificity and responses are particularly intriguing. In this work, a fluorescent probe (M-OH-SO₃) with dual-channel spectral responses toward human serum albumin (HSA) is presented. By employing dinitrobenzenesulfonate as a recognition site as well as a fluorescence quencher, probe M-OH-SO₃ displayed weak fluorescence, which, nevertheless, exhibits extensive yellow (575 nm) and red (660 nm) fluorescence emissions toward HSA under excitations at 400 and 500 nm, respectively. Interestingly, M-OH-SO₃ displayed the best performance toward HSA with distinctly higher selectivity than that of its counterparts M-SO₃, M-H-SO₃, and M-F-SO₃, which were prepared simply by modulating the functional group at the ortho position of the dicyanoisophorone core. Molecular docking results revealed that M-OH-SO₃ possesses the lowest binding energy among the tested derivatives and accordingly the strongest binding affinity. Probe M-OH-SO₃ showed a good linear relationship toward HSA in a range of 0.5-18 μM with a limit of detection of 35 nM. Cell imaging results demonstrated that probe M-OH-SO₃ could visualize the variation HSA levels in hepatocarcinoma cells. In addition, probe M-OH-SO₃ could also be employed for the recognition of glutathione through the cleavage of the dinitrobenzenesulfonate group along with an enhancement of emission at 575 nm. The site-dependent properties inspired a novel paradigm for design of fluorescent probes with optimized selectivity and responses.

Tunable fluorescence emission based on multi-layered MOF-on-MOF

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered considerable attention in various fields. Herein, we proposed a hierarchical confinement strategy based on MOF-on-MOF to tune luminescence emission ranging from blue to red including white light in a flexible way. The easily available ZIF-8 MOF was used as a host for the confinement of two kinds of size-matching dyes (perylene and rhodamine B) to obtain a layered ZIF-8@dye@ZIF-8@dye via in situ encapsulation and seed-mediated synthesis. ZIF-8@dye@ZIF-8@dye materials with different fluorescence emission in dispersed and solid states were both obtained by tuning the initial encapsulation concentration of dye and changing the structure of the inner and outer ZIF-8@dye layers. To our delight, ZIF-8@0.125perylene@ZIF-8@25RhB with white light emission in the dispersed state was obtained; meanwhile, ZIF-8@0.125perylene + 25RhB and mechanically mixed ZIF-8@0.125perylene + ZIF-8@25RhB could not realize white light emission under the same conditions, indicating that the proposed hierarchical confinement strategy facilitated white light regulation. Similarly, the emission of ZIF-8@dye@ZIF-8@dye in the solid state has also been investigated; ZIF-8@perylene@ZIF-8@3RhB with white light emission was obtained, while white light emission could not be achieved in ZIF-8@perylene + 3RhB and ZIF-8@perylene + ZIF-8@3RhB, which further indicated the importance of the hierarchical confinement strategy based on MOF-on-MOF. The proposed hierarchical confinement strategy may also inspire the development of other functional optical MOF materials.

Fluorescent-based nanosensors for selective detection of a wide range of biological macromolecules: A comprehensive review

Thanks to their unique attributes, such as good sensitivity, selectivity, high surface-to-volume ratio, and versatile optical and electronic properties, fluorescent-based bioprobes have been used to create highly sensitive nanobiosensors to detect various biological and chemical agents. These sensors are superior to other analytical instrumentation techniques like gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and capillary electrophoresis for being biodegradable, eco-friendly, and more economical, operational, and cost-effective. Moreover, several reports have also highlighted their application in the early detection of biomarkers associated with drug-induced organ damage such as liver, kidney, or lungs. In the present work, we comprehensively overviewed the electrochemical sensors that employ nanomaterials (nanoparticles/colloids or quantum dots, carbon dots, or nanoscaled metal-organic frameworks, etc.) to detect a variety of biological macromolecules based on fluorescent emission spectra. In addition, the most important mechanisms and methods to sense amino acids, protein, peptides, enzymes, carbohydrates, neurotransmitters, nucleic acids, vitamins, ions, metals, and electrolytes, blood gases, drugs (i.e., anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics), toxins, alkaloids, antioxidants, cancer biomarkers, urinary metabolites (i.e., urea, uric acid, and creatinine), and pathogenic microorganisms were outlined and compared in terms of their selectivity and sensitivity. Altogether, the small dimensions and capability of these nanosensors for sensitive, label-free, real-time sensing of chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical agents could be used in array-based screening and in-vitro or in-vivo diagnostics. Although fluorescent nanoprobes are widely applied in determining biological macromolecules, unfortunately, they present many challenges and limitations. Efforts must be made to minimize such limitations in utilizing such nanobiosensors with an emphasis on their commercial developments. We believe that the current review can foster the wider incorporation of nanomedicine and will be of particular interest to researchers working on fluorescence technology, material chemistry, coordination polymers, and related research areas.

Low-Temperature and Additive-Free Synthesis of Spherical MIL-101(Cr) with Enhanced Dye Adsorption Performance

The chromium-benzenedicarboxylate metal–organic framework (MOF), MIL-101(Cr), is one of the most well-investigated and widely used prototypical MOFs. Regarding its synthesis, the use of a toxic modulator (usually HF) and high reaction temperature (220 °C) are the main factors hindering its further expansion of production and utilization. In fact, high quality MIL-101(Cr) crystals can be prepared at a much lower temperature (160 °C) with spherical morphology via an additive-free approach. Compared to traditional octahedral MIL-101(Cr), the spherical MIL-101(Cr) possesses higher adsorption performance toward dye molecules, including methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RB). The results suggest that toxic additives and high reaction temperatures are not essential in the synthesis of MIL-101(Cr), and the fabrication of spherical MIL-101(Cr) may offer a facile and effective pathway for the large-scale industrial application of MIL-101(Cr).

Turning waste into treasure: chicken eggshell membrane derived fluorescent carbon nanodots for the rapid and sensitive detection of Hg2+ and glutathione

Herein, a green, economical, and waste-utilization approach is reported for the synthesis of water-soluble carbon nanodots (C-Dots) with a high fluorescence quantum yield of 19.5%. As a common protein-rich waste, eggshell membrane was selected as a cost-effective and ideal precursor to prepare C-Dots using the microwave method. The as-prepared C-Dots showed a maximum emission at 375 nm with an excitation wavelength at 235 nm. The fluorescent C-Dots were adopted as a sensitive probe for the rapid detection of Hg²⁺ and glutathione (GSH) based on the fluorescence off and on (turn-off-on) strategy. This was ascribed to the fact that Hg²⁺ could effectively quench the fluorescence of the C-Dots and GSH was able to prevent fluorescence quenching owing to the specific binding between Hg²⁺ and GSH. The designed method exhibited a high sensitivity and selectivity towards the detection of Hg²⁺ and GSH. Under the optimized conditions, the method showed a good linear relationship with Hg²⁺ concentration in the range from 100 nM to 50 μM with a detection limit of 32.0 nM. For GSH detection, it displayed a linear range from 50 nM to 10 μM with a detection limit of 9.8 nM. Moreover, this method was successfully applied to detect GSH in human serum samples. The eggshell derived fluorescent C-Dots pave the way for economical environmental and biological analyses.

Metal-Mediated Polydopamine Nanoparticles-DNA Nanomachine Coupling Electrochemical Conversion of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Ultrasensitive MicroRNA Sensing

The development of a robust sensing platform with an efficient probe assembly, and ingenious signal conversion is of great significance for bioanalytical application. In this work, a multipedal polydopamine nanoparticles-DNA (PDANs-DNA) nanomachine coupling electrochemical-driven metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) conversion-enabled biosensing platform was constructed. The PDANs-DNA nanomachine was designed based on Ca²⁺-mediated DNA adsorption and target-triggered catalytic hairpin assembly on PDANs, which not only maintained the DNA immobilization simplicity but also possessed a high walking efficiency. PDANs-DNA nanomachine could walk fast on the electrode via multiple legs under exonuclease III driving, resulting in the formation of DNA dendrimers through two hairpins assembly. The MOFs (Fe-MIL-88-NH₂) probe was decorated on the DNA dendrimers to act as a porous metal precursor and converted into electroactive Prussian Blue by a controlled electrochemical approach, which was a facile, simple, and room-temperature approach compared with the commonly employed MOFs conversion methods. Using microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) as the model target, the proposed biosensor achieved miRNA-21 detection ranging from 10 aM to 10 pM with the detection limit of 5.8 aM. The proposed strategy presented a highly efficient walking platform with the ingenious electrochemical conversion of MOFs, providing more options for the design of an electrochemical platform and holding potential applications in clinical analysis and disease diagnosis.

Fabricating multifunctional low-toxicity ratiometric fluorescent probe for individual detection of Cu2+/glutamate and continuous sensing for glutamate via Cu2+-based platform

Herein, a multifunctional ratiometric fluorescent (RF) probe Fe-MIL-88NH₂@RhB was fabricated for individual detection of Cu^2+/Glu and continuous sensing of Glu based on unique coordination principle by encapsulating RhB into the porous of metal-organic-framework-Fe-MIL-88NH₂. Designed Fe-MIL-88NH₂@RhB platform could selectively identify Cu(II)/Glu accompanying a turn-off/turn-on fluorescent behavior with good linearity. Moreover, if the Fe-MIL-88NH₂@RhB/Cu²⁺ is treated with Glu continuously, the quenching fluorescence of this platform (after Cu²⁺ sensing at blue emission) would be further in turn restored. Utilizing Fe-MIL-88NH₂@RhB probe, the imaging of intracellular Cu(II) and Glu in living A549 cells was successful conducted through divisional channels with a satisfactory low cytotoxicity, meanwhile, the sensing results of Glu in serum by the molecular logic gate was also superior, which may use for development of an medical occupational tool for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis tentative diagnosis. In addition, the MOF shows di-modal response (color and lumescence) to Cu²⁺ and Glu with excellent selectivity against a wide range of other interference analytes, and the corresponding portable low-toxicity on-line test strips for Cu²⁺ and Glu recognize has exhibited a remarkable visually chromogenic phenomena, which may utilize for monitoring these contaminants in real water sample. Finally, the feasibility of probe to monitor Cu²⁺ and Glu in foodstuffs was also evaluated.

Coordination networks for the recognition of oxo-anions

Crystalline coordination networks with an infinite extended framework, also known as coordination polymers (CPs) or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have attracted significant attention owing to their tremendous performance in an extensive range of applications. The unique structural features and high stability of coordination networks are responsible for their utilization and potential in diverse fields especially in the area of sensing using luminescent CPs/MOFs. The recognition of toxic oxo-anions present in water is a crucial and first step towards environmental remediation, mainly in the case of water pollution. Accordingly, the utilization of luminescent coordination networks has received significant interest, particularly for the recognition of various toxic oxo-anions, which are considered a threat to aquatic life and the environment. In this frontier article, we summarize recent reports on luminescent CPs/MOFs, their utilization for the sensing of oxo-anions and the chemistry of the interaction of oxo-anions with CPs/MOFs, which is responsible for tuning their optical signals.