"On-Off" Switching of Functional Guest Molecules via Exchange of Natural Product Solubilizing Agents

For the development of delivery systems, the solubilization of hydrophobic guest molecules in water is an important yet challenging task. This can be achieved by preparing stable aqueous solutions with a high concentration of guest molecules using a natural product as a solubilizing agent and a mechanochemical high-speed vibration milling apparatus as a solubilizing method. Various solubilizing agent-guest molecule complexes can be obtained via the exchange between solubilizing agents, which enables the "on-off" switching of the properties of functional guest molecules, such as fluorescence intensity, and photodynamic activity. In the exchange method, guest molecules can transfer into cell membranes such as lysosomes and exosomes. Therefore, the exchange method of the solubilizing agents not only creates novel solubilizing agent-guest molecule complexes but also is applied to drug delivery systems.

Fluorescence Turn-on of Tetraphenylethylene Derivative by Transfer from Cyclodextrin to Liposomes, HeLa Cells, and E. coli

Herein, trimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (TMe-β-CDx) and γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CDx) could dissolve a tetraphenylethylene derivative (TPE-OH₄ ) in water through high-speed vibration milling. The fluorescence intensity of the TMe-β-CDx-TPE-OH₄ complex was much higher than that of the γ-CDx-TPE-OH₄ complex, as the rotation of the central C=C double bond of TPE-OH₄ after photoactivation was inhibited in a smaller TMe-β-CDx cavity in comparison with the γ-CDx cavity. In contrast, the fluorescence intensity of the γ-CDx-TPE-OH₄ complex was very weak; nevertheless, it increased after the addition of liposomes due to the transfer of TPE-OH₄ from the γ-CDx cavity to the lipid membrane as a "turn-on" phenomenon. Furthermore, to apply temperature sensor, it was demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity in the liposomes depended on the phase-transition temperature. By using the fluorescence turn-on phenomenon, TPE-OH₄ could detect the presence of HeLa cells and E. coli by fluorescence.

Improvement of Photodynamic Activity by a Stable System Consisting of a C60 Derivative and Photoantenna in Liposomes

A dyad system comprising a lipid membrane-incorporated fullerene derivative with an N,N-dimethylpyrrodinium group (C₆₀-1) and a photoantenna molecule (DiD) did not exhibit the high photodynamic activity expected based on its singlet oxygen generation ability. Comparison with a fullerene derivative with an amide substituent (C₆₀-2) suggested the cause to be that some of the fullerene derivative had been released from the liposomes, partly disrupting the dyad system. The dyad system of C₆₀-2 and DiD exhibited about twice the photodynamic activity toward HeLa cells as that of C₆₀-1 and DiD, due to the suppression of the release of the fullerene derivative from the liposomes. The hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity balance of the substituent in fullerene derivatives was shown to be very important to obtain a dyad system in liposomes characterized by high photodynamic activity.

Effect of meso Positioned Substituents on the Stability and Photodynamic Activity of Lipid-Membrane-Incorporated Porphyrin Derivatives

Here, we prepared aqueous solutions of lipid-membrane incorporated tetraarylporphyrins and tetrapyridylporphyrin (LMIPors) by the injection method using dimethyl sulfoxide. The porphyrins with proton-donor groups at the meso position afforded stable aqueous solutions of LMIPors. However, although tetrakis(carboxyphenyl)porphyrin was scarcely incorporated in lipid membranes, it was soluble in water. Among these LMIPors, the photodynamic activity of tetrakis(hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin was higher than that of tetrakis(aminophenyl)porphyrin. This was attributed to the self-aggregation of a part of tetrakis(aminophenyl)porphyrin in the liposomes, which induced self-quenching and the consequent decrease of its photodynamic activity.

Photodynamic Activity of Fullerene Derivatives Solubilized in Water by Natural-Product-Based Solubilizing Agents

Water-soluble fullerenes prepared by using solubilizing agents based on natural products are promising photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy. Cyclodextrin, β-1,3-glucan, lysozyme, and liposomes can stably solubilize not only C₆₀ and C₇₀ , but also some C₆₀ derivatives in water. To improve the solubilities of fullerenes, specific methods have been developed for each solubilizing agent. Water-soluble C₆₀ and C₇₀ exhibit photoinduced cytotoxicity under near-ultraviolet irradiation, but not at wavelengths over 600 nm, which are the appropriate wavelengths for photodynamic therapy. However, dyad complexes of solubilized C₆₀ derivatives combined with light-harvesting antenna molecules improve the photoinduced cytotoxicities at wavelengths over 600 nm. Furthermore, controlling the fullerene and antenna molecule positions within the solubilizing agents affects the performance of the photosensitizer.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2013-2014

This review is the eighth update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2014. Topics covered in the first part of the review include general aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, fragmentation, and arrays. The second part of the review is devoted to applications to various structural types such as oligo- and poly- saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Much of this material is presented in tabular form. The third part of the review covers medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:353-491, 2018.

Improvement of Photodynamic Activity of Lipid-Membrane-Incorporated Fullerene Derivative by Combination with a Photo-Antenna Molecule

The weak absorbance of pristine C₆₀ , C₇₀ , and fullerene derivatives at wavelengths over 600 nm hampers the use of these molecules as photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The coexistence of light-harvesting antenna molecules with a fullerene derivative in lipid membrane bilayers solved this issue. By controlling the location of the C₆₀ derivative in the lipid membrane, the liposomal dyad system for PDT improved the photodynamic activity via an efficient photoenergy transfer from antenna molecules to the fullerene derivative. The photodynamic activity was found to be much higher than those of dyad systems using pristine C₆₀ and C₇₀ .

Green Processing of Carbon Nanomaterials

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) from fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene are promising carbon allotropes for various applications such as energy-conversion devices and biosensors. Because pristine CNMs show substantial van der Waals interactions and a hydrophobic nature, precipitation is observed immediately in most organic solvents and water. This inevitable aggregation leads to poor processability and diminishes the intrinsic properties of the CNMs. Highly toxic and hazardous chemicals are used for chemical and physical modification of CNMs, even though efficient dispersed solutions are obtained. The development of an environmentally friendly dispersion method for both safe and practical processing is a great challenge. Recent green processing approaches for the manipulation of CNMs using chemical and physical modification are highlighted. A summary of the current research progress on: i) energy-efficient and less-toxic chemical modification of CNMs using covalent-bonding functionality and ii) non-covalent-bonding methodologies through physical modification using green solvents and dispersants, and chemical-free mechanical stimuli is provided. Based on these experimental studies, recent advances and challenges for the potential application of green-processable energy-conversion and biological devices are provided. Finally, a conclusion section is provided summarizing the insights from the present studies as well as some future perspectives.

Incorporation of large guest molecules into liposomes via chemical reactions in lipid membranes

The incorporation of hydrophobic guest molecules into lipid membranes by the exchange of the guest molecule from a cyclodextrin (CDx) complex to a liposome is limited to guest molecules that can be included in CDxs. To solve this problem, large guest molecules were incorporated into liposomes by chemical reactions of guest molecules in lipid membranes. Stable lipid-membrane-incorporated fullerene derivatives with large substituent(s) were prepared by Diels-Alder reactions in lipid membranes.

Improved photodynamic activities of liposome-incorporated [60]fullerene derivatives bearing a polar group

A liposome-incorporated C₆₀ derivative bearing a polar group showed higher photodynamic activity than the system incorporating pristine C₆₀ because of its high ¹O₂ generation ability, as well as its localization in the liposomes.

A peptide topological template for the dispersion of [60]fullerene in water

Stable dispersions of [60]fullerene in water with concentrations of up to 1.3 mg mL⁻¹ have been obtained using a peptide topological template as the carrier.