A dendritic polyamidoamine supramolecular system composed of pillar[5]arene and azobenzene for targeting drug-resistant colon cancer

Fusobacterium nucleatum caused drug-resistant around tumor sites often leads to the failure of chemotherapy during colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Multifunctional cationic quaternary ammonium materials have been widely used as broad-spectrum antibacterial agents in antibacterial and anticancer fields. Herein, we design a smart supramolecular quaternary ammonium nanoparticle, namely quaternary ammonium PAMAM-AZO@CP[5]A (Q-P-A@CP[5]A), consisting of azobenzene (AZO)-conjugated dendritic cationic quaternary ammonium polyamidoamine (PAMAM) as the core and carboxylatopillar[5]arene (CP[5]A)-based switch, for antibacterial and anti-CRC therapies. The quaternary ammonium-PAMAM-AZO (Q-P-A) core endows the supramolecular system with enhanced antibacterial and anticancer properties. -N⁺CH₃ groups on the surface of Q-P-A are accommodated in the CP[5]A cavity under normal conditions, which significantly improves the biocompatibility of Q-P-A@CP[5]A. Meanwhile, the CP[5]A host can be detached from -N⁺CH₃ groups under pathological conditions, achieving efficient antibacterial and antitumor therapies. Furthermore, azoreductase in the tumor site can break the -NN- bonds of AZO in Q-P-A@CP[5]A, leading to the morphology recovery of supramolecular nanoparticles and CRC therapy through inducing cell membrane rupture. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that Q-P-A@CP[5]A possesses good biocompatibility, excellent antibacterial effect, and CRC treatment capability with negligible side effects. This supramolecular quaternary ammonium system provides an effective treatment method to overcome chemotherapy-resistant cancer caused by bacteria.

Construction of traceable cucurbit[7]uril-based virus-mimicking quaternary complexes with aggregation-induced emission for efficient gene transfection

Construction of an efficient cationic gene delivery system with low cytotoxicity, high transfection efficacy, as well as gene tracking function remains a major challenge in gene therapy. Fabrication of simple and reversible nanocomplexes based on host-guest interaction provides an opportunity to construct stimuli-responsive intelligent supramolecular systems. Inspired by the hierarchical structure of viruses, a novel virus-mimicking PG/CB/TPE/DNA gene delivery system is developed via a multistep noncovalent self-assembly process between pDNA and the preformed PG/CB/TPE complexes based on the host-guest interaction between cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and the protonated diamine group in the poly(glycidyl methacrylate)s derivative (PG), as well as the electrostatic interaction between para-carboxyl functionalized tetraphenylethylene (TPE) and cationic PG. The developed efficient multifunctional gene delivery system exhibits stimuli responsive characteristics and aggregation-induced emission phenomena, thereby enabling gene delivery pH responsiveness and traceability. Moreover, the introduction of TPE and CB[7] endows the self-assembled PG/CB/TPE/DNA complexes with virus-mimicking architecture and properties such as low cytotoxicity, high stability, excellent endosomal escape, and efficient transfection, which are expected to be used as a promising gene delivery system.

A multifunctional polymeric gene delivery system for circumventing biological barriers

Crucial light-controlled-ROS and pH-stimulus-responsive functionalities are tailored into a triblock copolymer for manufacture of gene delivery vehicles.

Near-infrared AIEgen-functionalized and diselenide-linked oligo-ethylenimine with self-sufficing ROS to exert spatiotemporal responsibility for promoted gene delivery

We attempted to synthesize an oligo-ethyleneimine (OEI)-crosslinked polycation, characterized with self-sufficing ROS by virtue of a functional AIE component and an ROS-labile diselenide linkage.

Self-assembled core–shell-corona multifunctional non-viral vector with AIE property for efficient hepatocyte-targeting gene delivery

Core–shell-corona multifunctional nanoparticles were prepared and used for cell imaging and cell-targeting delivery of genes toward hepatocytes.

Shedding PEG Palisade by Temporal Photostimulation and Intracellular Reducing Milieu for Facilitated Intracellular Trafficking and DNA Release

The dilemma of poly(ethylene glycol) surface modification (PEGylation) inspired us to develop an intracellularly sheddable PEG palisade for synthetic delivery systems. Here, we attempted to conjugate PEG to polyethylenimine (PEI) through tandem linkages of disulfide-bridge susceptible to cytoplasmic reduction and an azobenzene/cyclodextrin inclusion complex responsive to external photoirradiation. The subsequent investigations revealed that facile PEG detachment could be achieved in endosomes upon photoirradiation, consequently engendering exposure of membrane-disruptive PEI for facilitated endosome escape. The liberated formulation in the cytosol was further subjected to complete PEG detachment relying on disulfide cleavage in the reductive cytosol, thus accelerating dissociation of electrostatically assembled PEI/DNA polyplex to release DNA by means of polyion exchange reaction with intracellularly charged species, ultimately contributing to efficient gene expression.

Daylight-stimulated antibacterial activity for sustainable bacterial detection and inhibition

Light-stimulated AIE-based nanocomplexes have been developed as convenient tools to accomplish the tasks of the detection and inhibition of bacteria.

Dual-responsive aggregation-induced emission-active supramolecular nanoparticles for gene delivery and bioimaging

Dual-responsive aggregation-induced emission-active supramolecular nanoparticles exhibit a unique morphological transition with fluorescence variation, further achieving efficient gene delivery and bioimaging.