A host-guest ATP responsive strategy for intracellular delivery of phosphopeptides

Supramolecular Nano-Tracker for Real-Time Tracking of Drug Release and Efficient Combination Therapy

Real-time tracking of drug release from nanomedicine in vivo is crucial for optimizing its therapeutic efficacy in clinical settings, particularly in dosage control and determining the optimal therapeutic window. However, most current real-time tracking systems require a tedious synthesis and purification process. Herein, a supramolecular nano-tracker (SNT) capable of real-time tracking of drug release in vivo based on non-covalent host-guest interactions is presented. By integrating multiple cavities into a single nanoparticle, SNT achieves co-loading of drugs and probes while efficiently quenching the photophysical properties of the probe through host-guest complexation. Moreover, SNT is readily degraded under hypoxic tumor tissues, leading to the simultaneous release of drugs and probes and the fluorescence recovery of probes. With this spatial and temporal consistency in drug loading and fluorescence quenching, as well as drug release and fluorescence recovery, SNT successfully achieves real-time tracking of drug release in vivo (Pearson r = 0.9166, R2 = 0.8247). Furthermore, the released drugs can synergize effectively with fluorescent probes upon light irradiation, achieving potent chemo-photodynamic combination therapy in 4T1-bearing mice with a significantly improved survival rate (33%), providing a potential platform to significantly advance the development of nanomedicine and achieve optimal therapeutic effects in the clinic.

Co-Assembled Nanoparticles toward Multi-Target Combinational Therapy of Alzheimer's Disease by Making Full Use of Molecular Recognition and Self-Assembly

The complex pathologies in Alzheimer's disease (AD) severely limit the effectiveness of single-target pharmic interventions, thus necessitating multi-pronged therapeutic strategies. While flexibility is essentially demanded in constructing such multi-target systems, for achieving optimal synergies and also accommodating the inherent heterogeneity within AD. Utilizing the dynamic reversibility of supramolecular strategy for conferring sufficient tunability in component substitution and proportion adjustment, amphiphilic calixarenes are poised to be a privileged molecular tool for facilely achieving function integration. Herein, taking β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrillation and oxidative stress as model combination pattern, a supramolecular multifunctional integration is proposed by co-assembling guanidinium-modified calixarene with ascorbyl palmitate and loading dipotassium phytate within calixarene cavity. Serial pivotal events can be simultaneously addressed by this versatile system, including 1) inhibition of Aβ production and aggregation, 2) disintegration of Aβ fibrils, 3) acceleration of Aβ metabolic clearance, and 4) regulation of oxidative stress, which is verified to significantly ameliorate the cognitive impairment of 5×FAD mice, with reduced Aβ plaque content, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis. Confronted with the extremely intricate clinical realities of AD, the strategy presented here exhibits ample adaptability for necessary alterations on combinations, thereby may immensely expedite the advancement of AD combinational therapy through providing an exceptionally convenient platform.

Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Based Delivery of Macromolecular Drugs: Development, Strategies, and Progress

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), developed for more than 30 years, are still being extensively studied due to their excellent delivery performance. Compared with other delivery vehicles, CPPs hold promise for delivering different types of drugs. Here, we review the development process of CPPs and summarize the composition and classification of the CPP-based delivery systems, cellular uptake mechanisms, influencing factors, and biological barriers. We also summarize the optimization routes of CPP-based macromolecular drug delivery from stability and targeting perspectives. Strategies for enhanced endosomal escape, which prolong its half-life in blood, improved targeting efficiency and stimuli-responsive design are comprehensively summarized for CPP-based macromolecule delivery. Finally, after concluding the clinical trials of CPP-based drug delivery systems, we extracted the necessary conditions for a successful CPP-based delivery system. This review provides the latest framework for the CPP-based delivery of macromolecular drugs and summarizes the optimized strategies to improve delivery efficiency.

Applications of Synthetic Receptors in Bioanalysis and Drug Transport

Synthetic receptors are powerful tools for molecular recognition. They can bind to guests with high selectivity and affinity, and their structures are tunable and diversified. These features, plus the relatively low cost and high simplicity in synthesis and modification, support the feasibility of array-based molecular analysis with synthetic receptors for improved selectivity in the recognition of a wide range of targets. More attractively, host-guest interaction is reversible and guest displacement allows biocompatible and gentle release of the host-bound molecules, simplifying the stimulation designs needed to control analyte sensing, enrichment, and transportation. Here, we highlight a few recent advancements in using synthetic receptors for molecular analysis and manipulation, with the focus on macrocyclic receptors and their applications in displacement sensing, separation, imaging, and drug transport.

New opportunities for immunomodulation of the tumour microenvironment using chemical tools

Immunotherapy is recognised as an attractive method for the treatment of cancer, and numerous treatment strategies have emerged over recent years. Investigations of the tumour microenvironment (TME) have led to the identification of many potential therapeutic targets and methods. However, many recently applied immunotherapies are based on previously identified strategies, such as boosting the immune response by combining commonly used stimulators, and the release of drugs through changes in pH. Although methodological improvements such as structural optimisation and combining strategies can be undertaken, applying those novel targets and methods in immunotherapy remains an important goal. In this review, we summarise the latest research on the TME, and discuss how small molecules, immune cells, and their interactions with tumour cells can be regulated in the TME. Additionally, the techniques currently employed for delivery of these agents to the TME are also mentioned. Strategies to modulate cell phenotypes and interactions between immune cells and tumours are mainly discussed. We consider both modulatory and targeting methods aiming to bridge the gap between the TME and chemical modulation thereof.

Efficient artificial light-harvesting systems based on aggregation-induced emission in supramolecular gels

Based on a new designed acyl hydrazone gelator (G2), we developed a supramolecular organogel in glycol with two different hydrophobic fluorescent dyes, namely rhodamine B (RhB) and acridine red, as acceptors. Both the G2@gel-RhB and G2@gel-acridine red systems showed high levels of energy-transfer efficiency and high fluorescence quantum yields.

Reactive oxygen species-sensitive polymeric nanocarriers for synergistic cancer therapy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanocarriers have aroused widespread interest in recent years. On the one hand, a high ROS level has been detected in many types of tumor cells. On the other hand, ROS generation is also induced during photodynamic, sonodynamic, or chemodynamic therapy. In addition, multiple types of polymers are sensitive to ROS. Therefore, numerous ROS-responsive polymeric nanocarriers with unique ROS-responsive characteristics have been developed. This review discusses ROS-sensitive polymeric nanocarriers to improve drug delivery efficacy. In particular, ROS-responsive nanocarriers for synergistic cancer therapy are highlighted. The development of novel ROS-sensitive nanocarriers holds great potential for combining ROS-mediated therapy, such as photodynamic therapy, and other therapies to achieve synergistic anticancer efficacy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanocarriers aroused widespread interest in recent years. On the one hand, a high level of ROS has been found in many types of tumor cells. On the other hand, the ROS generation can also be induced during the photodynamic, sonodynamic, or chemodynamic therapy. Besides, multiple types of polymers were sensitive to the ROS. Therefore, numerous ROS-responsive polymeric nanocarriers with unique ROS responsive characteristics have been developed. This review focuses on the ROS-sensitive polymeric nanocarriers to improve drug delivery efficacy for synergistic cancer therapy.

Supramolecular Bioimaging through Signal Amplification by Combining Indicator Displacement Assay with Förster Resonance Energy Transfer

Fluorescent chemosensors are powerful imaging tools in the fields of life sciences and engineering. Based on the principle of supramolecular chemistry, indicator displacement assay (IDA) provides an alternative approach for constructing and optimizing chemosensors, which has the advantages of simplicity, tunability, and modularity. However, the application of IDA in bioimaging continues to face a series of challenges, including interfering signals, background noise, and inconsistent spatial location. Accordingly, we herein report a supramolecular bioimaging strategy of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-assisted IDA by employing macrocyclic amphiphiles as the operating platform. By merging FRET with IDA, the limitations of IDA in bioimaging were addressed. As a proof of concept, the study achieved mitochondria-targeted imaging of adenosine triphosphate in live cells with signal amplification. This study opens a non-covalent avenue for bioimaging with advancements in tunability, generality, and simplicity, apart from the covalent approach.

Macrocyclic-Amphiphile-Based Self-Assembled Nanoparticles for Ratiometric Delivery of Therapeutic Combinations to Tumors

Combination chemotherapy refers to the use of multiple drugs to treat cancer. In this therapy, the optimal ratio of the drugs is essential to achieve drug synergism and the desired therapeutic effects. However, most delivery strategies are unable to precisely control the ratio of the drugs during the drug loading and delivery processes, resulting in inefficient synergy and unpredictable efficacy. Herein, a macrocyclic-amphiphile-based self-assembled nanoparticle (MASN) that achieves precise loading and ratiometric delivery of therapeutic combinations is presented. By integrating multiple macrocyclic cavities within a single nanoparticle, the MASN can load multiple drug molecules via the host-guest interaction, and the ratio of the drugs loaded can be predicted with their initial concentrations and characteristic binding affinity. Moreover, MASNs are readily degraded under a hypoxic microenvironment, allowing spontaneous release of the drugs upon reaching tumor tissues. With precise drug loading and controlled release mechanisms, MASNs achieve ratiometric delivery of multiple commercial drugs to tumors, thereby achieving optimal anti-tumor effects. Since the optimal drug ratio of a therapeutic combination can be quickly determined in vitro, MASNs can translate this optimal ratio to the therapeutic benefits in vivo, providing a potential platform for the rapid development of effective combination cancer therapies involving multiple drugs.