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Zuo R, Ye Z, Liang H, Huo Y, Ji S. High-efficiency triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion microemulsion with facile preparation and decent air tolerance. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2024; 23:1309-1321. [PMID: 38839722 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00596-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Current research of triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) faces difficulty such as overuse of organic solvents and quenching of excited triplet sensitizers by molecular oxygen. Herein, we propose an efficient and facile preparation strategy of TTA-UC microemulsion to overcome these issues. With simple device and short preparation process, air-stable TTA-UC with a high upconversion efficiency of 16.52% was achieved in microemulsion coassembled from TritonX114, tetrahydrofuran and upconverting chromophores (platinum octaethyl-porphyrin and 9,10-diphenylanthracene). This is comparable to the highest UC efficiency ever reported for TTA-UC microemulsion systems. The excellent UC performance of TX114-THF could be attributed to two perspectives. Firstly, small-size micelle accommodated chromophores up to high concentrations in organic phase, which promoted efficient molecular collision. Additionally, high absorbance at 532 nm ensured full use of excitation light, getting more long wavelength photons involved in the TTA-UC process. Moreover, air-stable TTA-UC also performed well in microemulsion with various surfactants, including nonionic surfactants (Tween 20, Tween 80, Triton X-110, Triton X-114), ionic surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) and block copolymers (pluronic F127, pluronic P123), through three conjectural assembly models according to the structural characteristics of surfactant molecules (concentrated, uncompacted and scattered). These discoveries could provide estimable reference for selection of surfactants in relevant fields of TTA-UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Zuo
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyang Center, Jieyang, 515200, China
| | - Zecong Ye
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyang Center, Jieyang, 515200, China.
| | - Hui Liang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yanping Huo
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyang Center, Jieyang, 515200, China
| | - Shaomin Ji
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyang Center, Jieyang, 515200, China.
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Murakami Y, Enomoto R. Stable and low-threshold photon upconversion in nondegassed water by organic crystals. Front Chem 2023; 11:1217260. [PMID: 37521013 PMCID: PMC10373875 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1217260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Photon upconversion (UC) is a technology that converts lower-energy photons (longer wavelength light) into higher-energy photons (shorter wavelength light), the opposite of fluorescence. Thus, UC is expected to open a vast domain of photonic applications that are not otherwise possible. Recently, UC by triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) between organic molecules has been studied because of its applicability to low-intensity light, although the majority of such studies have focused on liquid samples in the form of organic solvent solutions. To broaden the range of applications, solid-state UC materials have been an active area of research. We recently developed air-stable, high-performance molecular UC crystals that utilize a stable solid-solution phase of bicomponent organic crystals. This article begins with a brief overview of previous challenges in developing and improving solid-state TTA-UC materials. Then, we briefly review and explain the concept as well as advantages of our molecular solid-solution UC crystals. We applied these organic crystals for the first time to a water environment. We observed blue UC emission upon photoexcitation at 542 nm (green-yellow light) and then measured the excitation intensity dependence as well as the temporal stability of the UC emission in air-saturated water. In nondegassed water, these organic crystals were stable, functioned with a low excitation threshold intensity of a few milliwatts per square centimeter, and exhibited high photo-irradiation durability at least over 40 h; indicating that the developed organic crystals are also viable for aqueous conditions. Therefore, the organic crystals presented in this report are expected to extend the domain of UC-based photonic applications in practical water systems including in vivo diagnostic, clinical, and therapeutic applications.
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Fang T, Li C, Liang A, Zhang H, Zhang F, Zhang XE, Yang YY, Li F. Probing cell membrane integrity using a histone-targeting protein nanocage displaying precisely positioned fluorophores. NANO RESEARCH 2022; 16:894-904. [PMID: 36090614 PMCID: PMC9438879 DOI: 10.1007/s12274-022-4785-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Cell membrane integrity is fundamental to the normal activities of cells and is involved in both acute and chronic pathologies. Here, we report a probe for analyzing cell membrane integrity developed from a 9 nm-sized protein nanocage named Dps via fluorophore conjugation with high spatial precision to avoid self-quenching. The probe cannot enter normal live cells but can accumulate in dead or live cells with damaged membranes, which, interestingly, leads to weak cytoplasmic and strong nuclear staining. This differential staining is found attributed to the high affinity of Dps for histones rather than DNA, providing a staining mechanism different from those of known membrane exclusion probes (MEPs). Moreover, the Dps nanoprobe is larger in size and thus applies a more stringent criterion for identifying severe membrane damage than currently available MEPs. This study shows the potential of Dps as a new bioimaging platform for biological and medical analyses. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Supplementary material (Figs. S1-S12 including distance information between neighboring fluorophores on Dps, TEM images, MALDI-TOF analysis, fluorescence spectra, confocal images, gel retardation analysis, tissue staining, and additional data) is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s12274-022-4785-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ti Fang
- Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Chaoqun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Ao Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Xian-En Zhang
- Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Yi-Yu Yang
- Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120 China
| | - Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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Allison SJ. Novel Anti-Cancer Agents and Cellular Targets and Their Mechanism(s) of Action. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081767. [PMID: 35892667 PMCID: PMC9332372 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Allison
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK
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