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RNA modifications, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), have been reported to regulate fundamental RNA processes and properties, and directly linked to various human diseases. Methods enabling temporal and transcript/locus-specific editing of specific RNA modifications are essential, but still limited, to dissect the dynamic and context-dependent functions of these epigenetic modifications. Here, we develop a chemically inducible and reversible RNA m6A modification editing platform integrating chemically induced proximity (CIP) and CRISPR methods. We show that m6A editing can be temporally controlled at specific sites of individual RNA transcripts by the addition or removal of the CIP inducer, abscisic acid (ABA), in the system. By incorporating a photo-caged ABA, a light-controlled version of m6A editing platform can be developed. We expect that this platform and strategy can be generally applied to edit other RNA modifications in addition to m6A.RNA modifications, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), have been reported to regulate fundamental RNA processes and properties, and directly linked to various human diseases. Here, the authors develop a chemically inducible and reversible RNA m6A modification editing platform integrating chemically induced proximity (CIP) and CRISPR methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Theranostics” become increasingly significant in current personalized precision medicine. Herein, we developed a new NIR-absorbing photo-theranostic agent based on water-soluble diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) conjugated polymer (WSCP) dots. The WSCPs can be easily self-assembled into WSCP dots under ultrasonication only, instead of any other nano-technology. Compared to the monomers of WSCPs, WSCP dots have no fluorescence emission but produce photoacoustic (PA) signal detected upon laser irradiation due to the reduced energy loss from excited state. PA imaging in vivo indicated that WSCP dots can accumulate at tumor site within 4 h post-injection. More importantly, WSCP dots not only generate heat with a photothermal conversion efficiency of ∼54%, but also produce reactive oxygen species (ROS, QY ∼13%). Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed effective inhibition of tumor growth by WSCP dots via synergetic photothermal/photodynamic therapy. All results indicate a great potential of WSCP dots as highly efficient theranostic agents in PA imaging-guided synergetic cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'Tumor-targeting, enzyme-activated nanoparticles for simultaneous cancer diagnosis and photodynamic therapy' by Huaxia Shi et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2016, 4, 113–120, https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TB02041G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the energy gap of photosensitizer between singlet and triplet states (Δ EST) can improve the efficiency of intersystem crossing, further enhancing the resulting generation of reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy. In this study, two photosensitizer chromophores-phenyl-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole and thienyl-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole (TDPP)-were synthesized. Theoretical calculations indicate that TDPP can greatly reduce the Δ EST (0.48 eV) relative to that of diketopyrrolopyrrole (0.66 eV). Experiments confirmed that TDPP generates reactive oxygen species more efficiently than diketopyrrolopyrrole. After conjugation of TDPP with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)carboxyl (mPEG-COOH), the resulting TDPP-mPEG has excellent water solubility, biocompatibility and photostability. When it serves as photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy, in vitro and in vivo measurements indicate that TDPP-mPEG can effectively inhibit tumor growth and shows great potential for the treatment of cancer in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific targeting towards tumors and the on-site activation of photosensitizers to diagnose tumors and reduce side effects for patients are currently the main challenges for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the clinic. Herein, uniform diiodostyryl bodipy conjugated hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (DBHA-NPs) were successfully synthesized. The evaluation of their PDT effect at both a cellular level and in animal models of tumor-bearing mice shows that the DBHA-NPs present a remarkable suppression of tumorous growth due to their specific targeting and enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. More importantly, the enzyme-activated “self-assembly and disaggregation” behavior in tumors can lead to the on-site activation of DBHA-NPs, which can diagnose the tumor exactly and reduce the side effects for patients significantly. These findings confirm that DBHA-NPs have significant potential for photodynamically activated cancer theranostics in a clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Uniform and well-defined CuO cauliflowers have been prepared via a simple hydrothermal route, which form through the “oriented attachment (OA)–preferential growth–Ostwald ripening (OR)” processes. Furthermore, the CuO cauliflowers show a much higher activity than the irregular CuO for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Its apparent rate constant (0.0156min−1) is 5.24 times higher than that (0.0025min−1) of the latter. The higher activity is mainly attributed to its higher crystallinity (84.02% vs. 62.86%), which can reduce the recombination rate of photogenerated electrons and holes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CdS nanoparticles were in situ deposited on TiO2 nanosheets and nanorods under hydrothermal conditions, respectively. The effect of CdS–TiO2 interface structure on hydrogen production activity was mainly investigated under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the TiO2 nanosheet-based CdS/TiO2 showed a higher activity and a higher cyclability than the nanorod-based sample due to the stronger interaction of CdS with the (001) facets of TiO2 than with the (101) facets. It was proposed that the strong interaction between CdS nanoparticles and TiO2 nanosheets effectively refrains the recombination of electrons and holes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]