The ideal 3D scaffold for biological applications has not yet been designed. Our aim is to better match the scaffold performance through fine control of the fabrication process. Here, we applied electro-hydrodynamic jet (E-jet) 3D printing technology using poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) solution to construct scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. We fabricated different scaffolds of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 aspect ratios and tested the biological compatibility of the 2D and 3D printed scaffolds with fibroblasts. The scaffolds were used to culture fibroblasts, the main cellular components of loose connective tissue. The results show that the E-jet printed scaffolds could guide and improve cell growth. These scaffolds were able to support cellular alignment and proliferation. The cell angle was consistent with the longitudinal direction of the scaffolds, potentially enhancing the wound healing performance. Thus, the potential of this flexible technology for the 3D printing of scaffolds for the engineering of tissues is extensive.

Liu Tong    Huang Ruiying    Zhong Juchang    Yang Yikun    Tan Zhi Kai    谭蔚泓    

Journal of Materials Chemistry B

2017

Arsenic trioxide (ATO, AsO) is currently used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, expanding its use to include high-dose treatment of other cancers is severely hampered by serious side effects on healthy organs. To address these limitations, we loaded ATO onto folate (FA)-labeled human serum albumin (HSA) pretreated with glutathione (GSH) based on the low pH- and GSH-sensitive arsenic-sulfur bond, and we termed the resulting smart nanodrug as FA-HSA-ATO. FA-HSA-ATO could specifically recognize folate receptor-β-positive (FRβ+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, resulting in more intracellular accumulation of ATO. Furthermore, the nanodrug could upregulate FRβ expression in CML cancer cells and xenograft tumor model, facilitating even more recruitment and uptake of FRβ-targeting drugs. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that the nanodrug significantly alleviates side effects and improves therapeutic efficacy of ATO on CML and xenograft tumor model.

Peng Yong Bo    Zilong Zhao    Liu Teng    Li Xiong    Xiaoxiao Hu    Wei Xiaoping    Xiaobing Zhang    谭蔚泓    

Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

2017

Graphitic nanocapsules are emerging nanomaterials which are gaining popularity along with the development of carbon nanomaterials. Their unique physical and chemical properties, as well as good biocompatibility, make them desirable agents for biomedical and bioanalytical applications. Through rational design, integrating graphitic nanocapsules with other materials provides them with additional properties which make them versatile nanoplatforms for bioanalysis. In this feature article, we present the use and performance of graphitic nanocapsules in a variety of bioanalytical applications. Based on their chemical properties, the specific merits and limitations of magnetic, hollow, and noble metal encapsulated graphitic nanocapsules are discussed. Detection, multi-modal imaging, and therapeutic applications are included. Future directions and potential solutions for further biomedical applications are also suggested.

Ding Ding    Xu Yi-Ting    Zou Yuxiu    Long Chen    陈卓    谭蔚泓    

Nanoscale

2017

Bioconjugation based on crosslinking primary amines to carboxylic acid groups has found broad applications in protein modification, drug development, and nanomaterial functionalization. However, proteins, which are made up of amino acids, typically give nonselective bioconjugation when using primary amine-based crosslinking. In order to control protein orientation and activity after conjugation, selective bioconjugation is desirable. We herein report an efficient and cysteine-selective thiol-ene click reaction-based bioconjugation strategy using colloidal nanoparticles. The resulting thiol-ene based aptamer and enzyme nanoconjugates demonstrated excellent target binding ability and enzymatic activity, respectively. Thus, thiol-ene click chemistry can provide a stable and robust crosslinker in a biocompatible manner for bioconjugation of any thiol-containing biomolecule with nanomaterials. This will open more opportunities for applications of thiol-ene reactions and functional colloidal nanoparticles in chemical biology.

Liu Yuan    Hou Weijia    Sun Hao    Cui Cheng    Liqin Zhang    Jiang Ying    Wu Yong-Xiang    Wang Yanyue    Juan Li    Brent Sumerlin    Qiaoling Liu    谭蔚泓    

Chemical Science

2017

The lack of ideal photosensitizers limits the clinical application of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Here we report the PDT efficiency of dicyanomethylene substituted benzothiazole squaraine derivatives. This class of squaraine derivatives possess strong absorption and long excitation and emission wavelengths (ex/em, 685/720 nm). They show negligible dark toxicity, but can generate singlet oxygen under irradiation resulting in the apoptosis and necrosis of cells (phototoxicity). Changing the side chains of these compounds greatly influences their albumin-binding rate, cellular uptake and their phototoxicity. One of the squaraine derivatives with two methyl butyrate side chains shows high PDT efficiency in a mouse subcutaneous xenograft model under the irradiation of a 690 nm laser. These results show the great potential of dicyanomethylene substituted benzothiazole squaraines to be the leading compound of near-infrared photosensitizers in PDT.

Wei Yong-Biao    Xiaoxiao Hu    Shen Luyao    Jin Bing    Xiangjun Liu    谭蔚泓     Dihua Shangguan   

EBioMedicine

2017

Ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) porous Zn(OH) nanosheets (PNs) were fabricated by means of one-dimensional Cu nanowires as backbones. The PNs have thickness of approximately 3.8 nm and pore size of 4–10 nm. To form “smart” porous nanosheets, DNA aptamers were covalently conjugated to the surface of PNs. These ultrathin nanosheets show good biocompatibility, efficient cellular uptake, and promising pH-stimulated drug release. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Cai Ren    Yang Dan    Wu Jin    Liqin Zhang    Cuichen Wu.    Chen Xigao    Wang Yanyue    Wan Shuo    Hou Fengwei    Qingyu Yan    谭蔚泓    

Nano Research

2016

A highly efficient nanozyme system, termed hollow multipod Cu(OH) superstructure (HMPS), has been developed via direct conversion from irregular nanoparticles. The HMPS displayed a body size around 150 nm and branch lengths in the range of 150-250 nm. Based on the excellent catalytic properties of HMPS, we developed a simple and highly sensitive colorimetric assay to detect urine glucose, and the results are in good agreement with hospital examination reports.

Ren Cai    Yang Dan    Chen Xigao    Huang Yun    Lyu Yifan    He Jinglin    Shi Muling    Ting Teng    Wan Shuo    Hou Weijia    谭蔚泓    

Journal of Materials Chemistry B

2016

A facile strategy has been developed to synthesize double-shelled Zn(OH)nanoflowers (DNFs) at room temperature. The nanoflowers were generated via conversion of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) using ZnCland NaSOby a simple process. Outward diffusion of the Cu, produced by an oxidation process on the surface of NPs, and the inward diffusion of Znby coordination and migration, eventually lead to a hollow cavity in the inner NPs with a double-shelled 3D hollow flower shapes. The thickness of the inner and outer shells is estimated to be about 20 nm, and the thickness of nanopetals is about 7 nm. The nanoflowers have large surface areas and excellent adsorption properties. As a proof of potential applications, the DNFs exhibited an excellent ability to remove organic molecules from aqueous solutions.

Cai Ren    Yang Dan    Zhang Liqing    邱丽萍    Liang Hao    Chen Xigao    Cansiz Sena    Zhang Zuxiao    Wan Shuo    Stewart Kimberly    Qingyu Yan    谭蔚泓    

Chemistry - A European Journal

2016

DMFs are spherical DNA-diacyllipid nanostructures formed by hydrophobic effects between lipid tails coupled to single-stranded DNAs. Such properties as high cellular permeability, low critical micelle concentration (CMC) and facile fabrication facilitate intracellular imaging and drug delivery. While the basic properties of NFs have been amply described and tested, few studies have characterized the fundamental properties of DMFs with particular respect to aggregation number, dissociation constant and biostability. Therefore, to further explore their conformational features and enhanced stability in complex biological systems, we herein report a series of characterization studies. Static light scattering (SLS) demonstrated that DMFs possess greater DNA loading capacity when compared to other DNA-based nanostructures. Upon binding to complementary DNA (cDNA), DMFs showed excellent dissociation constants (K) and increased melting temperatures, as well as constant CMC (10 nM) independent of DNA length. DMFs also present significantly enhanced stability in aqueous solution with nuclease and cell lysate. These properties make DMFs ideal for versatile applications in bioanalysis and theranostics studies.

Wang Yanyue    Cuichen Wu.    Chen Tao    Sun Hao    Cansiz Sena    Liqin Zhang    Cui Cheng    Hou Weijia    Wu Yuan    Wan Shuo    Ren Cai    Liu Yuan    Brent Sumerlin    Xiaobing Zhang    谭蔚泓    

Chemical Science

2016

In the past two decades, aptamers have emerged as a novel class of molecular recognition probes comprising uniquely-folded short RNA or single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides that bind to their cognate targets with high specificity and affinity. Aptamers, often referred to as "chemical antibodies", possess several highly desirable features for clinical use. They can be chemically synthesized and are easily conjugated to a wide range of reporters for different applications, and are able to rapidly penetrate tissues. These advantages significantly enhance their clinical applicability, and render them excellent alternatives to antibody-based probes in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Aptamer probes based on fluorescence, colorimetry, magnetism, electrochemistry, and in conjunction with nanomaterials (e.g., nanoparticles, quantum dots, single-walled carbon nanotubes, and magnetic nanoparticles) have provided novel ultrasensitive cancer diagnostic strategies and assays. Furthermore, promising aptamer targeted-multimodal tumor imaging probes have been recently developed in conjunction with fluorescence, positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The capabilities of the aptamer-based platforms described herein underscore the great potential they hold for the future of cancer detection. In this review, we highlight the most prominent recent developments in this rapidly advancing field.

Sun Hongguang    谭蔚泓     Zu Youli   

Analyst

2016