ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6866-3877
Current Organisation
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 15-09-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-04-2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-08-2018
Abstract: Far-red and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent materials possessing the characteristics of strong two-photon absorption and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) as well as specific targeting capability are much-sought-after for bioimaging and therapeutic applications due to their deep penetration depth and high resolution. Herein, a series of dipolar far-red and NIR AIE luminogens with a strong push-pull effect are designed and synthesized. The obtained fluorophores display bright far-red and NIR solid-state fluorescence with a high quantum yield of up to 30%, large Stokes shifts of up to 244 nm, and large two-photon absorption cross-sections of up to 887 GM. A total of three neutral AIEgens show specific lipid droplet (LD)-targeting capability, while the one with cationic and lipophilic characteristics tends to target the mitochondria specifically. All of the molecules demonstrate good biocompatibility, high brightness, and superior photostability. They also serve as efficient two-photon fluorescence-imaging agents for the clear visualization of LDs or mitochondria in living cells and tissues with deep tissue penetration (up to 150 μm) and high contrast. These AIEgens can efficiently generate singlet oxygen upon light irradiation for the photodynamic ablation of cancer cells. All of these intriguing results prove that these far-red and NIR AIEgens are excellent candidates for the two-photon fluorescence imaging of LDs or mitochondria and organelle-targeting photodynamic cancer therapy.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-01-2022
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.1C11480
Abstract: Long-persistent luminescence (LPL), also known as afterglow, is a phenomenon in which the material shows long-lasting luminescence after the cessation of the excitation source. The research of LPL continues to attract much interest due to its fundamental nature and its potential in the development of the next generation of functional materials. However, most of the current LPL materials are multicomponent inorganic systems obtained after harsh synthetic procedures and often use rare-earth metals. Recently, metal free organic long-persistent luminescence (OLPL) has gained much interest because it can bypass many of the disadvantages of inorganic systems. To date, the most successful method to generate OLPL systems is to access charge-separated states through binary donor-acceptor exciplex systems. However, it has been reported that the ratios of the binary systems affect OLPL properties, complicating the reproducibility and large-scale production of OLPL materials. Simpler OLPL systems can overcome these issues for the benefit of the development and adoption of OLPL systems. Here, we report on the rational design and synthesis of a single-component OLPL system with detectable afterglow for at least 12 min under ambient conditions. This work exemplifies an easy design principle for new OLPL materials. The investigation of the material provides valuable insights toward the generation of OLPL from a single-component system.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-12-2018
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.ANALCHEM.8B04736
Abstract: Facile, efficient, and mass production of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens (AIEgens) with excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) characteristics was achieved by a one-step condensation reaction of 2-(hydrazonomethyl)phenol with benzaldehydes. The function of as-prepared AIEgens could be tuned easily by varying the functional group being carried on the phenyl ring of benzaldehyde just like a Swiss knife handle. The suitable distance and angle of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in these AIEgens endowed them with ESIPT properties, intense solid-state luminescence, and large Stokes shifts (155-169 nm). These AIEgens could not only serve as biological probes showing specific targeting to lipid droplets, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes, respectively, but also generate reactive oxygen species upon visible light irradiation to make them promise for photodynamic therapy.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-07-2022
Abstract: Low‐temperature photothermal therapy (PTT), which circumvents the limitations of conventional PTT (e.g., thermotolerance and adverse effects), is an emerging therapeutic strategy which shows great potential for future clinical applications. The expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) can dramatically impair the therapeutic efficacy of PTT. Thus, inhibition of HSPs repair and reducing the damage of nearby normal cells is crucial for improving the efficiency of low‐temperature PTT. Herein, we developed a nanobomb based on the self‐assembly of NIRII AIE polymer PBPTV and carbon monoxide (CO) carrier polymer mPEG(CO). This smart nanobomb can be exploded in a tumor microenvironment in which hydrogen peroxide is overexpressed and release CO into cancer cells to significantly inhibit the expression of HSPs and hence improve the antitumor efficiency of the low‐temperature PTT.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-03-2019
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B00636
Abstract: Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) has thrived as a promising treatment, highly active photosensitizers (PSs) and intense light power can cause treatment overdose. However, extra therapeutic response probes make the monitoring process complicated, ex situ and delayed. Now, this challenge is addressed by a self-reporting cationic PS, named TPE-4EP+, with aggregation-induced emission characteristic. The molecule undergoes mitochondria-to-nucleus translocation during apoptosis induced by PDT, thus enabling the in situ real-time monitoring via fluorescence migration. Moreover, by molecular charge engineering, we prove that the in situ translocation of TPE-4EP+ is mainly attributed to the enhanced interaction with DNA imposed by its multivalent positive charge. The ability of PS to provide PDT with real-time diagnosis help control the treatment dose that can avoid excessive phototoxicity and minimize potential side effect. Future development of new generation of PS is envisioned.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-09-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 22-11-2017
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 22-07-2021
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.1C05647
Abstract: Molecular motions are essential natures of matter and play important roles in their structures and properties. However, owing to the ersity and complexity of structures and behaviors, the study of motion-structure-property relationships remains a challenge, especially at all levels of structural hierarchy from molecules to macro-objects. Herein, luminogens showing aggregation-induced emission (AIE), namely, 9-(pyrimidin-2-yl)-carbazole (PyCz) and 9-(5-R-pyrimidin-2-yl)-carbazole [R = Cl (ClPyCz), Br (BrPyCz), and CN (CyPyCz)], were designed and synthesized, to decipher the dependence of materials' structures and properties on molecular motions at the molecule and aggregate levels. Experimental and theoretical analysis demonstrated that the active intramolecular motions in the excited state of all molecules at the single-molecule level endowed them with more twisted structural conformations and weak emission. However, owing to the restriction of intramolecular motions in the nano/macroaggregate state, all the molecules assumed less twisted conformations with bright emission. Unexpectedly, intermolecular motions could be activated in the macrocrystals of ClPyCz, BrPyCz, and CyPyCz through the introduction of external perturbations, and synergic strong and weak intermolecular interactions allowed their crystals to undergo reversible deformation, which effectively solved the problem of the brittleness of organic crystals, while endowing them with excellent elastic performance. Thus, the present study provided insights on the motion-structure-property relationship at each level of structural hierarchy and offered a paradigm to rationally design multifunctional AIE-based materials.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-06-2021
Abstract: The development of effective antifungal agents remains a big challenge in view of the close evolutionary relationship between mammalian cells and fungi. Moreover, rapid mutations of fungal receptors at the molecular level result in the emergence of drug resistance. Here, with low tendency to develop drug-resistance, the subcellular organelle mitochondrion is exploited as an alternative target for efficient fungal killing by photodynamic therapy (PDT) of mitochondrial-targeting luminogens with aggregation-induced emission characteristics (AIEgens). With cationic isoquinolinium (IQ) moiety and proper hydrophobicity, three AIEgens, namely, IQ-TPE-2O, IQ-Cm, and IQ-TPA, can preferentially accumulate at the mitochondria of fungi over the mammalian cells. Upon white light irradiation, these AIEgens efficiently generate reactive 1 O 2 , which causes irreversible damage to fungal mitochondria and further triggers the fungal death. Among them, IQ-TPA shows the highest PDT efficiency against fungi and negligible toxicity to mammalian cells, achieving the selective and highly efficient killing of fungi. Furthermore, we tested the clinical utility of this PDT strategy by treating fungal keratitis on a fungus-infected rabbit model. It was demonstrated that IQ-TPA presents obviously better therapeutic effects as compared with the clinically used rose bengal, suggesting the success of this PDT strategy and its great potential for clinical treatment of fungal infections.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 04-03-2019
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.NANOLETT.8B04677
Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is demonstrated as one of the most powerful technologies for sequence-specific suppression of genes in disease therapeutics. Exploration of novel vehicles for small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery with high efficiency, low cytotoxicity, and self-monitoring functionality is persistently pursued. Herein, by taking advantage of aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), we developed a novel class of Ag@AIE core@shell nanocarriers with regulable and uniform morphology. It presented excellent efficiencies in siRNA delivery, target gene knockdown, and cancer cell inhibition in vitro. What's more, an anticancer efficacy up to 75% was achieved in small animal experiments without obvious toxicity. Attributing to the unique AIE properties, real-time intracellular tracking of siRNA delivery and long-term tumor tissue imaging were successfully realized. Compared to the commercial transfection reagents, significant improvements were obtained in biocompatibility, delivery efficiency, and reproducibility, representing a promising future of this nanocarrier in RNAi-related cancer therapeutics.
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 31-03-2023
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-2690391/V1
Abstract: We report the construction of covalent organic framework (COF-919) from planar and twisted AIEgens-based motifs as a pyroptosis and ferroptosis dual-inducer that can elicit strong inflammatory response for efficient antitumor immunity. Mechanistic studies revealed that, in contrast to traditional COFs constructed with solely planar or twisted motifs, COF-919 displays stronger near-infrared light absorption, lower band energy and longer lifetime to favor the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and photothermal conversion for trigger pyroptosis. Because of its outstanding ROS production capability, intracellular lipid peroxidation was also upregulated to lead to glutathione depletion, glutathione peroxidase 4 low expression, and the induction of ferroptosis. Moreover, COF-919 induced pyroptosis and ferroptosis can effectively reshape the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) via promote T cells infiltration and relieve immunosuppressed TME to boost a T-cell-mediated immune response, which is favorable for inhibiting tumor metastasis and recurrence, with 99% tumor growth inhibition and 80% cure rates.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-01-2020
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B12936
Abstract: New agents with particular specificity toward targeted bacteria and superefficacy in antibacterial activity are urgently needed in facing the crisis of worldwide antibiotic resistance. Herein, a novel strategy by equipping bacteriophage (PAP) with photodynamic inactivation (PDI)-active AIEgens (luminogens with aggregation-induced emission property) was presented to generate a type of AIE-PAP bioconjugate with superior capability for both targeted imaging and synergistic killing of certain species of bacteria. The targeting ability inherited from the bacteriophage enabled the bioconjugates to specifically recognize the host bacteria with preserved infection activity of phage itself. Meanwhile, the AIE characteristic empowered them a monitoring functionality, and the real-time tracking of their interactions with targets was therefore realized via convenient fluorescence imaging. More importantly, the PDI-active AIEgens could serve as powerful in situ photosensitizers producing high-efficiency reactive oxygen species (ROS) under white light irradiation. As a result, selective targeting and synergistic killing of both antibiotic-sensitive and multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria were successfully achieved in in vitro and in vivo antibacterial tests with excellent biocompatibility. This novel AIE-phage integrated strategy would ersify the existing pool of antibacterial agents and inspire the development of promising drug candidates in the future.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1039/C8SC05805A
Abstract: Facile synthesis and bio-applications of a series of AIEgens with widely tunable emissions ranging from violet to near-infrared are reported.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 31-05-2023
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8TB00803E
Abstract: Highly sensitive and specific detection of hypoxanthine based on an aggregation-induced emission fluorescent probe is developed for energy metabolism-related diagnostics.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-07-2018
Abstract: Currently, a serious problem obstructing the large-scale clinical applications of fluorescence technique is the shallow penetration depth. Two-photon fluorescence microscopic imaging with excitation in the longer-wavelength near-infrared (NIR) region (>1100 nm) and emission in the NIR-I region (650-950 nm) is a good choice to realize deep-tissue and high-resolution imaging. Here, we report ultradeep two-photon fluorescence bioimaging with 1300 nm NIR-II excitation and NIR-I emission (peak ∼810 nm) based on a NIR aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen). The crab-shaped AIEgen possesses a planar core structure and several twisting phenyl/naphthyl rotators, affording both high fluorescence quantum yield and efficient two-photon activity. The organic AIE dots show high stability, good biocompatibility, and a large two-photon absorption cross section of 1.22 × 10
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-02-2021
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8TB00572A
Abstract: A positively charged multifunctional AIEgen was developed for selective imaging and photodynamic killing of cancer cells as well as Gram-positive bacteria.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 18-08-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-09-2023
Publisher: AIP Publishing
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1063/1.5110688
Abstract: Interfaces exist in almost all objects and processes. Investigation on the interface not only is fundamentally important but also has great application prospects. Traditionally, the interface structure is studied by electron microscopy, which cannot reflect its real structure considering the pretreated process before measurement. Monitoring the interface evolution process by these regular methods is time-consuming and unfeasible in many cases. In this perspective article, we discuss how to realize the visualizing and monitoring interface structures and dynamics by aggregation-induced emission technique, which is applicable to almost all kinds of interfaces, including gas-solid, liquid-solid, solid-solid, gas-liquid-solid, and liquid-liquid-solid. Meanwhile, it is anticipated that the circularly polarized luminescence property in prochiral aggregation-induced emission luminogens can make a great difference in this area.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 09-10-2023
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.3C08627
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-08-2023
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.3C04027
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C7SC01054K
Abstract: For the first time, an AIEgen-conjugated monoclonal antibody is designed for “turn-on” and “wash-free” imaging of EGFR-overexpressed cancer cells.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-01-2022
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.1C11455
Abstract: Understanding the mechanism and progression of neutrophil-involved diseases (e.g., acute inflammation) is of great importance. However, current available analytical methods neither achieve the real-time monitoring nor provide dynamic information during the pathological processes. Herein, a peroxynitrite (ONOO
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 31-05-2019
Abstract: In clinical studies, thiol measurement in the whole blood is of diagnostic and prognostic significance. In addition, the detection of mitochondrial thiol is very important for investigating cellular functions or dysfunctions. Here, a ratiometric aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) called TPE-PBP for thiol detection was developed by introducing a
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 27-08-2018
Abstract: Sensitive and accurate detection of highly contagious virus is urgently demanded for disease diagnosis and treatment. Herein, based on a multifunctional aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), a dual-modality readout immunoassay platform for ultrasensitive detection of viruses has been successfully demonstrated. The platform is relied on virions immuno-bridged enzymatic hydrolysis of AIEgen, accompanying with the in situ formation of highly emissive AIE aggregates and shelling of silver on gold nanoparticles. As a result, robust turn-on fluorescence and naked-eye discernible plasmonic colorimetry composed dual-signal is achieved. By further taking advantage of effective immunomagnetic enrichment, EV71 virions, as an ex le, can be specifically detected with a limit of detection down to 1.4 copies/μL under fluorescence modality. Additionally, semiquantitative discerning of EV71 virions is realized in a broad range from 1.3 × 10
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 27-04-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 24-02-2022
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-10-2019
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.9B02752
Abstract: The development of molecular machines has long been a dream of scientists and is expected to revolutionize many aspects of technology and medicine. As the prerequisite of a practicable molecular machine, studies on the solid-state molecular motion (SSMM) are not only of scientific importance but also practically useful. Herein, two nonconjugated molecules, 1,2-diphenylethane (
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-03-2019
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-01-2019
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-11-2017
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.7B10150
Abstract: Recent years have witnessed the significant role of anion-π
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-05-2023
Abstract: Recent advancements in aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) macromolecular materials have brought their attention as potential antibacterial solutions, these materials offer new approaches to cure multidrug‐resistant infections and biofilms in bacterial infections as well as real‐time monitoring and specific targeting of bacteria. This review provides an overview of the three main categories of AIE macromolecular materials with antibacterial properties namely AIE‐active polymers, AIEgen@polymer complexes, and clusterization‐triggered emission (CTE) based polymers. The mechanisms and applications of these materials in antibacterial treatment, wound care, and protective equipment are also discussed. The potential for future developments and application directions of AIE‐based antimicrobial materials are finally highlighted.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-11-2021
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 22-08-2019
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B06196
Abstract: Acrylonitriles with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have been found to show promising applications in two-photon biomedical imaging. Generally, elaborate synthetic efforts are required to achieve different acrylonitriles with distinct functionalities. In this work, we first reported the synthesis of two different group-functionalized AIE-active acrylonitriles (TPAT-AN-XF and 2TPAT-AN) obtained simply by mixing the same reactants at different temperatures using a facile and transition metal-free synthetic method. These two AIE luminogens (AIEgens) exhibit unique properties such as bright red emission in the solid state, large Stokes shift, and large two-photon absorption cross section. Water-soluble nanoparticles (NPs) of 2TPAT-AN were prepared by a nanoprecipitation method. In vitro imaging data show that 2TPAT-AN NPs can selectively stain lysosome in live cells. Besides one-photon imaging, remarkable two-photon imaging of live tumor tissues can be achieved with high resolution and deep tissue penetration. 2TPAT-AN NPs show high biocompatibility and are successfully utilized in in vivo long-term imaging of mouse tumors with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, the present work is anticipated to shed light on the preparation of a library of AIE-active functionalized acrylonitriles with intriguing properties for biomedical applications.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-12-2017
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.ANALCHEM.7B03933
Abstract: A facile and simple one-step method was developed to fabricate aptamer-decorated self-assembled organic dots with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics. With integration of the advantages of AIE aggregates with strong emission and the cell-targeting capability of aptamers, the as-prepared Apt-AIE organic nanodots can specifically target to cancer cells with good biocompatibility, high image constrast, and photostability. On the basis of this universal method, a variety of versatile organic fluorescent nanoprobes with high brightness, specific recognition, and clinical-transitional potential could be facilely constructed for biological sensing and imaging applications.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 24-10-2017
Abstract: l-Lactate is a vital biomarker for many diseases and physiological fatigue. An AIE-active fluorophore (TPE-HPro) is combined with l-lactate oxidase (LOx) to determine l-lactate in aqueous fluid. The assay shows excellent sensitivity and anti-interference performance with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5.5 μM. In addition, sensitive detection of l-lactate is achieved even in a protein-rich environment. It is proposed that quantification of l-lactate be performed at 20 or 60 min in the current method. These characteristics endow the fluorometric assay with great potential for biomedical diagnostics.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 09-10-2017
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.7B08710
Abstract: Saponins are a class of naturally occurring bioactive and biocompatible hiphilic glycosides produced by plants. Some saponins, such as α-hederin, exhibit unique cell membrane interactions. At concentrations above their critical micelle concentration, they will interact and aggregate with membrane cholesterol to form transient pores in the cell membrane. In this project, we utilized the unique permeabilization and hiphilic properties of saponins for the intracellular delivery of deep-red-emitting aggregation-induced emission nanoparticles (AIE NPs) and pure organic room-temperature phosphorescent nanocrystals (NCs). We found this method to be biocompatible, inexpensive, ultrafast, and applicable to deliver a wide variety of AIE NPs and NCs into cancer cells.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 05-08-2020
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.0C07193
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-11-2022
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.2C07657
Abstract: Liver sequestration, mainly resulting from the phagocytosis of mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) cells, is a long-standing barrier in nanoparticle delivery, which severely decreases the disease-targeting ability, leads to nanotoxicity, and inhibits clinical translation. To avoid long-term liver sequestration, we elaborately designed luminescent gold-silver bimetallic nanoparticles that could be rapidly transformed by the hepatic sinusoidal microenvironment rich in glutathione and oxygen, significantly different from monometallic gold nanoparticles that were rapidly sequestrated by Kupffer cells due to the much slower biotransformation. We found that the rapid sinusoidal biotransformation induced by the synergistic reactions of glutathione and oxygen with the reactive silver atoms could help bimetallic nanoparticles to avoid MPS phagocytosis, promote fast release from the liver, prolong blood circulation, enhance renal clearance, and increase disease targeting. With the fast biotransformation in sinusoids, liver sequestration could be turned into a beneficial storage mechanism for nanomedicines to maximize targeting.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 02-10-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-11-2017
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.7B08592
Abstract: π-Bonds connected with aromatic rings were generally believed as the standard structures for constructing highly efficient fluorophores. Materials without these typical structures, however, exhibited only low fluorescence quantum yields and emitted in the ultraviolet spectral region. In this work, three molecules, namely bis(2,4,5-trimethylphenyl)methane, 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(2,4,5-trimethylphenyl)ethane, and 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethane, with nonconjugated structures and isolated phenyl rings were synthesized and their photophysical properties were systematically investigated. Interestingly, the emission spectra of these three molecules could be well extended to 600 nm with high solid-state quantum yields of up to 70%. Experimental and theoretical analyses proved that intramolecular through-space conjugation between the "isolated" phenyl rings played an important role for this abnormal phenomenon.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-02-2022
Abstract: Although molecular design strategies for highly bright near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorophores were proposed, the lack of solid structural identification (single crystal) hinders the further development of this field. This thorny issue is addressed by performing the structure-function relationship of NIR-II dyes, as confirmed by molecular single crystal engineering. Single crystal structure analysis confirms that twisted architectures (large dihedral angles ∼70°) and loose packing patterns (intermolecular distance of ∼3.4-4.5 Å) are key elements to enhance the absolute quantum yield (QY) in the solid state. Through regulating donor-acceptor distance and donor-acceptor interactions, the resultant well-defined TBP-
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-10-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-11-2020
Abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a noninvasive therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment, which always suffers from the low reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield of traditional organic dyes. Herein, we present lipid-encapsulated aggregation-induced emission nanoparticles (AIE NPs) that have a high quantum yield (23%) and a maximum two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section of 560 GM irradiated by near-infrared light (800 nm). The AIE NPs can serve as imaging agents for spatiotemporal imaging of tumor tissues with a penetration depth up to 505 μm on mice melanoma model. Importantly, the AIE NPs can simultaneously generate singlet oxygen (
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-03-2019
Abstract: The efficient utilization of energy dissipating from non-radiative excited-state decay of fluorophores was only rarely reported. Herein, we demonstrate how to boost the energy generation of non-radiative decay and use it for cancer theranostics. A novel compound (TFM) was synthesized which possesses a rotor-like twisted structure, strong absorption in the far red/near-infrared region, and it shows aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the TFM aggregate is in an amorphous form consisting of disordered molecules in a loose packing state, which allows efficient intramolecular motions, and consequently elevates energy dissipation from the pathway of thermal deactivation. These intrinsic features enable TFM nanoparticles (NPs) to display a high photothermal conversion efficiency (51.2 %), an excellent photoacoustic (PA) effect, and effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In vivo evaluation shows that the TFM NPs are excellent candidates for PA imaging-guided phototherapy.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-08-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 17-10-2022
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.2C02741
Abstract: Concentration-dependent phase transitions in concentrated solutions have remained speculation due to the serious impediment of macromolecule dynamics by intensive topological entanglement or intermolecular interaction as well as the absence of powerful tool for detecting changes in chain or segment movement. Herein, taking a general polymer, namely, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), as an ex le, a water-soluble fluorescent molecule with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is introduced into the PVA solutions as a chain dynamics indicator to investigate phase transitions at high concentrations through in situ monitoring of the solvent evaporation process. Two turning points of fluorescent intensity are observed for the first time at mean concentrations of ∼25% and ∼45%, corresponding to the gelation and amorphous-to-crystalline transitions, respectively. Our work offers a fundamental insight into the physical nature of concentrate-dependent nonequilibrium transitions and develops a reliable and sensitive approach based on the AIE phenomenon for following high-concentration-triggered property changes of a polymer solution.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 25-07-2019
Abstract: The analysis of albumin has clinical significance in diagnostic tests and obvious value to research studies on the albumin-mediated drug delivery and therapeutics. The present immunoassay, instrumental techniques, and colorimetric methods for albumin detection are either expensive, troublesome, or insensitive. Herein, a class of water-soluble tetrazolate-functionalized derivatives with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics is introduced as novel fluorescent probes for albumin detection. They can be selectively lighted up by site-specific binding with albumin. The resulting albumin fluorescent assay exhibits a low detection limit (0.21 nM), high robustness in aqueous buffer (pH = 6-9), and a broad tunable linear dynamic range (0.02-3000 mg/L) for quantification. The tetrazolate functionality endows the probes with a superior water solubility (>0.01 M) and a high binding affinity to albumin (
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 02-07-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-10-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-03-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-020-15095-1
Abstract: Fluorescence imaging in near-infrared IIb (NIR-IIb, 1500–1700 nm) spectrum holds a great promise for tissue imaging. While few inorganic NIR-IIb fluorescent probes have been reported, their organic counterparts are still rarely developed, possibly due to the shortage of efficient materials with long emission wavelength. Herein, we propose a molecular design philosophy to explore pure organic NIR-IIb fluorophores by manipulation of the effects of twisted intramolecular charge transfer and aggregation-induced emission at the molecular and morphological levels. An organic fluorescent dye emitting up to 1600 nm with a quantum yield of 11.5% in the NIR-II region is developed. NIR-IIb fluorescence imaging of blood vessels and deeply-located intestinal tract of live mice based on organic dyes is achieved with high clarity and enhanced signal-to-background ratio. We hope this study will inspire further development on the evolution of pure organic NIR-IIb dyes for bio-imaging.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 25-04-2019
Abstract: Bloodstains provide admissible information for crime scene investigators. The ability to resolve latent bloodstains that are commonly found in real scenarios is therefore pivotal to public security. Here, we report a facile approach for invisible bloodstain visualization based on the click reaction between serum albumin and tetraphenylethene maleimide (TPE-MI), an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen). Compared to the widely adopted methods based on the harsh catalytic oxidation activity of hemoglobin, this working principle benefits from the specificity of the mild catalyst-free thiol-ene click reaction that improves the reliability and resolution. In addition, the mild conditions preserve DNA information and bloodstain patterns, and the excellent photophysical properties of the AIEgen afford high sensitivity and stability (>1 yr). Such an excellent performance cannot be achieved by conventional AIEgens and aggregation-caused quenching luminogens with similar structures. TPE-MI outperforms the benchmark luminol-based technique in visualizing latent bloodstains as showcased in two mock crime scenes: spattered blood track and transfer blood fingerprint. This disclosed method is an advancement in forensic science that could inspire future development of technology for bloodstain visualization.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 09-05-2018
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.8B02350
Abstract: Multimodality imaging is highly desirable for accurate diagnosis by achieving high sensitivity, spatial-temporal resolution, and penetration depth with a single structural unit. However, it is still challenging to integrate fluorescent and plasmonic modalities into a single structure, as they are naturally incompatible because of significant fluorescence quenching by plasmonic noble-metal nanoparticles. Herein, we report a new type of silver@AIEgen (aggregation-induced emission luminogen) core-shell nanoparticle (AACSN) with both strong aggregated-state fluorescence of the AIEgen and distinctive plasmonic scattering of silver nanoparticles for multimodality imaging in living cells and small animals. The AACSNs were prepared through a redox reaction between silver ions and a redox-active AIEgen, which promoted synergistic formation of the silver core and self-assembly of the AIEgen around the core. The resulting AACSNs exhibited good biocompatibility and high resistance to environmental damage. As a result, excellent performance in fluorescence imaging, dark-field microscopy, and X-ray computed tomography-based multimodality imaging was achieved.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 04-06-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-07-2022
Abstract: Low‐temperature photothermal therapy (PTT), which circumvents the limitations of conventional PTT (e.g., thermotolerance and adverse effects), is an emerging therapeutic strategy which shows great potential for future clinical applications. The expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) can dramatically impair the therapeutic efficacy of PTT. Thus, inhibition of HSPs repair and reducing the damage of nearby normal cells is crucial for improving the efficiency of low‐temperature PTT. Herein, we developed a nanobomb based on the self‐assembly of NIRII AIE polymer PBPTV and carbon monoxide (CO) carrier polymer mPEG(CO). This smart nanobomb can be exploded in a tumor microenvironment in which hydrogen peroxide is overexpressed and release CO into cancer cells to significantly inhibit the expression of HSPs and hence improve the antitumor efficiency of the low‐temperature PTT.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 04-10-2019
Abstract: Organic fluorophores for stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy usually suffer from quenched emission in the aggregate state and inferior photostability, which largely limit their application in real-time,
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 17-04-2023
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 18-08-2022
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-08-2022
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.2C07443
Abstract: Fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) using small-molecule dyes has high potential for clinical use. However, many NIR-II dyes suffer from the emission quenching effect and extremely low quantum yields (QYs) in the practical usage forms. The AIE strategy has been successfully utilized to develop NIR-II dyes with donor-acceptor (D-A) structures with acceptable QYs in the aggregate state, but there is still large room for QY improvement. Here, we rationally designed a NIR-II emissive dye named TPE-BBT and its derivative (TPEO-BBT) by changing the electron-donating triphenylamine unit to tetraphenylethylene (TPE). Their nanoparticles exhibited ultrahigh relative QYs of 31.5% and 23.9% in water, respectively. By using an integrating sphere, the absolute QY of TPE-BBT nanoparticles was measured to be 1.8% in water. Its crystals showed an absolute QY of 10.4%, which is the highest value among organic small molecules reported so far. The optimized D-A interaction and the higher rigidity of TPE-BBT in the aggregate state are believed to be the two key factors for its ultrahigh QY. Finally, we utilized TPE-BBT for NIR-II photoluminescence (PL) and chemiluminescence (CL) bioimaging through successive CL resonance energy transfer and Förster resonance energy transfer processes. The ultrahigh QY of TPE-BBT realized an excellent PL imaging quality in mouse blood vessels and an excellent CL imaging quality in the local arthrosis inflammation in mice with a high signal-to-background ratio of 130. Thus, the design strategy presented here brings new possibilities for the development of bright NIR-II dyes and NIR-II bioimaging technologies.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-07-2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 27-09-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-08-2022
Abstract: Photothermal therapy (PTT) holds potential as an alternative approach for effective cancer treatment since it exerts minimal side effects on normal tissues. However, the photothermal stimulation increases the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) in tumor cells, rendering the tumor cells insensitive to heat and thus constraining the effects of PTT. In this study, biomimetic aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) photothermal agents with hitchhiking ability (DC@BPBBT dots) are developed by coating the nanoaggregates of the NIR AIE polymeric photothermal agents with dendritic cell (DC) membranes. Notably, the inner nanoaggregate (BPBBT dots) holds bright second‐window near infrared (NIR‐II) fluorescence (quantum yield of up to 3.47%) and a high photothermal conversion performance (photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 30.5%), and the outer cell membrane can facilitate the hitchhiking of DC@BPBBT dots on endogenous T cells and enhance the tumor delivery efficiency by about 1.2 times. Furthermore, DC@BPBBT dots can activate and stimulate T cells in vivo to secrete cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), which can reduce the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) to render tumor cells more sensitive to heat. This study not only provides an alternative heat shock protein inhibition strategy based on immune cell interactions but also provides a hitchhike approach for drug delivery in cancer photothermal immunotherapy.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1039/C9QM00242A
Abstract: Berberine chloride, an AIE-active natural product, can be utilized as a highly efficient theranostic agent for cancer and bacteria.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C7SC04963C
Abstract: The first water-soluble NIR AIEgen was synthesized and used for ultrafast wash-free cellular imaging and photodynamic cancer cell ablation.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 23-01-2020
Abstract: Iatrogenic ureteral injury is a dreaded complication of abdominal and pelvic surgeries, and thus, intraoperative identification of ureters is of paramount importance but lacks efficient methods and probes. Herein, we used near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) fluorescence imaging with advantages of higher spatial resolution, deeper tissue penetration, lower light scattering, and less tissue autofluorescence to identify ureters by aggregation-induced emission luminogen dots (AIE dots). The intraoperative ureteral injuries and common ureteral diseases can be visualized timely and precisely. Due to the longer emission wavelength and higher quantum yield of the AIE dots, it largely outperforms the commercial indocyanine green dye in brightness and penetration depth. It was the first time to realize the intraoperative identification of ureters in vivo using NIR-II imaging. Thus, our work provides a new platform for intraoperative monitoring during clinical operation.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-11-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 07-05-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-02-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-021-21208-1
Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule overexpressed in many diseases, thus the development of NO-activatable probes is of vital significance for monitoring related diseases. However, sensitive photoacoustic (PA) probes for detecting NO-associated complicated diseases (e.g., encephalitis), have yet to be developed. Herein, we report a NO-activated PA probe for in vivo detection of encephalitis by tuning the molecular geometry and energy transformation processes. A strong donor-acceptor structure with increased conjugation can be obtained after NO treatment, along with the active intramolecular motion, significantly boosting “turn-on” near-infrared PA property. The molecular probe exhibits high specificity and sensitivity towards NO over interfering reactive species. The probe is capable of detecting and differentiating encephalitis in different severities with high spatiotemporal resolution. This work will inspire more insights into the development of high-performing activatable PA probes for advanced diagnosis by making full use of intramolecular motion and energy transformation processes.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8SC01709C
Abstract: This article presents a new strategy to achieve white-light emission from single tetraphenylethylene-substituted pyrenes (TPE-Pys) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-05-2021
Abstract: Gold complexes have been recognized as potential anticancer agents against various kinds of diseases due to their inherent suppressions of antioxidant thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity. Herein, a powerful aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), TBP-Au, was designed and synthesized by integrating an anticancer Au(I) moiety with an AIE-active photosensitizer (TBP), in which both the production and consumption routes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were elaborately considered simultaneously to boost the anticancer efficacy. It has been demonstrated that TBP-Au could realize superior two-photon fluorescence imaging in tumor tissues with high resolution and deep penetration as well as long-term imaging in live animals due to its AIE property. In addition, the introduction of a special Au(I) moiety could tune the organelle specificity and efficiently facilitate the ROS-determined photodynamic therapy (PDT). More impressively, TBP-Au could efficiently eliminate cancer cells under light irradiation through the preconceived synergetic approaches from the PDT and the effective suppression of TrxR, demonstrating that TBP-Au holds great potential for precise cancer theranostics.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-08-2019
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.9B06493
Abstract: Polymers containing rich chalcogen elements are rarely reported due to the lack of facile synthesis methods. Herein, a novel multicomponent polymerization route toward chalcogen-rich polymers was introduced. A series of poly(vinyl sulfones) (PVSs) were synthesized at room temperature using readily prepared monomers. PVSs were generated with high regio- and stereo-selectivity in high yields (up to 92.3%). Rich chalcogen elements endowed PVSs with distingctive multifunctionalities. The PVSs possessed good solubility and film-forming ability. Their thin films exhibited outstanding refractive indices up to 1.8062 at 550.0 nm together with good optical transparency in the visible region. Thin films of some polymers can also be fabricated into well-resolved fluorescent photopatterns by photolithography. Thanks to the unique redox properties of selenium, postmodification by oxidation reaction of P
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 17-09-2019
Abstract: Efficient organic photosensitizers (PSs) have attracted much attention because of their promising applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, guidelines on their molecular design are rarely reported. In this work, a series of PSs are designed and synthesized based on a triphenylamine-azafluorenone core. Their structure-property-application relationships are systematically studied. Cationization is an effective strategy to enhance the PDT efficiency of PSs by targeting mitochondria. From the molecularly dispersed state to the aggregate state, the fluorescence and the reactive oxygen species generation efficiency of PSs with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) increase due to the restriction of the intramolecular motions and enhancement of intersystem crossing. Cationized mitochondrion-targeting PSs show higher PDT efficiency than that of nonionized ones targeting lipid droplets. The ability of AIE PSs to kill cancer cells can be further enhanced by combination of PDT with radiotherapy. Such results should trigger research enthusiasm for designing and synthesizing AIE PSs with better PDT efficiency and properties.
No related grants have been discovered for Ryan Tsz Kin Kwok.