Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into fuels is an attractive option in terms of both reducing the increased concentration of atmospheric CO2 as well as generating renewable hydrocarbon fuels. It is necessary to investigate good catalysts for CO2 conversion and to clarify the mechanism irradiated by natural light. Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) have been attracting attention for CO2 photoreduction with the expectation of sorption capacity for CO2 in the layered space and tunable semiconductor properties as a result of the choice of metal cations. This study first clarifies the effects of Cu doping to LDH comprising Zn and Al or Ga. Cu could be incorporated in the cationic layers of LDH as divalent metal cations and/or interlayer anions as Cu(OH)42−. The formation rates of methanol and CO were optimized for [Zn1.5Cu1.5Ga(OH)8]+2Cu(OH)42−·mH2O at a total rate of 560 nmol h−1 gcat−1 irradiated by UV–visible light. Cu phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate hydrate (CuPcTs4−) and silver were effective as promoters of LDH for CO2 photoreduction. Especially, the total formation rate using CuPcTs-[Zn3Ga(OH)8]+2CO32−·mH2O irradiated by visible light was 73% of that irradiated by UV–visible light. The promotion was based on HOMO–LUMO excitation of CuPcTs4− by visible light. The LUMO was distributed on N atoms of pyrrole rings bound to central Cu2+ ions. The photogenerated electrons diffused to the Cu site would photoreduce CO2 progressively in a similar way to inlayer and interlayer Cu sites in the LDH in this study.
With its minimal invasiveness, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered one of the most elegant modalities in cancer treatment. In this study, a facile hybrid nanoparticle was developed, composed of upconversion nanoparticles and chlorin e6-bearing pullulan, which can serve as a photosensitizer activated by a near-infrared red laser. Cell death induction in cancer cells was achieved through energy transfer from the near-infrared red laser emitted by the upconversion nanoparticles to chlorin e6. The therapeutic efficacy of our hybrid system surpassed that of the clinically available photosensitizer, Photofrin, and hybrid liposomes comprising upconversion nanoparticles and chlorin e6 were employed as control. Accumulation of our system in tumor tissue in tumor xenograft mice was primarily achieved through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. The administered hybrids were excreted from each organ within 21 days after administration, minimizing the risk of undesirable side effects. Notably, our system exhibited 400 times higher PDT activity in tumor-bearing mice compared to the control groups. It also effectively inhibited metastasis.
Polypeptides were used to solubilize functional hydrophobic molecules via a high-speed vibrational milling method. Poly-l-lysine and poly-γ-glutamic acid, which are polypeptides, were able to prepare more highly concentrated water-dispersible complexes of hydrophobic compounds, including fullerenes, organic dyes, and porphyrin derivatives, than conventional water solubilizers, such as cyclodextrins and pullulan. In addition, the polypeptide systems endowed the complexes with long-term stability and resistance against thermal stress, which is advantageous for industrial applications. Furthermore, complexes of polypeptides and porphyrin derivatives showed a photodynamic activity against cancer cells, and the current system improved the dispersibility and storability of guest molecules without compromising their functionality.
The development of boron agents with integrated functionality, including biocompatibility, high boron content, and cancer cell targeting, is desired to exploit the therapeutic efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Here, we report the therapeutic efficacy of BNCT using a HER-2-targeted antibody-conjugated boron nitride nanotube/β-1,3-glucan complex. The anticancer effect of BNCT using our system was 30-fold that of the clinically available boron agent l-BPA/fructose complex.
This back cover shows a novel delivery vehicle of RNA nanoparticle (named RIONmiR-143) for RAS-mutated intractable cancers. Tumor-suppressor microRNA-143 (miR-143) silences oncogenic KRAS networks, but it lacks a nucleic acid delivery vehicle for clinical application. This research creates the RIONmiR-143 by self-assembly of miR-143s and demonstrates delivery functions.
