We took advantage of gasotransmitter H2S as a chemical reaction-based trigger for controlled release of doxorubicin which is precoordinated by copper ions and enclosed in horse spleen apoferritin. The nanocomposite is stable at physiological pH and temperature before H2S activation. The drug release process avoids disassembly of protein shells and is controllable by the strong affinity of sulfide with copper ions. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay indicates the antitumor effect of doxorubicin toward tumor cells could be achievable by H2S activation.Keywords: apoferritin; cell imaging; controlled drug delivery; doxorubicin; hydrogen sulfide;

There is urgent demand of easily available and highly effective method to improve transgene performance of polymeric gene carriers at low consumption of delivery materials. We developed biocompatible multicomponent nanocomposites in which small quantities of cationic polythiophenes were engineered into the outer shell of polypeptide/DNA polyplexes without covalent linkages. We revealed the introduction of polythiophenes in small quantities led to multiple outcomes including modulation of polyplex size and zeta potential, increase in polyplex stability, promotion of endolysosome membrane disruption, light-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and significant enhancement of gene delivery to tumor cells. The factors such as structural architectures, molecular weights, photosensitizing capability, and percentage composition of polythiophenes were investigated.Keywords: conjugated polyelectrolyte; endosomal escape; gene delivery; photochemical internalization; polythiophene;

In this report, noncovalent encapsulation of hydrophobic ruthenium(II) polyridyl complexes, Ru(bpy)2dppz2+ and Ru(phen)2dppz2+, into apoferritin cavity was achieved with high loading contents by effective prevention of Ru complex-induced protein aggregation, without disruption of protein native architecture. The Ru-loaded luminescent nanocomposites have demonstrated improved water solubility, easy manipulation, reduced cytotoxicity, and enhanced cellular uptake as compared to the nontreated Ru complexes.Keywords: cell imaging; drug delivery; encapsulation; luminescence; protein nanocage

In this report, two biodegradable star-shaped polyasparamide derivatives and four analogues modified with either mannose or folic acid moiety for preferential targeting of a difficult-to-transfect immune cell type, i.e., macrophage, have been synthesized. Each of the prepared star polymers complexes with plasmid DNA to form nanosized particles featuring a core–shell-like morphology. Mannose or folate functionalized star polymers can greatly improve the transfection performance on a macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. As a result, a combination of targeting ligand modification and topological structures of gene carriers is a promising strategy for immune cells-based gene therapy.Keywords: core−shell; macrophage; ring opening polymerization; star polymer; targeted gene delivery

An efficient P(V)-N activation strategy for the preparation of high-quality 5-hydroxymethyl-, 5-formyl-, and 5-carboxyl-2′-deoxycytidine triphosphates has been developed. The method was also optimized for gram-scale synthesis of the corresponding parent nucleosides from 2′-deoxythymidine.