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    Research Progress and Mechanism of cGAS-STING Pathway in Tumor Immunotherapy
    WANG Shihao, SHI Wanrui, LIU Yi, ZHANG Hao
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (1): 20240241-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240241
    Abstract1005)   HTML10)    PDF(pc) (9509KB)(268)       Save

    The cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate(GMP-AMP) synthase(cGAS protein)- stimulator of interferon genes(STING protein)(cGAS-STING) signaling pathway is a crucial pathway for recognizing abnormal DNA in the cytoplasm and activating the innate immune response system. After recognizing abnormal DNA in the cytoplasm, cGAS protein can catalyze the synthesis of cyclic guanosine diphosphate adenosine(cyclic GMP-AMP, cGAMP) from adenosine triphosphate(ATP) and guanosine triphosphate(GTP). cGAMP, as a second messenger, activates the stimulator of interferon gene(STING protein), promoting the release of type I interferons and thus initiating a series of immune responses. The cGAS-STING pathway can regulate tumor metastasis and growth, participate in anti-tumor innate immune responses, and exploring the mechanism of action of the cGAS-STING pathway is of great significance in tumor immunotherapy. This review introduces the mechanism of action of the cGAS-STING pathway and summarizes various strategies currently used to activate the cGAS-STING pathway in anti-tumor immunotherapy.

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    Untargeted Lipidomics Reveals Lipid Metabolism Dysfunction During Macrophage Foaming
    WANG Zengyu, LIU Baohong, QIAO Liang, LIN Ling
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (11): 20240053-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240053
    Abstract793)   HTML26)    PDF(pc) (6346KB)(158)       Save

    Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial chronic complex disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids, inflammatory responses, and ultimately fibrous plaque formation within arterial walls. Plaque formation begins with the abnormal accumulation of lipids engulfed by macrophages within arterial walls, forming so-called foam cells. Despite the pivotal role of foam cell formation in the pathophysiological remodeling process of blood vessels, in-depth research into lipid metabolism disturbances during macrophage foam cell formation is still relatively lacking. In this study, we constructed and optimized a lipidomics analysis workflow, applying it to analyzing metabolic reprogramming during macrophage foam cell formation. A total of 645 lipid molecules belonging to 16 lipid subclasses were identified. Principal component analysis, time-series pattern analysis, and volcano plot analysis revealed significant differences in lipid levels at different stages of foam cell formation. As incubation time with oxidized low-density lipoprotein increased, the degree of lipid metabolism dysfunction in foam cells increased. Triglycerides, hemolytic phospholipids, and ether phospholipids were upregulated, while phosphatidylserine was downregulated. The significant accumulation of triglycerides enhanced the inflammatory response of macrophages, promoting foam cell formation by further engulfing oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Meanwhile, the synthesis of phosphatidylserine and hemolytic phosphatidylcholine increased significantly in the late stages of foam cell formation, indicating a positive correlation between foam cell formation and cell apoptosis. These lipid molecules may serve as signaling molecules to attract macrophages for the clearance of apoptotic cells. This study not only reveals the significant upregulation of inflammatory responses during foam cell formation but also elucidates the close connection between lipid metabolism disturbances and cell apoptosis signaling.

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    Research Progress in Exosome Isolation and Proteomics Analysis
    JIN Ying, ZHANG Junjie, ZHANG Yixin, YUAN Yue, HAN Zhenzhen
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (11): 20240305-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240305
    Abstract679)   HTML32)    PDF(pc) (10724KB)(185)       Save

    Exosomes are extracellular vesicles released via the fusion of multivesicular bodies with the cell plasma membrane, containing proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, etc. They transport cargo in the form of extracellular vesicles and participate in various cancer processes such as invasion and metastasis. As emerging targets for liquid biopsy, exosomes play crucial roles in cell communication, signal transduction, and immune response. Mass spectrometry has become an indispensable part of the field of proteomics research, and the proteomic analysis of exosomes is a promising method for discovering potential cancer biomarkers. Recent advances in high‐resolution separations, high‐performance mass spectrometry and comprehensive proteome databases have all contributed to the successful analysis of exosomes from patient samples. Here, this article reviews the isolation methods of exosomes, proteomics analysis techniques, and the application research of proteomics analysis based on exosomes in clinical disease diagnosis. Finally, the challenges faced by exosome isolation and proteomics, as well as the prospects for their clinical applications, are discussed and outlooked.

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    Internal Standard Method-based Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Quantitative Analysis
    BI Yingna, LIU Dingbin
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (2): 20240457-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240457
    Abstract638)   HTML33)    PDF(pc) (13761KB)(506)       Save

    Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS) is a spectral detection method that has been widely used in the fields of disease diagnosis, drug screening, and biological analysis, etc. It can not only provide rich chemical fingerprint information but also has the advantages of high sensitivity, resistance to photobleaching, and photodegradation. However, due to the poor uniformity of its enhancement matrix structure and the uncertainty of the number of chemical molecules adsorbed, the reproducibility of SERS detection results is poor, which makes it face many challenges in quantitative analysis. The deployment of internal standards could eliminate the external interference factors, thus achieving accurate quantitative analysis. We set out this review with a description of the mechanism of internal-standard methods, followed by introducing their main types. Thereafter, we introduced explanations of the applications of internal-standard probes in environmental analysis, food and drug analysis, and biological analysis. We conclude with an outlook of challenges and future development directions of internal-standard SERS.

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    Research Progress on Catalytic Oxidative Coupling Reaction of Aniline with Green Oxidants
    BAN Zhiyong, YANG Caoyu, FENG Qing, YIN Guojun, LI Guodong
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (8): 20240177-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240177
    Abstract618)   HTML33)    PDF(pc) (12678KB)(304)       Save

    Azobenzene and azoxybenzene compounds have exhibited broad application prospects in the fields of pigments, optical materials, fluorescent probes, and optoelectronic devices. Now many catalysts and oxidants have been developed for the oxidation coupling reaction of aniline to produce azobenzene and azoxybenzene compounds, and among them, developing the green, eco-friendly oxidation systems is still a hot but challenging issue in the current researches. Based on the above, this review summarizes the recent progress in catalyzing the selective oxidation of aniline to generate azobenzene and azoxybenzene compounds with the use of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen as oxidants, and meanwhile, discusses the possible mechanisms of aniline oxidation, mainly including nitrosobenzene intermediate mechanism and radical coupling mechanism. Finally, the potential problems and challenges in the synthesis of catalysts and the catalytic mechanisms have been summarized, and further researches have been prospected. This review will provide an important reference for the development of related fields.

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    Development and Applications of Ligation-Desulfurization Strategy in Protein Chemical Synthesis
    XU Ling, YIN Panpan, LU Xianfu, LI Yiming
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (8): 20240196-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240196
    Abstract609)   HTML22)    PDF(pc) (5631KB)(235)       Save

    Protein chemical synthesis plays a crucial role in preparing protein with specific sequences and structures. Traditional solid-phase peptide synthesis encounters limitations due to the efficiency of stepwise amino acid coupling and deprotection reactions, posing challenges for synthesizing longer proteins in a single synthesis. Native chemical ligation and peptide hydrazide ligation have significantly facilitated protein synthesis by efficiently connecting unprotected peptide fragments. However, these ligation strategies rely on the relatively low abundance of cysteine in proteins, rendering them unsuitable for synthesizing proteins lacking cysteines or with inappropriate cysteine positions for ligation. The development of protein ligation-desulfurization has surmounted this hurdle by extending ligation sites to alanine and introducing thioamino acids. This innovation liberates protein synthesis from strict ligation site requirements. Moreover, advancements like VA044-based radical desulfurization and emerging desulfurization technologies such as photochemical desulfurization, P-B desulfurization, and iron-catalyzed desulfurization provide diverse options for protein chemical synthesis and expand its application scope. Overall, the chemical methods of protein ligation-desulfurization have undergone continuous evolution and innovation. This not only enriches synthetic methodology but also empowers in-depth investigations in protein engineering and chemical biology. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development of ligation-desulfurization chemistry approaches in protein chemical synthesis in a timeline format. From the early native chemical ligation and peptide hydrazide ligation based on cysteine sites, to the breakthrough development of ligation-desulfurization strategies, to the exploration of thioamino acids and diversified desulfurization strategies, these techniques have not only enriched the strategies for peptide synthesis, but also demonstrated their broad application and development potential in protein synthesis. We expect that this review will provide insightful and valuable information for researchers in the field of protein chemical synthesis and stimulate further exploration and innovation in this field.

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    Research Progress in Supramolecular Drug Delivery Nanosystems Based on Polyphenols
    YAN Ziliang, LI Bei, DAI Yunlu
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (1): 20240260-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240260
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    Supramolecular drug delivery nanoplatforms have attracted much attention due to their diverse functions, controllable drug-releasing property, and unsophisticated techniques for preparation. Polyphenols with phenolic hydroxyl structure have been reported to easily have non-covalent interactions with different drugs, next self- assembling to be supramolecular nanosystems and successfully delivering drugs through desirable administrations. Moreover, polyphenols per se are generally active in defensing tumor, bacteria, oxidative species, inflammation, and protecting cardiac function, which can broaden the biomedical application scope of polyphenol-based delivery systems. In this review, we comprehensively depict the supramolecular interactions involved in the polyphenol-based supramolecular drug delivery systems, and detailedly explain how the interaction force highly affects the drug loading(e.g., hydrophobic drugs, proteins, and DNA, etc.). Finally, the controversial issues existing in current polyphenol-based supramolecular nanosystems are summarized and reviewed. This article is expected to shed a new light on the rational designs and fundamental studies of emerging polyphenol-based materials.

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    Bacterial Protein Profiling
    JIANG Yan, CHEN Yanlin, SONG Gaoyu, CHEN Yanyan, BAI Jing, ZHU Yingdi, LI Juan
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (11): 20240345-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240345
    Abstract591)   HTML16)    PDF(pc) (8276KB)(149)       Save

    Profiling the protein composition of bacteria is essential for understanding their biology, physiology and interaction with environment. Mass spectrometry has become a pivotal tool for protein analysis, facilitating the examination of expression levels, molecular masses and structural modifications. In this study, we compared the performance of three widely-used mass spectrometry methods, i.e., matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) protein fingerprinting, top-down proteomics and bottom-up proteomics, in the profiling of bacterial protein composition. It was revealed that bottom-up proteomics provided the highest protein coverage and exhibited the greatest protein profile overlap between bacterial species. In contrast, MALDI protein fingerprinting demonstrated superior detection reproducibility and effectiveness in distinguishing between bacterial species. Although top-down proteomics identified fewer proteins than bottom-up approach, it complemented MALDI fingerprinting in the discovery of bacterial protein markers, both favoring abundant, stable, and hydrophilic bacterial ribosomal proteins. This study represents the most systematic and comprehensive comparison of mass spectrometry-based protein profiling methodologies to date. It provides valuable guidelines for the selection of appropriate profiling strategies for specific analytical purposes. This will facilitate studies across various fields, including infection diagnosis, antimicrobial resistance detection and pharmaceutical target discovery.

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    Research Progress in Nanomaterial-induced Cuproptosis in Tumor Cells
    HE Kuo, DING Binbin, MA Ping’an, LIN Jun
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (1): 20230525-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20230525
    Abstract589)   HTML18)    PDF(pc) (33885KB)(164)       Save

    Nanomaterials are considered as promising cancer treatment materials by selectively inducing programmed cell death(PCD) of tumor cells. Cuproptosis is a newly discovered PCD pattern caused by intracellular copper ion overload, characterized by the aggregation of acylated mitochondrial enzymes and the loss of Fe-S proteins. Various nanomaterials have been developed to induce cuproptosis in tumor cells as a treatment for cancer. Numerous studies have demonstrated that cuproptosis achieves better anti-tumor effects when combined with other tumor therapeutic modalities, showing a great potential. This paper introduces the mechanisms and characteristics of cellular cuproptosis, outlines the strategies and mechanisms of nanomaterial-induced cuproptosis in tumor cells, focuses on classifying and outlining the recent research progress of nanomaterial-induced cuproptosis combination therapy, and looks forward to the future prospects of this emerging therapeutic modality.

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    Research Progress on Luminescence Performance of Double Perovskite Quantum Dots Regulated by Ion Doping
    ZHANG Liyuan, WANG Chasina, HU Jingxiang, ZHAN Chuanlang
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (9): 20240126-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240126
    Abstract571)   HTML38)    PDF(pc) (9391KB)(255)       Save

    Lead based halide perovskite luminescent materials have attracted much attention due to their excellent properties such as flexible crystal structure, tunable bandgap, defect tolerance, and high fluorescence quantum yield. However, the toxicity of lead metal and the stability of perovskite have always been issues that hinder its commercial application and urgently need to be addressed. Therefore, exploring greener and more environmentally friendly non lead metal halide perovskite luminescent materials is becoming an increasing research topic. In recent years, non lead double perovskite structures, in which lead ions are replaced with monovalent and trivalent metal ions, have successfully achieved low toxicity and high stability, but their photoluminescence efficiencies are extremely low due to the indirect bandgap or parity-prohibited direct bandgap. To address this issue, scientists have explored ion doping strategies and successfully achieved a significant improvement in photoluminescence efficiency. In this article, the crystal structure and luminescent properties of non lead double perovskite materials are summarized. Second, the effects of doping with main group metals, rare earth metals, and transition metals on the luminescence performance and luminescent mechanism are summarized. Finally, the application of ion doping strategies and improving the performance of non lead perovskite luminescent materials are summarized and discussed.

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    Recent Advances in Carbon Dots with Near-infrared Absorption/Emission
    LIU Yupeng, YANG Junxiang, HAO Yiming, QU Songnan
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (6): 20240070-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240070
    Abstract555)   HTML11)    PDF(pc) (30102KB)(173)       Save

    Carbon dots(CDs) are an emerging class of zero-dimensional carbon nano-optical materials that are as promising candidates for various applications. Compared with visible light, near-infrared light has deeper tissue penetration and lower scattering, giving it obvious advantages in fields such as biological imaging. Through the exploration of scientific researchers, the optical band gap of CDs has been continuously regulated and red-shifted from the initial blue-violet light to longer wavelengths. In recent years, CDs with near-infrared absorption/emission have been gradually reported. Based on a series of works by our research group on the near-infrared carbon dots, this review summarizes and reviews the latest progress in preparation strategies and applications of near-infrared carbon dots, and prospectively outlines the future development directions.

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    Single Cell Proteomic Analysis by Mass Spectrometry
    FAN Zhirui, FANG Qun, YANG Yi
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (11): 20240294-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240294
    Abstract554)   HTML22)    PDF(pc) (13733KB)(106)       Save

    Single-cell proteomics allows revealing precisely the differences of proteins between individual cells, which has become a research hotspot showing indispensable application value in many important fields. Its difficulties lie in the fact that the proteins in a single cell are of extremely low abundance, which calls for ingenious solutions to the problems of sample loss during preparation, low sensitivity of chromatography-mass spectrometry detection, and insufficient analysis of spectral data with low signal intensities. This review summarizes the current research progress of mass spectrometry-based single-cell proteomic analysis, including single-cell sorting, sample preparation, chromatography-mass spectrometry acquisition, and data analysis, as well as its applications in biomedical fields. Its potential future development is also discussed.

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    Synthesis of COF-LZU1 in Acetate Buffer and Immobilized Enzyme Study
    LIU Meng, XU Yi, YANG Fan, ZHOU Quan, REN Jing, REN Ruipeng, LYU Yongkang
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (2): 20240368-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240368
    Abstract548)   HTML15)    PDF(pc) (2218KB)(116)       Save

    COF-LZU1 was synthesized in acetate buffer at room temperature and used to immobilize laccase and horseradish peroxidase. Firstly, by optimizing the reaction conditions such as reaction concentration, reaction time, pH value of the acetate buffer, reaction temperature, washing solvent and drying method. In acetate buffer, COF-LZU1 was synthesized with high crystallinity at pH=4.5 with stirring at room temperature for 30 min, which has high specific surface area up to 501 m2/g, and higher thermal stability(480 ℃). Then, under the aforementioned optimal reaction conditions, laccase and horseradish peroxidase were immobilized by in situ embedding with COF-LZU1 as a carrier, and their properties were investigated, which showed that the enzyme activities after immobilization were as high as 84.26% and 73.66%(with respect to the free enzyme activity), and the relative activities were still maintained at about 80% after cycling for 10 times of use. Through multiple binding sites, COF-LZU1 effectively stabilized the active conformation of the enzyme, which made it less prone to structural deformation and improved the thermal stability, pH stability and reusability of the enzyme, etc. Acetate buffer is a commonly used buffer in biochemical experiments, which was used as both a solvent and a catalyst in the present experiments. Compared with the existing synthetic methods, the method has a better effect on the stability of biomolecules and is expected to provide a new solution for enzyme immobilization.

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    Influence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Molecular Framework on Single-molecule Conductance
    WANG Mingzhen, WANG Zhiye, LI Mengxiao, LU Yuhua, WANG Xu, LI Yunchuan
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (2): 20240429-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240429
    Abstract542)   HTML15)    PDF(pc) (4103KB)(408)       Save

    The charge transport process within molecular junctions is influenced by many factors, including the molecular backbones and anchoring groups. In this paper, to investigate the impact of the molecular backbone on the charge transport properties of molecular junctions, we designed and synthesized three kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) with different fused-ring core(benzene, naphthalene and anthracene) as molecular skeleton and thiophene as anchor group. Scanning tunneling microscope break junction(STM-BJ) measurement and density functional theory(DFT) -based calculations were performed to investigate the charge transport process of single PAHs junctions. The STM experimental results of three molecules exhibit two distinct conductivity states, designated as high conductance states(GH) and low conductance states(GL), which correspond to the two binding configurations of Au-π and Au-S within single molecular junctions for three molecules. In the case of the GL state, the increase of fused-ring core effectively shifts the HOMO level closer to the Au Fermi level, resulting in a conductance trend of GDT-A>GDT-N>GDT-B. In the GH state, the conductance value of three molecular junctions will not change obviously with the increase of π-conjugated area, but the increase in twist angle of PAHs results in an enhancement of steric hindrance, which reduces the probability of Au-π bonding configuration, ultimately leading to a change in the formation ratio of the two molecular configurations of Au-π and Au-S.

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    First-principles Study on the Catalysis of OER/ORR by N-doped Graphene with Defects
    HUANG Zhiyao, LI Li, XU Huaqing, YANG Yifan, WEI Yaoyao, LIU Guokui, XIA Qiying
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (2): 20240430-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240430
    Abstract540)   HTML15)    PDF(pc) (2927KB)(456)       Save

    Non-metallic doped graphene-based catalysts have good application prospects in catalyzing oxygen evolution reaction(OER) and oxygen reduction reaction(ORR). Based on the common double vacancy defects of graphene, non-metallic N-doped catalytic material was constructed and all possible active sites were studied. Through DFT calculation, we find that none of the 13 carbon active sites can effectively adsorb H2O, while O2 can be effectively adsorbed. The calculation results show that the optimal catalytic site for ORR is C12, with the overpotential of 0.71 V for catalyzing ORR, followed by the C10 site adjacent to pyridine N and C3 site, with the overpotentials of 0.75 V and 0.78 V, respectively. This study demonstrates that non-metallic N-doped defective graphene materials can be applied to catalyze ORR, providing theoretical support and guidance for non-metallic catalysis in the OER/ORR reactions.

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    Preparation of Broad-spectrum UV Protection Carbon Dots for the Application of Sunscreen Absorber
    CHEN Qidan, CHEN Guanji, YOU Shanmei, ZANG Xinyao, YANG Bai
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (6): 20240313-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240313
    Abstract536)   HTML8)    PDF(pc) (6000KB)(154)       Save

    Sunscreen absorber, the basic ultraviolet(UV) protection additives that absorb UV rays, is the active ingredient in sunscreen products. However, traditional sunscreen absorbers are known as organic and inorganic chemicals which have problems such as unknown toxicity for human health and environment, instability, poor water solubility, and a narrow range of UV absorption, the study of eco-friendly broad-spectrum sunscreen absorber materials is important for the application of sunscreen products. In recent years, carbon dots have shown good properties in the application of UV absorbers due to their chemistry stability, eco-friendly, excellent UV absorption efficiency. In this study, two kinds of carbon dots(named O-CDs and A-CDs, respectively) were prepared from dopamine hydrochloride and o-phenylenediamine, citric acid and urea independently by simple one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method, purified by column chromatography and then characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that a broad-spectrum UV protection material named as B-CDs was developed by mixing O-CDs and A-CDs with the optimized mass ratio of 1∶1.5. In addition, the B-CDs were added as a broad-spectrum UV absorber to polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) solution to prepare the UV protection calligraphy ink, and the sunscreen effect stability of the ink was tested in a certain period(120 h). The results indicated that the broad-spectrum carbon dots UV absorber is high- efficiency and stable, and carbon dots have the potential to be used as ideal photostable broad-spectrum UV absorber additives for sunscreen products.

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    Advances and Challenges of Exosome Metabolomics in Body Fluids
    CAO Yiqing, HOU Jingxin, LIU Jianye, LI Yan
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (11): 20240324-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240324
    Abstract535)   HTML652)    PDF(pc) (752KB)(344)       Save

    Exosomes, ubiquitously present in body fluids, serve as non-invasive biomarkers for disease diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. As intercellular messengers, exosomes encapsulate a rich array of proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites, although most studies have primarily focused on proteins and RNA. Recently, exosome metabolomics has demonstrated clinical value and potential advantages in disease detection and pathophysiology, despite significant challenges, particularly in exosome isolation and metabolite detection. This review discusses the significant technical challenges in exosome isolation and metabolite detection, highlighting the advancements in these areas that support the clinical application of exosome metabolomics, and illustrates the potential of exosomal metabolites from various body fluids as biomarkers for early disease diagnosis and treatment.

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    Ultrasound-aided Cellular Uptake and Endosomal Escape of Nanoparticles via the Membrane Surface Redox Reaction
    LI Yao, ZHAI Wanying, WANG Zheng, Petrov Alexey M., ZHANG Baoxin, ZHAO Yanjun
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (1): 20240265-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240265
    Abstract533)   HTML4)    PDF(pc) (5993KB)(95)       Save

    Cellular uptake and endosomal escape are two critical biological barriers to nanoscale drug delivery. The exofacial thiols at cell surface have been previously reported to simultaneously overcome these two barriers via the thiol-disulfide/diselenide exchange reaction. However, the power of such approach for nanomedicine delivery enhancement was limited. To address the above issue, we employed the mechanical force(ultrasound) that could significantly enhance the kinetics of thiol-disulfide/diselenide exchange reactions, and then the delivery efficiency. The discovery in the current work opens new avenues of tailored nanomedicine design to circumvent the delivery hurdles.

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    Beta@ZIF-67 Composite for Catalytic Degradation of Polylactic Acid Plastics
    WANG Chenzhu, GAO Mingkun, GAO Yanjing, QI Sixian, YU Jihong
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2024, 45 (9): 20240221-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240221
    Abstract521)   HTML44)    PDF(pc) (7297KB)(218)       Save

    Biodegradable plastics, such as polylactic acid(PLA), are preferable to traditional petroleum-based plastics. However, the natural degradation of PLA takes a long time and releases CO2. Therefore, upcycling PLA is a better option for achieving sustainable development. In this study, a Beta@ZIF-67 composite was developed for efficient catalytic degradation of waste PLA plastics, which was achieved by growing the zeolitic imidazolate framework-67(ZIF-67) on the surface of Beta zeolite. As a result, the real-life PLA plastics were completely converted to methyl lactate in just 4 h at 180 ℃ with a yield up to 76.4%. The high catalytic efficiency was attributed to the composite's open pore structure, large specific surface area, and the synergistic effect of the active sites provided by ZIF-67(Lewis acid/base) and Beta zeolite(Brønsted acid). Overall, this study provides a new way for designing and synthesizing zeolite-based composite catalysts, which show promising applications in the catalytic degradation of plastics.

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    Research Progress on Eutectic Gallium-indium and Self-assembled Monolayer-based Functional Molecular Junctions
    CHEN Xiaoping, HUANG Shi, GUO Qianqian, LIU Ning, NI Jiancong, YANG Weiqiang, LIN Zhenyu
    Chem. J. Chinese Universities    2025, 46 (2): 20240451-.   DOI: 10.7503/cjcu20240451
    Abstract519)   HTML15)    PDF(pc) (14619KB)(439)       Save

    Functional molecular electronics based on eutectic galliumindium as top electrode and self-assembled monolayer(SAM) as active layer is one of the research hotspots in recent years. Domestically, the study on EGaIn-based functional molecular junctions(MJ) is still in the beginning state. This review introduces the advantages of EGaIn as top electrode and the fabrication of SAM-MJ in detail, and shows recent workers on rectifiers, memory, opto-electrical switches, thermoelectrics, and solid-state impedance and so on. We analyze the challenges of EGaIn-based molecular junctions and propose the future development directions.

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