Core-Shell Structure in Doped Inorganic Nanoparticles: Approaches for Optimizing Luminescence Properties

Doped inorganic luminescent nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in both research and application fields due to their distinctive properties. However, there is an urgent demand to improve their luminescence efficiency, which is greatly reduced by surface effects. In this paper, we review recent advances in optimizing luminescence properties of doped NPs based on core-shell structure, which are basically classified into two categories: one is by use of surface coating with nonmetal materials to weaken the influence of surface effect and the other is with metal shell via metal enhanced luminescence. Different materials used to coat NPs are surveyed, and their advantages and disadvantages are both commented on. Moreover, problems in current core-shell structured luminescent NPs are pointed out and strategies furthering the optimization of luminescence properties are suggested

Ferroptosis: Shedding Light on Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities in Liver Diseases

Cell death is a vital physiological or pathological phenomenon in the development process of the organism. Ferroptosis is a kind of newly-discovered regulated cell death (RCD), which is different from other RCD patterns, such as apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy at the morphological, biochemical and genetic levels. It is a kind of iron-dependent mode of death mediated by lipid peroxides and lipid reactive oxygen species aggregation. Noteworthily, the number of studies focused on ferroptosis has been increasing exponentially since ferroptosis was first found in 2012. The liver is the organ that stores the most iron in the human body. Recently, it was frequently found that there are different degrees of iron metabolism disorder and lipid peroxidation and other ferroptosis characteristics in various liver diseases. Numerous investigators have discovered that the progression of various liver diseases can be affected via the regulation of ferroptosis, which may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for clinical hepatic diseases. This review aims to summarize the mechanism and update research progress of ferroptosis, so as to provide novel promising directions for the treatment of liver diseases

Iridium-Based Dual-Functional Nanoparticles for Far-Red Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy

Phosphorescent iridium complexes ranged from far-red to NIR have attracted great attention as oxygen probes or photosensitizers recently. In this work, a far-red phosphorescent iridium complex ((DPQ)2Ir(acac)) was adopted to prepare biocompatible nanoparticles (Ir-NPs) for both phosphorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy of living cells. The iridium complex was highly sensitive to oxygen in organic solvent, but became less insensitive after being incorporated into NPs, though the particle matrix was highly permeable to oxygen. Moreover, the Ir-NPs exhibited a fast rate of singlet oxygen generation under 660 nm light irradiation. Taking advantage of these Ir-NPs, cellular imaging in the far-red range was realized; meanwhile, in vitro PDT was successfully performed. These results suggested that the Ir-NPs can function as both bio-imaging agents and nano-photosensitizers that work in the far red range