Fluorescent light-up probes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have been focused on recently. In this report, a new fluorescent probe, namely, DEVD-TPE, which consisted of the substrate peptide Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD) and the AIE reporter group tetraphenylethene (TPE), was developed for detecting caspase-3 in living cells. In a slightly alkaline solution, the DEVD-TPE probe displayed almost no fluorescence owing to the dynamic rotation of the phenyl rings in solution. However, DEVD-TPE exhibited significant fluorescence when it was cleaved by caspase-3, as well as when the reporter group TPE underwent aggregation. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor gefitinib was used for determining the screening efficacy of the probe for different non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines, namely, HCC827, A549 and H1650 cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays indicated that the three cell lines had different sensitivities to gefitinib. The results of analysis by living-cell fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry were consistent with those of the cell proliferation and apoptosis assays. This demonstrated that our probe could detect caspase-3 in living cells, which confirmed the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, our probe indicated that gefitinib was more efficient against HCC827 cells than against the other two NSCLC cell lines. This report proves that the fluorescent probe DEVD-TPE is highly sensitive to caspase-3 and has potential prospects in the rapid screening of NSCLC.

A novel type of backbone redox-responsive hyperbranched poly(2-((2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl)disulfanyl)ethyl 4-cyano-4-(((propylthio)carbonothioyl)-thio)-pentanoate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (HPAEG) has been designed and prepared successfully via the combination of reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP). Owing to the existence of surface vinyl groups, HPAEG could be efficiently functionalized by DNA aptamer AS1411 via Michael addition reaction to obtain an active tumor targeting drug delivery carrier (HPAEG-AS1411). The amphiphilic HPAEG-AS1411 could form nanoparticles by macromolecular self-assembly strategy. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay illustrated that HPAEG-AS1411 nanoparticles had low cytotoxicity to normal cell line. Flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results demonstrated that HPAEG-AS1411 nanoparticles could be internalized into tumor cells via aptamer-mediated endocytosis. Compared with pure HPAEG nanoparticles, HPAEG-AS1411 nanoparticles displayed enhanced tumor cell uptake. When the HPAEG-AS1411 nanoparticles loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) were internalized into tumor cells, the disulfide bonds in the backbone of HPAEG-AS1411 were cleaved by glutathione (GSH) in the cytoplasm, so that DOX was released rapidly. Therefore, DOX-loaded HPAEG-AS1411 nanoparticles exhibited a high tumor cellular proliferation inhibition rate and low cytotoxicity to normal cells. This aptamer-functionalized and backbone redox-responsive hyperbranched polymer provides a promising platform for targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy.

As a novel class of three-dimensional (3D) hydrophilic cross-linked polymers, supramolecular hydrogels not only display unique physicochemical properties (e.g., water-retention ability, drug loading capacity, biodegradability and biocompatibility, biostability) as well as specific functionalities (e.g., optoelectronic properties, bioactivity, self-healing ability, shape memory ability), but also have the capability to undergo reversible gel–sol transition in response to various environmental stimuli inherent to the noncovalent cross-linkages, thereby showing great potential as promising biomaterial scaffolds for diagnosis and therapy. In this Review, we summarized the recent progress in the design and synthesis of supramolecular hydrogels through specific, directional noncovalent interactions, with particular emphasis on the structure–property relationship, as well as their wide-ranging applications in disease diagnosis and therapy including bioimaging, biodetection, therapeutic delivery, and tissue engineering. We believe that these current achievements in supramolecular hydrogels will greatly stimulate new ideas and inspire persistent efforts in this hot topic area in future.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore based copolymers with temperature-induced emission enhancement properties were successfully prepared and applied for biodetection. First, diblock copolymers (PEG-b-PNIPAM-c) with different poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) chain lengths were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) employing a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macroinitiator and then modified with a GFP chromophore at one chain end through a click reaction. Owing to the different PNIPAM chain lengths, the block copolymers exhibited thermoresponsive phase transitions with adjustable lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Above the LCST, the fluorescence intensity of PEG-b-PNIPAM-c was enhanced dramatically, which could be attributed to the chromophore's conformational restriction by the collapse of PNIPAM blocks. Moreover, the emission intensity of PEG-b-PNIPAM-c increased with the PNIPAM chain length. Correspondingly, the temperature-dependent fluorescence enhancement properties of PEG-b-PNIPAM-c were successfully applied in the highly sensitive detection of Bacillus thermophilus with a 102 cfu per mL detection limit.

A novel class of redox-responsive cationic supramolecular polymer with effective DNA condensation ability and H2O2-induced DNA release behavior has been successfully constructed from small molecules. This supramolecular polymer can be used in vitro as a promising nonviral vector for gene therapy.

As a novel class of three-dimensional (3D) hydrophilic cross-linked polymers, supramolecular hydrogels not only display unique physicochemical properties (e.g., water-retention ability, drug loading capacity, biodegradability and biocompatibility, biostability) as well as specific functionalities (e.g., optoelectronic properties, bioactivity, self-healing ability, shape memory ability), but also have the capability to undergo reversible gel–sol transition in response to various environmental stimuli inherent to the noncovalent cross-linkages, thereby showing great potential as promising biomaterial scaffolds for diagnosis and therapy. In this Review, we summarized the recent progress in the design and synthesis of supramolecular hydrogels through specific, directional noncovalent interactions, with particular emphasis on the structure–property relationship, as well as their wide-ranging applications in disease diagnosis and therapy including bioimaging, biodetection, therapeutic delivery, and tissue engineering. We believe that these current achievements in supramolecular hydrogels will greatly stimulate new ideas and inspire persistent efforts in this hot topic area in future.

A novel class of redox-responsive cationic supramolecular polymer with effective DNA condensation ability and H2O2-induced DNA release behavior has been successfully constructed from small molecules. This supramolecular polymer can be used in vitro as a promising nonviral vector for gene therapy.

Fluorescent light-up probes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have been focused on recently. In this report, a new fluorescent probe, namely, DEVD-TPE, which consisted of the substrate peptide Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD) and the AIE reporter group tetraphenylethene (TPE), was developed for detecting caspase-3 in living cells. In a slightly alkaline solution, the DEVD-TPE probe displayed almost no fluorescence owing to the dynamic rotation of the phenyl rings in solution. However, DEVD-TPE exhibited significant fluorescence when it was cleaved by caspase-3, as well as when the reporter group TPE underwent aggregation. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor gefitinib was used for determining the screening efficacy of the probe for different non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines, namely, HCC827, A549 and H1650 cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays indicated that the three cell lines had different sensitivities to gefitinib. The results of analysis by living-cell fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry were consistent with those of the cell proliferation and apoptosis assays. This demonstrated that our probe could detect caspase-3 in living cells, which confirmed the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, our probe indicated that gefitinib was more efficient against HCC827 cells than against the other two NSCLC cell lines. This report proves that the fluorescent probe DEVD-TPE is highly sensitive to caspase-3 and has potential prospects in the rapid screening of NSCLC.