Specific response to the concurrent presence of two different inputs is one of the hallmarks of incorporating specificities in nature. Artificial nanoassemblies that concurrently respond to two very different inputs are of great interest in a variety of applications, especially in biomedicine. Here, we present a design strategy for amphiphilic nanoassemblies with such capabilities, enabled by photocaging a ligand moiety that is capable of binding to a specific protein. New molecular designs that offer nanoassemblies that respond to either of two inputs or only to the concurrent presence of two inputs are outlined. Such biomimetic nanoassemblies could find use in many applications, including drug delivery and diagnostics.
We report a new molecular design strategy that allows for the propagation of surface enzymatic events inside a supramolecular assembly for accelerated molecular release. The approach addresses a key shortcoming encountered with many of the currently available enzyme-induced disassembly strategies, which rely on the unimer-aggregate equilibria of amphiphilic assemblies. The enzymatic response of the host to predictably tune the kinetics of guest-molecule release can be programmed by controlling substrate accessibility through electrostatic complexation with a complementary polymer. Accelerated guest release in response to the enzyme is shown to be accomplished by a cooperative mechanism of enzyme-triggered supramolecular host disassembly and host reorganization.
Alnustone-like compounds are promising inhibitors for estrogen receptor α (ER-α) , which is a novel cancer therapeutic target. Therefore, 10 alnustone-like compounds with substituents at the phenyl rings were synthesized by condensation of 4-phenyl-2-butanones and cinnamaldehydes via in situ enamination. The compounds displayed either protective activity or inhibited cell growth and proliferation of human breast cancer cells. Molecular docking studies indicated that the synthesized compounds interact with ER-α efficiently. In this work, the protective and inhibitive roles of the synthesized compounds were related to their functional groups and to their binding mode of action on ER-α protein. The compounds are potential drug candidates as ER-α antagonists.
Enzyme-induced chain unzipping is shown to cause nanoparticle disassembly. The self-assembly and triggered disassembly are evaluated in two different formats.
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