A Freezing‐Induced Turn‐On Imaging Modality for Real‐Time Monitoring of Cancer Cells in Cryosurgery

Abstract

Cryosurgery has attracted much attention for the treatment of tumors owing to its clear advantages. However, determining the volume of frozen tissues in real‐time remains a challenge, which greatly lowers the therapeutic efficacy of cryosurgery and hinders its broad application for the treatment of cancers. Herein, we report a freezing‐induced turn‐on strategy for the selective real‐time imaging of frozen cancer cells. As a type of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) fluorogen, TABD‐Py molecules interact specifically with ice crystals and form aggregates at the ice/water interface. Consequently, bright fluorescent emission appears upon freezing. TABD‐Py molecules are enriched mostly in the cancer cells and exhibit high biocompatibility as well as low cytotoxicity; therefore, a freezing‐induced turn‐on imaging modality for cryosurgery is developed, which will certainly maximize the therapeutic efficacy of cryosurgery in treating tumors.

In‐Situ Oxygen‐Evolving Photoactive Nanococktail: The Future of Hypoxic Tumour Photodynamic Therapy

“…Tumour hypoxia is linked to tumour progression and is an important marker of tumour malignancy as it leads to resistance to common therapeutic approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) . In recent years, a few therapeutic modalities based on 1) reducing the oxygen consumption rates of tumours, 2) O 2 ‐evolving synergistic chemoradiotherapy, 3) artificial blood to transport oxygen to the hypoxic core and 4) combining oxygen‐enriched gases with vasodilators have emerged to overcome this resistance . However, the clinical application of these treatments is very much restricted by low drug delivery to the hypoxic core and limited oxygen‐loading capacity .…”

Sparks fly when AIE meets with polymers

“…Structural rigidification of AIEgens by external factors, such as high viscosity or supramolecular interactions, can trigger strong fluorescent emission. 27,28 Thus, AIE technology embodies a sharp fluorescence ''turn-on'' transition, showing enhanced detection sensitivity and decreased background interference. [29][30][31][32][33][34] In addition, the intrinsic properties of polymers remain unaffected in the presence of a low dye loading, but make them highly fluorescent for visualizations.…”

Aggregation-induced emission: right there shining

“…For example, AIEgens are assumed to be the best candidates to visualize interface structures and monitor the interfacial dynamic processes because the restriction and liberation of intramolecular motion usually occur at the interface. Some recent publications have shown the potential of this research area [23][24][25][26]. According to the restriction of intramolecular motion mechanism of AIE activities, various external stimuli can easily interfere with the sensing of dynamic processes.…”