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Multicomponent supramolecular polymers offer versatile dynamic and functional properties; however, the influence of the monomer chemical structures on their structure-dynamics-function relationship remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the subtle variations in monomer interactions using one monomer and its two dopant derivatives, with functionalization away from the self-assembling core. We systematically investigated their multicomponent supramolecular polymers using a combination of spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy. Our results highlight the significant impact of the supplementary intermolecular interactions, resulting from the functional motifs located away from the core and present in small quantities, on the microstructure and dynamics. Thus, a comprehensive approach, combining spectroscopy, microscopy, and well-designed experiments, is essential for assessing multicomponent supramolecular polymers. These findings have implications for the rational design of functional multicomponent supramolecular materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fullerenes are the allotropic form of carbon consisting of a cage-like structure due to which they have attained special attention from researchers since their discovery in 1985. The unique chemical and physical properties of fullerene have attracted researchers to develop a variety of its biomedical applications. The closed cage structure of fullerenes can be used for various drug delivery applications and can also act as a medium for controlled release formulations. The development of targeted anticancer drug and drug delivery systems is one of the most challenging fields, which is widely studied and researched. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive review on the most recent advances in fullerenes as targeted anticancer drug delivery systems along with their therapeutic applications and challenges, thus serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology community., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Camptothecin is a naturally occurring alkaloid obtained from the stem wood of the Chinese tree, Camptotheca acuminata. It exerts pharmacological effects due to its ability to selectively inhibit the type-I topoisomerase DNA nuclear enzyme. Several semisynthetic analogs of camptothecin have been synthesized to date possessing antitumor activity., Objective: Camptothecin (CPT) is one of the most promising anticancer drugs but it produces various side effects because of its non-selectivity towards cancer cells. To overcome these adverse effects, we synthesized biotin conjugate of camptothecin, which was linked via a self-immolative disulfide linker (CPT-SS-Biotin)., Methods: Biotin conjugated camptothecin linked through a disulfide bond was synthesized following schemes, and the structural characterization was carried out. The stability and drug release studies were performed in the presence of glutathione (GSH) while in vitro studies were performed on 4T1 tumor cell lines. In vivo pharmacological investigation was done using an antitumor Wistar rat model., Results: The stability and drug release studies were performed in the presence of glutathione (GSH), and CPT-SSBiotin was found to be physiologically stable moiety and can only be cleaved in the presence of GSH to release free CPT. The CPT-SS-Biotin showed higher toxicity in the biotin-overexpressing 4T1 tumor cell line with a lower IC50 value (8.44 μM) compared to camptothecin alone (IC 50 > 30 μM). CPT-SS-Biotin also showed 10.6% higher cellular uptake by cells in comparison to free camptothecin. The CPT-SS-Biotin was delivered to cells by binding to the biotin receptors on the cell surface, followed by energy-dependent endocytosis and internalization to cause cellular toxicity., Conclusion: In-vivo tumor suppression studies and in vitro cell line studies along with serological parameters and histopathological studies showed that conjugate produced a high therapeutic effect and remarkably reduced toxic effects in comparison to free CPT. The results suggested that biotinylation of camptothecin via disulfide linker can be a safe and efficacious method in cancer therapeutics., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The characterization of newly synthesized materials is a cornerstone of all chemistry and nanotechnology laboratories. For this purpose, a wide array of analytical techniques have been standardized and are used routinely by laboratories across the globe. With these methods we can understand the structure, dynamics and function of novel molecular architectures and their relations with the desired performance, guiding the development of the next generation of materials. Moreover, one of the challenges in materials chemistry is the lack of reproducibility due to improper publishing of the sample preparation protocol. In this context, the recent adoption of the reporting standard MIRIBEL (Minimum Information Reporting in Bio-Nano Experimental Literature) for material characterization and details of experimental protocols aims to provide complete, reproducible and reliable sample preparation for the scientific community. Thus, MIRIBEL should be immediately adopted in publications by scientific journals to overcome this challenge. Besides current standard spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, there is a constant development of novel technologies that aim to help chemists unveil the structure of complex materials. Among them super-resolution microscopy (SRM), an optical technique that bypasses the diffraction limit of light, has facilitated the study of synthetic materials with multicolor ability and minimal invasiveness at nanometric resolution. Although still in its infancy, the potential of SRM to unveil the structure, dynamics and function of complex synthetic architectures has been highlighted in pioneering reports during the last few years. Currently, SRM is a sophisticated technique with many challenges in sample preparation, data analysis, environmental control and automation, and moreover the instrumentation is still expensive. Therefore, SRM is currently limited to expert users and is not implemented in characterization routines. This perspective discusses the potential of SRM to transition from a niche technique to a standard routine method for material characterization. We propose a roadmap for the necessary developments required for this purpose based on a collaborative effort from scientists and engineers across disciplines., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)