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Luminescent coordination polymers (CPs) based on inexpensive stable precursors are attractive materials for applications. Here we report the synthesis and evaluation of the stability and photophysical characteristics of the first examples of phosphorescent CPs based on octahedral molybdenum and tungsten cluster anions. In particular, 1D CP trans-[{Ca(OPPh3)4}{{M6Cli8}Cla6}]∞ (M = Mo, W) can be obtained either directly at increased temperature or via intermediate phases [cis-Ca(OPPh3)4(H2O)2][{M6Cli8}Cla6]·2CH3CN that are stable at room-temperature, but convert to the titled CPs at temperatures above 100 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) are actively employed in different areas of biology and medicine, especially in tissue engineering. However, the usage of unmodified PCL is significantly restricted by the hydrophobicity of its surface, due to the fact that its inert surface hinders the adhesion of cells and the cell interactions on PCL surface. In this work, the surface of PCL nanofibers is modified by Ar/CO2/C2H4 plasma depositing active COOH groups in the amount of 0.57 at % that were later used for the immobilization of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The modification of PCL nanofibers significantly enhances the viability and proliferation (by hundred times) of human mesenchymal stem cells, and decreases apoptotic cell death to a normal level. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), after immobilization of PRP, up to 10.7 at % of nitrogen was incorporated into the nanofibers surface confirming the grafting of proteins. Active proliferation and sustaining the cell viability on nanofibers with immobilized PRP led to an average number of cells of 258 ± 12.9 and 364 ± 34.5 for nanofibers with ionic and covalent bonding of PRP, respectively. Hence, our new method for the modification of PCL nanofibers with PRP opens new possibilities for its application in tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of water-soluble forms of octahedral molybdenum clusters {Mo6X8}4+ (X = Cl, Br, I) is strongly motivated by the tremendous potential that these complexes have for biological applications, namely as agents for bioimaging and photodynamic therapy. In this work, we report the first water-soluble hybrid materials, which represent sodium polystyrene sulfonate doped by molybdenum clusters, and the evaluation of their photophysical and biological properties (dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity and cellular uptake) with the use of cervical cancer (HeLa) and human epidermoid larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cell-lines as models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) doped by hexanuclear molybdenum cluster complexes [{Mo6X8}L6]n (X = Cl, Br, or I; L = various inorganic or organic ligands) have been recently suggested as materials with high potential for biomedical applications due to both their outstanding photoluminescence properties and their ability to efficiently generate singlet oxygen upon photoirradiation. However, no studies were undertaken so far to prove this concept. Therefore, here we examined the potential of photoluminescent SNPs doped by {Mo6I8}4+ for applications such as bioimaging and photodynamic therapy using the human epidermoid larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cell line as a model. Our results demonstrated both: (i) significant luminescence from cells with internalised molybdenum cluster-doped SNPs combined with the low cytotoxicity of particles in the darkness and (ii) significant cytotoxicity of the particles upon photoirradiation. Thus, this research provides strong experimental evidence for high potential of molybdenum-cluster-doped materials in biomedical applications such as optical bioimaging, biolabeling and photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific molecular recognition of γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) by the cationic hexanuclear niobium [Nb 6 Cl 12 (H 2 O) 6 ] 2+ cluster complex in aqueous solutions results in a 1:1 supramolecular assembly {[Nb 6 Cl 12 (H 2 O) 6 ]@γ-CD} 2+ . NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and ESI-MS were used to study the interaction between the inorganic cluster and the organic macrocycle. Such molecular association affects the biological activity of [Nb 6 Cl 12 (H 2 O) 6 ] 2+ , decreasing its cytotoxicity despite enhanced cellular uptake. The 1:1 stoichiometry is maintained in solution over a large window of the reagents' ratio, but crystallization by slow evaporation produces a 1:2 host-guest complex [Nb 6 Cl 12 (H 2 O) 6 @(γ-CD) 2 ]Cl 2 ⋅20 H 2 O featuring the cluster encapsulated between two molecules of γ-CD. The 1:2 complex was characterized by XRD, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Quantum chemical calculations were performed to model host-guest interaction., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Octahedral molybdenum and tungsten clusters have potential biological applications in photodynamic therapy and bioimaging. However, poor solubility and hydrolysis stability of these compounds hinder their application. The first water-soluble photoluminescent octahedral tungsten cluster [{W 6 I 8 }(DMSO) 6 ](NO 3 ) 4 was synthesised and demonstrated to be at least one order of magnitude more stable towards hydrolysis than its molybdenum analogue. Biological studies of the compound on larynx carcinoma cells suggest that it has a significant photoinduced toxicity, while the dark toxicity increases with the increase of the degree of hydrolysis. The increase of the dark toxicity is associated with the in situ generation of nanoparticles that clog up the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Octahedral rhenium cluster complexes have recently emerged as relevant building blocks for the design of singlet oxygen photosensitizing materials toward biological applications such as blue-light photodynamic therapy. However, their singlet oxygen generation ability as well as biological properties have been studied only superficially. Herein we investigate in detail the singlet oxygen photogeneration, dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity, cellular uptake kinetics, cellular localization and in vitro photoinduced oxidative stress, and photodynamic cytotoxicity of the series of octahedral rhenium cluster complexes [{Re 6 Q 8 }(CN) 6 ] 4- , where Q = S, Se, Te. Our results demonstrate that the selenium-containing complex possesses optimal properties in terms of absorption and singlet oxygen productivity. These features coupled with the cellular internalization and low dark toxicity lead to the first photoinduced cytotoxic effect observed for a molecular [{M 6 Q 8 }L 6 ] complex, making it a promising object for further study in terms of blue-light PDT.

Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) doped by hexanuclear molybdenum cluster complexes [{Mo 6 X 8 }L 6 ] n (X = Cl, Br, or I; L = various inorganic or organic ligands) have been recently suggested as materials with high potential for biomedical applications due to both their outstanding photoluminescence properties and their ability to efficiently generate singlet oxygen upon photoirradiation. However, no studies were undertaken so far to prove this concept. Therefore, here we examined the potential of photoluminescent SNPs doped by {Mo 6 I 8 } 4+ for applications such as bioimaging and photodynamic therapy using the human epidermoid larynx carcinoma (Hep-2) cell line as a model. Our results demonstrated both: (i) significant luminescence from cells with internalised molybdenum cluster-doped SNPs combined with the low cytotoxicity of particles in the darkness and (ii) significant cytotoxicity of the particles upon photoirradiation. Thus, this research provides strong experimental evidence for high potential of molybdenum-cluster-doped materials in biomedical applications such as optical bioimaging, biolabeling and photodynamic therapy.