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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor and known for its challenging prognosis. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is an innovative therapeutic approach that shows promise in tumor elimination by activating sonosensitizers with low‐intensity ultrasound. In this study, a novel sonosensitizer is synthesized using Cu‐doped carbon dots (Cu‐CDs) for the sonodynamic treatment of GBM. Doping with copper transforms the carbon dots into a p–n type semiconductor having a bandgap of 1.58 eV, a prolonged lifespan of 10.7 µs, and an improved electron‐ and hole‐separation efficiency. The sonodynamic effect is efficiency enhanced. Western blot analysis reveals that the Cu‐CDs induces a biological response leading to cell death, termed as cuproptosis. Specifically, Cu‐CDs upregulate dihydrosulfanyl transacetylase expression, thereby establishing a synergistic therapeutic effect against tumor cell death when combined with SDT. Furthermore, Cu‐CDs exhibit excellent permeability through the blood‐brain barrier and potent anti‐tumor activity. Importantly, the Cu‐CDs effectively impede the growth of glioblastoma tumors and prolong the survival of mice bearing these tumors. This study provides support for the application of carbon‐based nanomaterials as sonosensitizers in tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes have attracted increasing attention in the early diagnosis of tumors due to their participation in physiological and pathological processes. Herein, a novel label-free aptasensor based on the CuNi bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) that was decorated with MXene quantum dots (MQDs) was fabricated for exosome sensing. The CuNi-MOFs functionalized with dual specific aptamers, CD63 and MUC1, served as an ideal nanocarrier and catalyst for efficient recognition and capture of target exosomes. Meanwhile, the MQDs with excellent electron transfer can promote the electrochemical catalytic performance of this designed aptasensor. It is noteworthy that the large specific surface area of 2D bimetallic CuNi-MOF nanosheets can offer plenty of exposed active sites and facilitate the connection of aptamers, thereby achieving the goal of specific capture and detection of exosomes. The as-prepared electrochemical aptasensor possesses a wide linear range of 1 × 101 to 1 × 106 particles μL−1 for exosome detection and a low detection limit of 5 particles μL−1 (S/N = 3). Besides, the as-prepared aptasensor exhibited satisfactory electrochemical stability for the detection of exosomes, which can provide new ideas for clinical detection and tumor diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes derived from cancer cells have been recognized as a promising biomarker for minimally invasive liquid biopsy. Herein, a novel sandwich-type biosensor was fabricated for highly sensitive detection of exosomes. Amino-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized as a sensing interface with a large surface area and rapid enrichment capacity, while two-dimensional MXene nanosheets were used as signal amplifiers with excellent electrical properties. Specifically, CD63 aptamer attached Fe3O4 nanoprobes capture the target exosomes. MXene nanosheets modified with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) aptamer were tethered on the electrode surface to enhance the quantification of exosomes captured with the detection of remaining protein sites. With such a design, the proposed biosensor showed a wide linear range from 102 particles μL−1 to 107 particles μL−1 for sensing 4T1 exosomes, with a low detection limit of 43 particles μL−1. In addition, this sensing platform can determine four different tumor cell types (4T1, Hela, HepG2, and A549) using surface proteins corresponding to aptamers 1 and 2 (CD63 and EpCAM) and showcases good specificity in serum samples. These preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a sensitive, accurate, and inexpensive electrochemical sensor for detecting exosome concentrations and species. Moreover, they provide a significant reference for exosome applications in clinical settings, such as liquid biopsy and early cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic and on-site analysis of serum from human blood is crucial, however, state-of-the-art blood-assay methods can only collect single or discrete data of physiological analytes; thus, the online reports of the dynamic fluctuation of key analytes remains a great challenge. Here, we propose a novel separation-sensing membrane by constructing a heterogeneous-nanostructured architecture, wherein a surface nanoporous layer continuously extracts serum, while the biosensing nanochannels underneath dynamically recognise biotargets, thereby achieving a continuous testing of vital clinical indices as blood is drawn. By precisely controlling the pore structure and nanoshape of biosensing crystals, this membrane achieved accurate and online glucose and lactate monitoring in patients with a variety of medical conditions within 1 min, which is one order of magnitude faster than state-of-the-art techniques. Moreover, various kinds of bio-recognisers can be introduced into this membrane to accurately detect glutamate, transaminase, and cancer biomarkers., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)