Supramolecular binary vesicles based on the host-guest complexation of water-soluble pillar[6]arene (WP6) and SAINT molecule have been successfully constructed, which showed pH-, Ca(2+)-, and thermal-responsiveness. These supramolecular vesicles can efficiently encapsulate model substrate calcein, which then can be efficiently released either by adjusting the solution pH to acidic condition due to the complete disruption of vesicular structure, or particularly, by adding a certain amount of Ca(2+) due to the Ca(2+)-induced vesicle fusion and accompanied by the structure disruption. More importantly, drug loading and releasing experiments demonstrate that an anticancer drug, DOX, can be successfully encapsulated by the supramolecular vesicles, and the resulting DOX-loaded vesicles exhibit efficient release of the encapsulated DOX with the pH adjustment or the introduction of Ca(2+). Cytotoxicity experiments suggest that the resulting DOX-loaded supramolecular vesicles exhibit comparable therapeutic effect for cancer cells as free DOX and the remarkably reduced damage for normal cells as well. The present multistimuli-responsive supramolecular vesicles have great potential applications in the field of controlled drug delivery. In addition, giant supramolecular vesicles (~3 μm) with large internal volume and good stability can be achieved by increasing the temperature of WP6 ⊃ SAINT vesicular solution, and they might have potential applications for bioimaging.

SUMMARY DNA methylation patterns are dynamically controlled by DNA methylation and active DNA demethylation, but the mechanisms of regulation of active DNA demethylation are not well understood. Through forward genetic screens for Arabidopsis mutants showing DNA hypermethylation at specific loci and increased silencing of reporter genes, we identified IDM2 (increased DNA methylation 2) as a regulator of DNA demethylation and gene silencing. IDM2 dysfunction causes DNA hypermethylation and silencing of reporter genes and some endogenous genes. These effects of idm2 mutations are similar to those of mutations in IDM1, a regulator of active DNA demethylation. IDM2 encodes an α-crystallin domain protein in the nucleus. IDM2 and IDM1 interact physically and partially colocalize at discrete subnuclear foci. IDM2 is required for the full activity of H3K18 acetylation but not H3K23 acetylation of IDM1 in planta. Our results suggest that IDM2 functions in active DNA demethylation and in antisilencing by regulating IDM1.

Novel GSH- and pH-responsive supramolecular vesicles constructed by an amphiphilic inclusion complex formed from water-soluble pillar[5]arene and lysine derivative have been successfully developed, which can efficiently encapsulate anticancer drug MTZ and show rapid MTZ-release in a simulated acidic tumor environment with high GSH concentration, and exhibit potent antitumor activity.

Two novel types of supramolecular nanocarriers fabricated by the amphiphilic host-guest inclusion complex formed from water-soluble pillar[6]arene (WP6) and azobenzene derivatives G1 or G2 have been developed, in which G1 is structurally similar to G2 but has an extra phenoxy group in its hydrophobic region. Supramolecular micelles can be initially formed by WP6 with G1, which gradually transform into layered structures with liquid-crystalline properties, whereas stable supramolecular vesicles are obtained from WP6 and G2, which exhibit dual photo- and pH-responsiveness. Notably, the resulting WP6⊃G2 vesicles can efficiently encapsulate anticancer drug mitoxantrone (MTZ) to achieve MTZ-loaded vesicles, which maintain good stability in a simulated normal physiological environment, whereas in an acid environment similar to that of tumor cells or with external UV irradiation, the encapsulated drug is promptly released. More importantly, cytotoxicity assay indicates that such vesicles have good biocompatibility and the MTZ-loaded vesicles exhibit comparable anticancer activity to free MTZ, especially with additional UV stimulus, whereas its cytotoxicity for normal cells was remarkably reduced. Flow cytometric analysis further confirms that the cancer cell death caused by MTZ-loaded vesicles is associated with apoptosis. Therefore, the dual pH- and UV-responsive supramolecular vesicles are a potential platform for controlled release and targeted anticancer drug delivery.