A novel POSS-based nanoplatform for repairing of poisoning cells and its application in tracking and detoxification of Hg2+ in vivo

Abstract

Self-repair is a fundamental mechanism that enables organisms to adapt and survive in dynamic environments. However, the self-repair capacity of individual cells is usually insufficient to cope with environmental changes, leading to developmental limitations. Herein, we designed and developed a novel nanohybrid molecule based on POSS, PRHAP -with a nanometer-scale size of 25 ± 5 nm. It can identify Hg2+ significantly in DMSO/H2O (v/v, 6:4) solution with a highly sensitive detection limit of 25 nM. When the sensor PRHAP was combined with Hg2+, it exhibits a pronounced increase in fluorescence intensity at 586 nm, accompanied with the color of the solution changed from colorless to orange-red. When cells are exposed to Hg2+, a toxic pollutant that induces cell apoptosis, PRHAP with better cell permeability can efficiently penetrate cell membranes through the process of osmotic pressure and bind with Hg2+, facilitating its removal from the cells and promoting their repair based on synergism between osmotic pressure and coordination field effect. Additionally, owing to its exceptional permeability and extended in vivo presence, PRHAP can simultaneously detoxify Hg2+ in mice and enable its monitoring. This intelligent material significantly enhances cellular repair capability and detoxifies poisoned mice, demonstrating promising potential for applications in biologically repairing and detoxifying materials.