Enzyme-Instructed Host-Guest Assembly/Disassembly for Biomedical Applications.

Abstract

Compared with the normal assembly/disassembly approaches, enzyme-instructed host-guest assembly/disassembly strategies due to their superior biocompatibility and specificity for specific substrates, can more effectively and precisely release molecules at lesions for reflecting in vivo biological events. Specifically, due to the over-expression of enzymes in specific tissues, the assembly/disassembly processes can directly occur on the pathological sites (or regions of interest), thus these enzyme-instructed processes are widely and effectively used for disease treatment or precise bioimaging. Based on it, we introduce the concept and major strategies of enzyme-instructed host-guest assembly/disassembly, illustrate their importance in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and review their advances in biomedical applications. Further, the challenges of these strategies in the clinic and future tendencies are also prospected.