Smart Nanoscale Research Articles

Smart nanoscale lamellated supramolecular assemblies overcome biofilm barriers and enhance foliar affinity for efficient control of bacterial diseases

Agricultural infections arising from morbigenous biofilms and biofilm-dispersed bacteria have become a huge obstacle, threatening global food supply and security. Recalcitrant dense biofilms assist the embedded pathogens to efficaciously evade the host immune responses and bactericidal attack, thereby causing inferior antibacterial efficacy and severe bacterial resistance. However, currently available bactericides don’t proclaim any competencies in inhibiting or eliminating intractable biofilms. Facing this daunting challenge, here, we have developed nanoscale lamellated supramolecular assemblies (PtA22@β-CD) integrated by a bioactive isopropanolamine-modified thiophenol (PtA22) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). These smart lamellar materials exhibit multipurpose orientations: (1) Strongly damaging mature biofilms of Xanthomonas citri (Xac) with a higher eradication rate of 91.9 % at 25 μg mL−1, after aged Xac for 24 h; (2) Killing biofilm-enclosed pathogenic bacteria that markedly reduces colony-forming units by 87.3 % at 25 μg mL−1; (3) Significantly weakening the biofilm-involved pathogenicity; (4) Enhancing foliar adhesion and deposition of PtA22@β-CD droplets. More attractively, in vivo pot experiments, PtA22@β-CD displayed excellent control efficiencies (protection 81.4 %, remediation 69.4 %, low-dose: 200 μg mL−1) against citrus bacterial canker, markedly overtopping the commercial thiodiazole-copper. Besides, PtA22@β-CD demonstrates broad-spectrum bioactivities against Xanthomonas oryzicola. This study is bright for enhancing agrochemical bioavailability and circumventing the large-scale use of hazardous traditional adjuvants.

Preparation, upconversion/downshifting emissions, temperature sensing, and thermochromic properties of one-dimensional Y2Zr2O7:Er3+/Yb3+ tube-in-tube nanostructures via single-nozzle electrospinning

One-dimensional (1D) Y2Zr2O7:Er/Yb tube-in-tube nanostructures were prepared via a simple electrospinning technique with a single nozzle. The diameter of the outer tube of the Y2Zr2O7:Er/Yb tube-in-tube nanostructures is 190–170 nm, the thickness of the outer wall is 22–20 nm, the diameter of the inner tube is 120–100 nm, and the wall thickness of the inner tube is 17–14 nm. The optical properties of the Y2Zr2O7:Er/Yb tube-in-tube nanostructures, including the up-conversion and downshifting luminescence spectra, temperature sensitivity, and thermochromic properties, were studied in detail. Under 980 nm excitation, two weak green emissions at 528 nm and 550 nm, as well as a strong red emission at 650 nm of Er ions, are presented. When excited at 378 nm, the Er ions exhibit strong green emission at 545 nm, two weak red emission peaks at 650 and 680 nm, and near-infrared emission peaks at 1400–1600 nm. With increasing environmental temperature, the luminescence color of the 1D Y2Zr2O7:Er/Yb tube-in-tube nanostructures exhibited a transition from “orange→yellow→ green” when excited at 980 nm. For the 1D Y2Zr2O7:xEr/yYb tube-in-tube nanostructures (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03; y = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15), the maximum values of Sr are 2.3 % K−1 under 980 nm excitation and 2.1%K−1 under 378 nm excitation within the temperature range of 303–723 K. This work develops integrated multifunctional optical materials and provides an alternative approach for the fabrication of nanoscale smart platforms, advanced displays, and applications in information security.

The electro-responsive nanoliposome as an on-demand drug delivery platform for epilepsy treatment

Nano-based drug delivery systems are regarded as a promising tool for efficient epilepsy treatment and seizure medication with the least general side effects and socioeconomic challenges. In the current study, we have designed a smart nanoscale drug delivery platform and applied it in the kindling model of epilepsy that is triggered rapidly by epileptic discharges and releases anticonvulsant drugs in situ, such as carbamazepine (CBZ). The CBZ-loaded electroactive ferrocene nanoliposomes had an average diameter of 100.6 nm, a surface charge of −7.08 mV, and high drug encapsulation efficiency (85.4 %). A significant increase in liposome size was observed in response to direct current (50–500 μA) application. This liposome-based drug delivery system can release CBZ at a fast rate in response to both direct current and pulsatile electrical stimulation in vitro. The CBZ-liposome can release the anticonvulsant drug upon epileptiform activity in the kindled rat model and can decline electrographic and behavioral seizure activity in response to electrical stimulation of the hippocampus with an initially subconvulsive current. With satisfactory biosafety results, this “smart” nanocarrier has promising potential as an effective and safe drug delivery system to improve the therapeutic index of antiepileptic drugs.

Boosting one-step degradation of shrimp shell waste to produce chitin oligosaccharides at smart nanoscale enzyme reactor with liquid-solid system

Chitin oligosaccharides (CTOS) possess potential applications in food, medicine, and agriculture. However, lower mass transfer and catalytic efficiency are the main kinetic limitations for the production of CTOS from shrimp shell waste (SSW) and crystalline chitin. Chemical or physical methods are usually used for pretreatment to improve chitinase hydrolysis efficiency, but this is not eco-friendly and cost-effective. To address this challenge, a chitinase nanoreactor with the liquid-solid system (BcChiA1@ZIF-8) was manufactured to boost the one-step degradation of SSW and crystalline chitin. Compared with free enzyme, the catalytic efficiency of BcChiA1@ZIF-8 on colloidal chitin was significantly improved to 142 %. SSW and crystalline chitin can be directly degraded by BcChiA1@ZIF-8 without any pretreatments. The yield of N, N′-diacetylchitobiose [(GlcNAc)2] from SSW and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) from crystalline chitin was 2 times and 3.1 times than that of free enzyme, respectively. The reason was that BcChiA1@ZIF-8 with a liquid-solid system enlarged the interface area, increased the collision frequency between enzyme and substrate, and improved the large-substrates binding activity of chitinase. Moreover, the biphasic system exhibited excellent stability, and the design showed universal applicability. This strategy provided novel guidance for other polysaccharide biosynthesis and the conversion of environmental waste into carbohydrates.

Observation of antitumor mechanism of GE11-modified paclitaxel and curcumin liposomes based on cellular morphology changes

Curcumin and paclitaxel are widely used as anti-tumor hydrophobic model drugs for the designation of smart tumor-targeting nanocarriers and the study of the correlation between structural characteristics of nanoparticles and in vivo therapeutic efficacy. Various signaling pathways on cell growth and proliferation have been comprehensively studied in vitro and in vivo under the action of curcumin and paclitaxel nanoparticles. In this paper, we prepared EGFR-targeted GE11 peptide-modified curcumin and paclitaxel compound liposomes (CUR-PTX@GE11-L). The tumor suppression mechanism of CUR-PTX@GE11-L is observed from the aspects of drug release behavior, changes of cell morphology, liver retention, and tumor-targeting efficiency. We hope it can provide a new vision for the rational construction of smart nanoscale drug delivery system through the observation of cytotoxic effects of CUR-PTX@GE11-L, especially on the cellular morphology change.Graphical

Smart Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles in the Brain: Unveiling their Biology, Diagnostic Potential, and Therapeutic Applications.

Information exchange is essential for the brain, where it communicates the physiological and pathological signals to the periphery and vice versa. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of membrane-bound cellular informants actively transferring informative calls to and from the brain via lipids, proteins, and nucleic acid cargos. In recent years, EVs have also been widely used to understand brain function, given their "cell-like" properties. On the one hand, the presence of neuron and astrocyte-derived EVs in biological fluids have been exploited as biomarkers to understand the mechanisms and progression of multiple neurological disorders; on the other, EVs have been used in designing targeted therapies due to their potential to cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). Despite the expanding literature on EVs in the context of central nervous system (CNS) physiology and related disorders, a comprehensive compilation of the existing knowledge still needs to be made available. In the current review, we provide a detailed insight into the multifaceted role of brain-derived extracellular vesicles (BDEVs) in the intricate regulation of brain physiology. Our focus extends to the significance of these EVs in a spectrum of disorders, including brain tumors, neurodegenerative conditions, neuropsychiatric diseases, autoimmune disorders, and others. Throughout the review, parallels are drawn for using EVs as biomarkers for various disorders, evaluating their utility in early detection and monitoring. Additionally, we discuss the promising prospects of utilizing EVs in targeted therapy while acknowledging the existing limitations and challenges associated with their applications in clinical scenarios. A foundational comprehension of the current state-of-the-art in EV research is essential for informing the design of future studies.

ROS induction within 4T1 breast cancer cells by CuS NPs as chemodynamic agent

Minimally invasive and highly precise cancer cell death is a goal, and nanoformulations that can respond to the unique TME hold promise. This article describes the development of a nanoparticles (NPs) for chemodynamic treatment (CDT) to combat the cancer. As a consequence, CuS NPs cores are used as Fenton-like catalysts, while Alginate (Alg) is used as a stabilizer and template for entrapping and stabilizing Cu NPs. Here, Alg coated CuS NPs (CuS@Alg NPs) was synthesized via a green and facile method. To promote biocompatibility, Alg is added to the system. The malignant cells are killed by generated toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) using CuS@Alg NPs as a Fenton-like process catalyst. The effectiveness of NPs was assessed by MTT assay, live/dead cells staining, and ROS generation within cancer cells. Results not only confirmed ROS generation ability of CuS@Alg NPs within cells, but also show the anticancer ability of them. By CDT, the created smart nanoscale system showed remarkable effectiveness for breast cancer suppression.

Large room-temperature magnetodielectric effect in polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene/La0.7Sr0.3MnO[formula omitted] (0-3) nanocomposite thin films

We observe large room-temperature magnetodielectric effect (nearly 12% suppression of dielectric constant under ∼20 kOe field) as well as its remarkable field-driven switch – from positive to negative – in polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (PVDF-TrFE/LSMO) thin films (0–3 connectivity) containing 7.5 volume% LSMO. The magnetodielectric effect is mapped with the volume fraction of the LSMO nanoparticle across 5-20 volume%. It reveals a close correlation among the LSMO nanoparticles volume fraction, their distribution pattern within the PVDF-TrFE matrix, uniformity in the magnetic domain size (imaged by magnetic force microscopy), and the magnetodielectric effect. The observed 20% jump in the intrinsic bulk capacitance at a critical magnetic field HC∼10 kOe can be exploited to develop smart nanoscale magnetoelectric devices.

Tracking the Oxidation of Silicon Anodes Using Cryo-EELS upon Battery Cycling.

Silicon is a high-capacity material for the anode of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. One of the fundamental challenges for using Si in anodes is capacity fading, which has been revealed to be partially associated with the interfacial instability between the Si and liquid electrolyte due to the large volume swing of Si upon charging and discharging. Smart nanoscale design concepts, either presynthesized or formed in situ, have led to the mitigation of the detrimental factors associated with the volume swing of Si. However, it has never been clear how the chemical state of Si evolves and contributes to the capacity fading upon battery cycling. Here, we use cryo-electron energy loss spectroscopy to directly monitor, at a subnanometer scale, the chemical evolution of Si upon battery cycling. We discover that during the cycling process Si particles are progressively oxidized to form SiO2, which is initiated from the particle surface and gradually penetrates toward the interior of the particle, directly contributing to the capacity fading. Possible mechanisms of Si oxidation are postulated. We further show how the cycling stability can be improved by an electrolyte additive to form an effective passivation layer, representatively, even a small concentration of fluoroethylene carbonate causes the formation of an LiF layer on the Si nanoparticle surface that prevents Si oxidation and improves cycling stability. The present work unveils Si oxidation as a previously unrecognized factor that contributes to capacity fading, therefore providing insight into the design of anodes with Si-based materials.

Programmable Site-Specific Functionalization of DNA Origami with Polynucleotide Brushes.

Combining surface-initiated, TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase) catalyzed enzymatic polymerization (SI-TcEP) with precisely engineered DNA origami nanostructures (DONs) presents an innovative pathway for the generation of stable, polynucleotide brush-functionalized DNA nanostructures. We demonstrate that SI-TcEP can site-specifically pattern DONs with brushes containing both natural and non-natural nucleotides. The brush functionalization can be precisely controlled in terms of the location of initiation sites on the origami core and the brush height and composition. Coarse-grained simulations predict the conformation of the brush-functionalized DONs that agree well with the experimentally observed morphologies. We find that polynucleotide brush-functionalization increases the nuclease resistance of DONs significantly, and that this stability can be spatially programmed through the site-specific growth of polynucleotide brushes. The ability to site-specifically decorate DONs with brushes of natural and non-natural nucleotides provides access to a large range of functionalized DON architectures that would allow for further supramolecular assembly, and for potential applications in smart nanoscale delivery systems.

Programmable Site‐Specific Functionalization of DNA Origami with Polynucleotide Brushes

AbstractCombining surface‐initiated, TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase) catalyzed enzymatic polymerization (SI‐TcEP) with precisely engineered DNA origami nanostructures (DONs) presents an innovative pathway for the generation of stable, polynucleotide brush‐functionalized DNA nanostructures. We demonstrate that SI‐TcEP can site‐specifically pattern DONs with brushes containing both natural and non‐natural nucleotides. The brush functionalization can be precisely controlled in terms of the location of initiation sites on the origami core and the brush height and composition. Coarse‐grained simulations predict the conformation of the brush‐functionalized DONs that agree well with the experimentally observed morphologies. We find that polynucleotide brush‐functionalization increases the nuclease resistance of DONs significantly, and that this stability can be spatially programmed through the site‐specific growth of polynucleotide brushes. The ability to site‐specifically decorate DONs with brushes of natural and non‐natural nucleotides provides access to a large range of functionalized DON architectures that would allow for further supramolecular assembly, and for potential applications in smart nanoscale delivery systems.

Mitochondria-targeting and ROS-sensitive smart nanoscale supramolecular organic framework for combinational amplified photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy

Owing to their reversibly dynamic features, and the regularity of their architectures, supramolecular organic frameworks (SOFs) have attracted attention as new porous materials. Herein, we propose a smart SOF platform for enhanced photodynamic therapy, where the SOF with a superior mitochondria-targeting capability could be cleaved by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by itself for highly enhancing PDT. Moreover, it can further work as a platform for carrying chemo-therapeutic drug doxorubicin for synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy. The SOF is constructed by combining a tetra-β-cyclodextrin-conjugated porphyrin photosensitizer and a ROS-sensitive thioketal linked adamantane dimer utilizing a host-guest supramolecular strategy. The unique supramolecular framework not only completely resolves the aggregation caused quenching of porphyrin photosensitizers but also endows them with significantly enhanced water-solubility. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that the SOF could be targeted onto mitochondria by confocal imaging, and dissociated by ROS generated by itself, leading to autonomous release of porphyrin photosensitizers and DOX for high anti-cancer activity. It is believed that the strategy using a SOF has the potential of being used to construct versatile agents for combined therapies. Statement of significancePhotosensitizers are the essential element in photodynamic therapy. However, typical photosensitizers commonly encounter poor water-solubility, non-specific tumor-targeting, aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), which seriously reduce PDT efficacy. A mitochondria-targeting and ROS-sensitive supramolecular organic framework (SOF) is designed for photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment, which could completely overcome the bottleneck in the applications of photosensitizers (PSs). The SOF is constructed by combining a tetra-β-cyclodextrin-conjugated porphyrin photosensitizer and a ROS-sensitive thioketal linked adamantane dimer unit utilizing a host-guest supramolecular strategy. The unique supramolecular framework not only completely resolves the aggregation caused quenching of porphyrin photosensitizers but also endows them with significantly enhanced water-solubility. Moreover, the SOF can be readily functionalized to incorporate the anti-cancer agent Doxorubicin and mitochondria targeting molecules through respective physical encapsulation and host-guest interactions.

Bleustein–Gulyaev wave in a nonlocal piezoelectric layered structure

Manifesting the piezoelectric and nonlocal effects on the propagation of surface waves in nanoscale smart structures can provide some new insights for the designs and applications of the nanoscale wave devices. Taking the nanoscale size effect into consideration based on the nonlocal theory, the propagation of Bleustein–Gulyaev (BG) wave in a nonlocal piezoelectric (PE) layer overlying a nonlocal piezoelectric (PE) half-space, is investigated. The dispersion relations and particular cases are derived for the open and short circuit conditions. The results show that wave propagation is highly affected by nanoscale size effects due to the nonlocality present in the media.

Controlled growth of hexagonal nanocrystals Co and Gd co-doping ZnO by hydrothermal method

The control of nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) materials is essential for the development of smart and functional nanoscale devices. Using controlled hydrothermal growth conditions, cobalt (Co)- and gadolinium (Gd)-co-doped zinc oxide hexagonal nanocrystals were synthesized at a low temperature (70°C). The role of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA; C6H12N4) in engineering pure and doped zinc oxide morphology was examined. The results indicated that the hexagonal plates are transformed into a hexagonal flowerlike structure by changing the molar ratio of HMTA/precursors. The possible growth mechanism of the formation of hexagonal nanocrystals (hexagonal plates and nanoflowerlike structure) is discussed. The magnetic properties exhibited enhanced ferromagnetism after the incorporation of gadolinium into the zinc oxide matrix. An enhancement in saturation magnetization is discussed mainly in correlation with the strain effect. These doped zinc oxide nanostructures are expected to drive improvements mainly in the performance of spintronic devices.

Large‐Size Ultrathin α‐Ga2S3 Nanosheets toward High‐Performance Photodetection

AbstractFollowing the extensive researches of graphene, 2D layered semiconductors have attracted widespread attention for their intriguing physical properties. 2D α‐Ga2S3 as an important member of group IIIA–VIA semiconductors has outstanding optoelectronic properties. However, the controllable large‐size synthesis of ultrathin α‐Ga2S3 nanosheets still remains a huge challenge. In this paper, a large‐size ultrathin nanosheets of hexagonal Ga2S3 is prepared via an improved chemical vapor deposition method. High‐performance photodetectors based on the ultrathin Ga2S3 nanosheets is demonstrated. The device shows a high photosensitivity/detectivity (9.2 A W−1/1.4 × 1012 Jones) and a fast response time (rise/fall time of <4/3 ms), respectively. Strikingly, wearable flexible photodetectors based on Ga2S3 nanosheets are fabricated accordingly and demonstrate great response performance and stability. This work provides a new direction for 2D semiconductors to apply in next‐generation nanoscale smart optoelectronics.

A Metal-Polymer Hybrid Biomimetic System for use in the Chemodynamic-Enhanced Photothermal Therapy of Cancers.

This article reports the fabrication of a smart biomimetic enzyme system, which incorporates a pH-responsive chemodynamic therapy (CDT) combined with a photothermal (PTT) therapy approach in resolving the high recurrence rate of deadly cancers. The resulting enzyme system comprises copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticle (NP) cores as Fenton-like catalysts, and a photothermal-active generation 5 poly(amidoamine) (G5) dendrimer as a template for the entrapment of Cu NPs and the compression of glucose oxidase (GOD). GOD is introduced to produce H2 O2 necessary in the sequential Fenton-like reaction, and this generates hydroxyl radicals that kill the cancerous cells. Polyethylene glycol is added to the system to improve biocompatibility. Mechanism study suggests that the constructed CuS/G5-GOD-based system has a better Fenton-like catalytic activity than a Fe3 O4 -GOD-based system. This allows the further inhibition on the residual tumors from recurrence and metastasis through CDT after being treated by PTT. The developed smart nanoscale biomimetic system shows high efficiency for breast cancer suppression from recurrence and metastasis by combining PTT with a pH-responsive CDT. It has the potential to resolve the essential issue of cancer recurrence after its initial clinic treatment.

Redox-sensitive nanoscale drug delivery systems for cancer treatment

Pharmaceutical nanotechnology introduces novel strategies in designing smart nanoscale drug delivery systems (NDDSs) capable of responding to specific conditions. These smart responsive NDDSs respond to specific conditions already established in the tumor microenvironment (TME) resulting in greater drug release following accumulation through enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Among various specific conditions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) have been extensively used to improve tumor targeting. While cells of the tumor microenvironment including immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells and tumor invasive cells are responsible for the production and elevation of ROS levels, high levels of GSH inside tumor cells establish highly reducing environment, which in turn maintain cell survival. Abnormal ROS generation in the tumor microenvironment helps with designing highly specific ROS-sensitive NDDSs with the potential to release the payload next to the tumor cells. On the other hand, elevated levels of tumor GSH allows for designing NDDSs bearing reductively cleavable linkage to enhance drug release exploiting the dramatic higher intracellular GSH. The aim of the current review is to emphasize the requirements for developing various NDDSs including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, micelles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, nanogels and prodrugs, capable of responding to TME using their Redox-sensitive moieties.

A Comprehensive Review of Integrated Hall Effects in Macro-, Micro-, Nanoscales, and Quantum Devices.

A comprehensive review of the main existing devices, based on the classic and new related Hall Effects is hereby presented. The review is divided into sub-categories presenting existing macro-, micro-, nanoscales, and quantum-based components and circuitry applications. Since Hall Effect-based devices use current and magnetic field as an input and voltage as output. researchers and engineers looked for decades to take advantage and integrate these devices into tiny circuitry, aiming to enable new functions such as high-speed switches, in particular at the nanoscale technology. This review paper presents not only an historical overview of past endeavors, but also the remaining challenges to overcome. As part of these trials, one can mention complex design, fabrication, and characterization of smart nanoscale devices such as sensors and amplifiers, towards the next generations of circuitry and modules in nanotechnology. When compared to previous domain-limited text books, specialized technical manuals and focused scientific reviews, all published several decades ago, this up-to-date review paper presents important advantages and novelties: Large coverage of all domains and applications, clear orientation to the nanoscale dimensions, extended bibliography of almost one hundred fifty recent references, review of selected analytical models, summary tables and phenomena schematics. Moreover, the review includes a lateral examination of the integrated Hall Effect per sub-classification of subjects. Among others, the following sub-reviews are presented: Main existing macro/micro/nanoscale devices, materials and elements used for the fabrication, analytical models, numerical complementary models and tools used for simulations, and technological challenges to overcome in order to implement the effect in nanotechnology. Such an up-to-date review may serve the scientific community as a basis for novel research oriented to new nanoscale devices, modules, and Process Development Kit (PDK) markets.

In-plane elastic wave propagation in nanoscale periodic piezoelectric/piezomagnetic laminates

Owing to the piezoelectric/piezomagnetic effects, the band structures of elastic waves in nanoscale smart periodic structures can be tuned actively, which can provide some new thoughts for the designs and applications of the nanoscale wave devices. In this paper, taking the size-effect into account and based on the nonlocal theory, the equations of wave motion including the magneto-electro-mechanical coupling effect are derived and solved. In particular, the propagation of elastic waves in nanoscale periodic piezoelectric/piezomagnetic laminates is investigated. Both the normal and oblique incidences are considered. The localization factors and dispersion curves are computed by the transfer matrix method, and the transmission spectra of a finite structure are obtained by the stiffness matrix method. The results show that the wave propagation properities such as the band structures, the wave localization degree and the value of the cut-off frequency can be tuned by the piezoelectric/piezomagnetic effects and the nanoscale size-effect.

Smart Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanoplatforms for Imaging-Guided Precise Chemotherapy.

Good biocompatibility, active tumor targeting, and stimulus-responsive release offer great opportunity for precise imaging-guided tumor treatment. However, the current strategies for the fabrication of smart theranostic platforms suffer from tedious synthesis processes. Here, we propose a universal and facile strategy for the fabrication of smart nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF)-based nanoplatforms for imaging-guided precise chemotherapy. As a proof of concept, 5-boronobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (BBDC), as a versatile ligand, was employed for the first time with Gd3+ as metal nodes to prepare a smart magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided drug-delivery system. Specific reversible diol-borate condensation enables effortless coating of glucose on the NMOFs to improve their biocompatibility. The specific interaction between glucose and glucose-transported protein ensures active tumor-targeting ability. Moreover, the glucose layer, as a pH-responsive diol-borate gatekeeper, prevents the premature leakage of drugs. The proposed smart theranostic nanoplatform was well used in MR imaging-guided tumor-targeted precise chemotherapy. This strategy is simply extended to the design of other MOF-glucose composites for diverse applications, such as X-ray computed tomography imaging of gastrointestinal tract with Yb-MOFs-Glu. BBDC, as a functional ligand, provides a simple and universal way to fabricate smart NMOF theranostic platforms with multifunction as "three birds with one stone". The facile and universal strategy lays down a new way to develop multifunctional nanoagents for precision medicine.