Conformational Conversion Enhances Cellular Uptake of F Base Double-Strand-Conjugated Oligonucleotides

Artificial Base-Directed In Vivo Assembly of an Albumin-siRNA Complex for Tumor-Targeting Delivery

RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by short interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising method for cancer treatment, but the clinical application is hampered by several limitations, including metabolic instability, lack of tumor specificity, and poor cellular uptake. To meet these challenges, we have explored the possibility of structure modification of siRNA with artificial bases for property optimization. A series of siRNAs functionalized with different numbers of hydrophobic base F are prepared for screening. The interactions of plasma proteins with F-base-modified siRNA (F-siRNA) are investigated, and it is identified that the interaction with serum albumin is dominant. Experiments revealed that the introduction of F bases conferred modified siRNA with improved tumor-specific accumulation, prolonged circulatory retention time, and better tissue permeability. Mechanistic studies indicated that the F base induces the formulation of a stable siRNA-albumin complex, which transports siRNA to tumor tissues selectively owing to an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect of albumin. The F base also facilitates the binding of siRNA to transport-associated proteins on the cell membrane, enabling its cellular internalization. Together, these data demonstrate that F base modification confers siRNA-enhanced cellular uptake and biostability and specific accumulation in tumor tissue, which provides a new approach for the development of siRNA-based cancer therapeutics.

Temperature-Responsive Nanocarrier-Regulated Alternative Release of "Cargos" for a Multiplex Photoelectrochemical Bioassay of Antibiotic-Resistant Genes

A smart temperature stimuli-driven multiplex photoelectrochemical (PEC) assay was constructed for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) detection, where the stimuli-responsive gatekeeping by regulating the alternative release of "cargo" allowed for the simultaneous detection of multiple tetracycline resistance gene, using tetA (T_DNA1) and tetC (T_DNA2) as the model. Dual temperature-responsive nanoassemblies were embedded in the PEC bioassay as signal DNA tages: one thermoresponsive polymer (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), PNIPAM)-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) with loading the "cargo" of HgO nanoparticles as signal DNA1 tags (S_DNA1-PNIPAM@MSN@HgONPs) and the other antimony tartrate (SbT)-anchored silica nanospheres as signal DNA2 tags (S_DNA2-SbT@SiO₂NSs). At 20 °C, below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM, the "gatekeeper" PNIPAM in S_DNA1-PNIPAM@MSN@HgONPs was in an ON state, igniting Hg²⁺ release through the pore of SiO₂. While at above LCST (40 °C), it was in an OFF state. Likewise, the thermo-dependent dissociation of SbT endowed the grafted S_DNA2 tags switching from the OFF (at 20 °C) to ON state (at 40 °C), igniting SbO⁺ release. The released Hg²⁺ and SbO⁺ triggered the amplified photocurrents due to the structure evolution of the photoactive layer into HgS/ZnS or Sb₂S₃/ZnS heterostructure, thus achieving sensitive detection of multiple ARGs: tetA, tetC, tetG, tetM, tetO, tetZ, tetX, and tetW. Combined with heat map analysis, rapid screening of the ARGs profiles in 12 samples could be realized. This bioassay is simple and accessible for multiple genes analysis with the detection limit down to 0.50 nM. And it was successfully applied for measuring tetracycline ARGs in real sludge samples.

pH-activated DNA nanomachine for miRNA-21 imaging to accurately identify cancer cell

MicroRNA (miRNA) imaging has been employed to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells by exploiting the overexpression of miRNA in cancer. Inspired by the acidic extracellular tumor microenvironment, we designed a pH-activated DNA nanomachine to enable the specific detection of cancer cells using miRNA imaging. The DNA nanomachine was engineered by assembling two hairpins (Y1 and Y2) onto the surface of a ZIF-8 metal-organic framework (MOF), which decomposed under acidic conditions to release the adsorbed DNA hairpin molecules in situ. The released hairpins were captured by the target miRNA-21 and underwent catalytic hairpin assembly amplification between Y1 and Y2. The detection limit for miRNA assays using the DNA nanomachine was determined to be 27 pM, which is low enough for sensitive detection in living cells. Living cell imaging of miRNA-21 further corroborated the application of the DNA nanomachine in the identification of cancer cell.

Recent advances on aptamer-based biosensors for detection of pathogenic bacteria

As a significant constituent in biosphere, bacteria have a great influence on human activity. The detection of pathogen bacteria is closely related to the human health. However, the traditional methods for detection of pathogenic bacteria are time-consuming and difficult for quantification, although they are practical and reliable. Therefore, novel strategies for rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective detection are in great demand. Aptamer is a kind of oligonucleotide that selected by repeated screening in vitro or systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technology. Over the past years, owing to high affinity and specificity of aptamers, a variety of aptamer-based biosensors have been designed and applied for pathogen detection. In this review, we have discussed the recent advances on the applications of aptamer-based biosensors in detection of pathogenic bacteria. In addition, we also point out some problems in current methods and look forward to the further development of aptamer-based biosensors for pathogen detection.