Dr. Taoran Tian of West China Hospital of Stomatology(WCHOS) published in Advanced Functional Materials a research paper entitled “A Framework Nucleic Acid Based Robotic Nanobee for Active Targeting Therapy” in October. Taoran Tiao is the sole first author. The corresponding authors are Prof. Yunfeng Lin of WCHOS, Prof. Zhan Liu of College of Architecture and Environment, and Professor Qian Li, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University.

This research employed a melittin loaded tetrahedron framework nucleic acid (tFNA) nanostructure, and developed an active targeting therapy as a “nanobee”. “Upon exposure to target proteins on the cell membrane, the tFNA exoskeleton goes through conformation change, leading to the selective release of melittin from the exoskeleton and the consequent selective lethal effect. As a result, the active targeting of the nanobee to tumor cells is achieved. At the same concentrations of melittin, the nanobee exhibits significantly higher and more selective cytotoxicity against target cells than free melittin molecules, whereas the inactive nanobee shows neglectable lethal effect.” (Abstract)

Yunfeng Lin's research group has carried out a series of research on frame nucleic acids for a long time. The preliminary results have been published in Nature Protocols, Materials Today, Nano Today, Nano Letters, Adv Funct Mater, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, Nano -Micro Letters, Small and so on.

Article link:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adfm.202007342.