Engineered platelets as targeted protein degraders and application to breast cancer models.

Clinical application of chimeric molecules for targeted protein degradation has been limited by unfavorable drug-like properties and biosafety concerns arising from nonspecific biodistribution after systemic administration. Here we develop a method to engineer platelets for degradation of either intracellular or extracellular proteins of interest (POIs) in vivo by covalently labeling heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in platelets with a POI ligand. The degrader platelets (DePLTs) target wound areas and undergo activation.

Splittable systems in biomedical applications.

Splittable systems have emerged as a powerful approach for the precise spatiotemporal control of biological processes. This concept relies on splitting a functional molecule into inactive fragments, which can be reassembled under specific conditions or stimuli to regain activity. Several binding pairs and orthogonal split fragments are introduced by fusing with other modalities to develop more complex and robust designs.

Convergence of Nanotechnology and Bacteriotherapy for Biomedical Applications.

Bacteria have distinctive properties that make them ideal for biomedical applications. They can self-propel, sense their surroundings, and be externally detected. Using bacteria as medical therapeutic agents or delivery platforms opens new possibilities for advanced diagnosis and therapies.

Convergence of nanomedicine and neutrophils for drug delivery.

Neutrophils have recently emerged as promising carriers for drug delivery due to their unique properties including rapid response toward inflammation, chemotaxis, and transmigration. When integrated with nanotechnology that has enormous advantages in improving treatment efficacy and reducing side effects, neutrophil-based nano-drug delivery systems have expanded the repertoire of nanoparticles employed in precise therapeutic interventions by either coating nanoparticles with their membranes, loading nanoparticles inside living cells, or engineering chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-neutrophils. These neutrophil-inspired therapies have shown superior biocompatibility, targeting ability, and therapeutic robustness.

Candidate odorant-binding protein and chemosensory protein genes in the turnip aphid Lipaphis erysimi.

The turnip aphid, Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach, inflicts heavy damage on cruciferous crops worldwide. In these insects, olfactory perception is crucial for mating, host location, and oviposition. Both odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are responsible for the delivery of host odorants and pheromones during initial molecular interactions.

One therapeutic approach for triple-negative breast cancer: Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor AZD7762 combination with neoadjuvant carboplatin.

Carboplatin treatment is associated with potential benefits in practice in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy for Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. In order to enhance its anti-tumor effects, new concepts for successful combination therapy are needed. Here, we interestingly found that the combination treatment of carboplatin with the Chk1 inhibitor AZD7762 synergistically inhibits TNBC cell growth in multiple TNBC cell lines in vitro.