Jilin Agricultural University

m6A (N6-methyladenosine), a prevalent RNA modification in eukaryotic mRNA involved in multiple biological processes, enables early cancer screening via its detection. m6A methylation detection is considered challenging, with most existing methods being limited by complex chemical transformations that incur high cost and procedural complexity. To overcome these challenges, a novel droplet-based digital CRISPR-Cas13a (Dd-Cas13a) approach was developed for the detection of m6A modifications in RNA. The method employs an m6A-specific antibody enrichment strategy to selectively enrich RNA molecules harboring m6A modifications, while RNA molecules lacking m6A remain unselected. Integration of the targeted recognition capability of the CRISPR/Cas13a system with droplet technology enables amplification-free detection of m6A-modified RNA at fM concentrations, with a significant improvement in sensitivity. The Dd-Cas13a detection platform enables visualization and quantitative analysis of methylation site proportions in cellular RNA, providing a novel approach for rapid and sensitive detection of RNA methylation, with significant potential for applications in early disease diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy assessment.

A novel sodium alginate-based aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent probe was developed for the recognition of nitrite (NO₂^-). In this study, cyano-containing moieties were introduced onto oxidized sodium alginate through a Schiff base reaction, and the optical properties and sensing performance of the resulting material were systematically investigated. Its photophysical properties and sensing performance toward NO₂^- were systematically investigated. The probe exhibited a sensitive fluorescence response to NO₂^- over a wide concentration range (0-200 mg/L), enabling quantitative detection in aqueous media (LOD: 6.49 μg/L). Its practical applicability was further demonstrated by the accurate determination of NO₂^- in real sausage samples. Moreover, the material exhibits excellent biocompatibility and effective cell imaging capability, highlighting its broad application potential in food safety monitoring and biomedical imaging.

Fusobacterium nucleatum as a typical tumor-resident intracellular bacteria can colonize in breast cancer for promoting immunosuppression and inducing tumor metastasis. Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanomedicine (HM-GZNC) for cascade-targeting elimination of tumor-resident intracellular bacteria and enhancing breast cancer immunotherapy. HM‑GZNC was composed of a ZIF‑8‑derived nanozyme loaded with glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and coated with a hybrid cell membrane. The hybrid cell membrane from Fusobacterium nucleatum-activated RAW264.7 macrophages and 4T1 breast cancer cells endowed HM‑GZNC with a cascade-targeting capability. Upon NIR irradiation, HM‑GZNC exhibited the enhanced peroxidase-like activity, controlled drug release, and excellent photothermal effects for synergistic killing intratumoral bacteria and breast cancer cells. In vivo experiments showed that HM‑GZNC could precisely localize within tumors for effectively eliminating Fusobacterium nucleatum and inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD). Moreover, HM‑GZNC could promote dendritic cell maturation and antigen presentation, improve the infiltration of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells along with the secretion of pro‑inflammatory cytokines for enhancing antitumor immune responses and inhibiting metastasis. The biomimetic nanomedicine provided a novel strategy for developing tumor-associated microbiome-targeted therapies against breast cancer.