Recently, the research team led by Prof. Tao Yu and Prof. Hongzhao Qi from the Institute for Translational Medicine has made significant advancements in the field of cardiovascular targeted gene drug delivery. Their findings have been published in the Journal of Controlled Release (IF=10.5, Q1, TOP) under the title“Activated Neutrophil Membrane-Coated tRF-Gly-CCC Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Aortic Dissection/Aneurysm.”This study received funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province. The first author of the article is Tianxiang Li, a master's student from the Institute for Translational Medicine's class of 2021, with contributions from Prof. Yanyan Yang of the School of Basic Medical Sciences. The corresponding authors are Prof. Tao Yu and Prof. Hongzhao Qi.

Aortic dissection/aneurysm (AAD) is a serious and life-threatening condition for which effective drug therapies are currently lacking. Gene therapy has emerged as a promising strategy for treating AAD; however, its clinical application faces significant challenges. These include a shortage of innovative gene drugs in medical practice and the absence of simplified methods for delivering these drugs. This study explores a unique gene target, tRF-Gly-CCC, a member of the tsRNA class that is essential for maintaining vascular smooth muscle cell function and modulating inflammatory responses. Nevertheless, the delivery of gene therapies to AAD lesions in vivo requires further investigation.

To address this challenge, Tao Yu's team developed activated neutrophil membrane bionanoparticles (neu MCs), which consist of tRF-Gly-CCC-loaded polymer nanoparticles at their core and an outer layer made from activated neutrophil membranes. These membranes serve a dual purpose: they protect the stability of tRF-Gly-CCC while also facilitating targeted delivery to the AAD site. In conclusion, this study identifies tRF-Gly-CCC as a novel therapeutic target for AAD. The researchers successfully constructed neutrophil membrane-mimicking nanoparticles (neu MCs) to enable the in vivo delivery of gene therapies, aiming to reduce AAD mortality in mice.