News from Science China Press

Nanjing University researchers report a breakthrough siRNA delivery strategy that transforms the liver into a "biopharmaceutical factory" for targeted cancer therapy. The team developed an In Vivo Self-Assembled (IVSA) system that uses intravenously injected plasmid DNA to program hepatocytes to produce and package EGFR-targeting siRNA into GE11-tagged small extracellular vesicles. These "biomissiles" selectively deliver therapeutic siRNA to EGFR-positive tumors, overcoming the long-standing siRNA delivery challenge without complex in vitro encapsulation. The system demonstrated potent efficacy across EGFR-mutant lung cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer models, outperforming traditional targeted drugs while showing minimal off-target toxicity. This plug-and-play platform represents a paradigm shift from conventional drug manufacturing to in vivo biopharmaceutical production, offering a modular, cost-effective approach for personalized cancer gene therapy.

Researchers demonstrated a superconducting qubit sensor that combines quantum criticality and non-equilibrium dynamics to estimate gradient fields with precision approaching the fundamental precision limits using simple measurements.

Scientists reveal how exercise eases osteoarthritis: mechanical joint loading helps red blood cell‑derived EVs carry oxygen into cartilage and meniscus. These EVs enter avascular tissues via HRG (histidine rich glycoprotein)‑HSPG (heparin sulfate proteoglycan) affinity mechanism, directed by hypoxia‑induced CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling. The study establishes a “circulation‑joint transport axis” that alleviates intra‑articular hypoxia, offering a non‑drug strategy for joint health.

Inspired by firefly bioluminescence, scientists have created a flexible fiber sensor that converts electrical sensing signals into optical signals directly on the fiber itself. The ESOT FiSensor simultaneously detects vibration, pressure, temperature and strain through a single optical fiber, transmitting data over long distances with complete immunity to electromagnetic interference — far surpassing traditional sensors.

A one-pot POM-directed interfacial assembly strategy enables anisotropy-tunable mesoporous polydopamine nanomotors with integrated antibacterial functionality. By regulating emulsion interfaces, POMs program open hollow architectures and confer intrinsic activity, while Pt loading drives self-propulsion. The resulting nanomotors, with high drug-loading capacity, actively penetrate drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms and achieve near-complete eradication, offering a versatile platform for intelligent antibacterial therapy.

A new study published in Science China Life Sciences reports that Buyang Huanwu Decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, improved motor recovery and reduced acute inflammation in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. The study suggests that its protective effects may be linked to the suppression of microglial activation and the regulation of the complement and coagulation cascades.