journal article·2026-06-19

A Multifunctional Nucleic Acid Nanomedicine Coregulates Angiogenesis and Fibrosis to Treat Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Xiao Fu, Mei Zhang, Jiahui Xiong, Junhui Ma, Wuxiao Cui, Yao He, Yunfeng Lin, Tao Wang

Publisher page

Abstract

ABSTRACT Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic progressive oral fibrotic disorder characterized by dysregulated immune inflammation, fibroblast activation, and vascular homeostasis disruption, yet synchronously regulating these axes remains challenging. We developed a multifunctional nucleic acid nanomedicine, Apt02–tFNAs–siTGF‐β (A‐T‐S), in which tetrahedral framework nucleic acids co‐deliver siRNA against TGF‐β (siTGF‐β) and the proangiogenic aptamer Apt02, enabling programmable integration and stable delivery. A‐T‐S was efficiently internalized by macrophages, human oral mucosal fibroblasts, and endothelial cells and concurrently modulated inflammatory phenotypes, fibrotic programs, and angiogenesis‐related features in vitro. Transcriptomic profiling revealed coordinated reprogramming of pathways involved in inflammation, fibrosis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. In a rat OSF model, A‐T‐S reduced collagen deposition and profibrotic signaling while mitigating inflammatory infiltration and vascular abnormalities, without evident toxicity in major organs. These findings indicate that A‐T‐S can synergistically remodel the OSF lesion microenvironment and represents a promising strategy for OSF and other fibroinflammatory diseases.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Oral Health Pathology and Treatment · Oral and gingival health research · Oral microbiology and periodontitis research

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Hainan General Hospital Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University Haikou Hainan China

State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases National Center for Stomatology National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China

Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Guilin Medical University Guilin China

Macao Translational Medicine Center Macau University of Science and Technology Taipa Macau SAR China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

References (68)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.3390/ijms2012294010.3390/ijms20122940 ↗
2. IARC Working Group · 2004 · 1
3. 10.1111/j.1601‐0825.2011.01791.x10.1111/j.1601‐0825.2011.01791.x ↗
4. Surgical Interventions in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: a Systematic Analysis of the Literature10.1007/s12663-014-0639-3 ↗
5. 10.1111/j.1600‐0714.2005.00325.x10.1111/j.1600‐0714.2005.00325.x ↗
6. 10.1038/s41368‐024‐00344‐610.1038/s41368‐024‐00344‐6 ↗
7. 10.1016/j.job.2024.02.00510.1016/j.job.2024.02.005 ↗
8. 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.02.01510.1016/j.immuni.2016.02.015 ↗
9. 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.10605210.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.106052 ↗
10. 10.1038/nrneph.2016.4810.1038/nrneph.2016.48 ↗
11. 10.1016/j.jfma.2017.07.00310.1016/j.jfma.2017.07.003 ↗
12. 10.3389/fphar.2021.72204010.3389/fphar.2021.722040 ↗
13. 10.26599/OSHM.2025.961001010.26599/OSHM.2025.9610010 ↗
14. 10.1038/sj.jid.570061310.1038/sj.jid.5700613 ↗
15. 10.1378/chest.128.6_suppl.585S10.1378/chest.128.6_suppl.585S ↗
16. 10.3389/fphar.2017.0032610.3389/fphar.2017.00326 ↗
17. An Enigmatic Pathogenetic Mechanism of Hypoxia Inducible Factor ‐ 1/2 Alpha in the Progression of Fibrosis of Oral Submucous Fibrosis and Its Malignant Transformation: a Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.105944 ↗
18. 10.1038/s41573‐020‐0075‐710.1038/s41573‐020‐0075‐7 ↗
19. 10.1093/nar/gkad06710.1093/nar/gkad067 ↗
20. 10.1038/3507810710.1038/35078107 ↗
21. Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF‐β) Isoforms in Wound Healing and Fibrosis10.1111/wrr.12398 ↗
22. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.05.02310.1016/j.bbrc.2011.05.023 ↗
23. Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment: RNA Ligands to Bacteriophage T4 DNA Polymerase10.1126/science.2200121 ↗
24. In Vitro Selection of RNA Molecules That Bind Specific Ligands10.1038/346818a0 ↗
25. Aptamers as Targeted Therapeutics: Current Potential and Challenges10.1038/nrd.2016.199 ↗
26. Binding and Structural Properties of DNA Aptamers With VEGF‐A‐mimic Activity10.1016/j.omtn.2019.12.034 ↗
27. Angiogenic Aptamer‐modified Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acid Promotes Angiogenesis in Vitro and in Vivo10.1021/acsami.1c08565 ↗
28. Image‐Based Analysis of Lipid Nanoparticle–Mediated siRNA Delivery, Intracellular Trafficking and Endosomal Escape10.1038/nbt.2612 ↗
29. Nanocarriers Address Intracellular Barriers for Efficient Drug Delivery, Overcoming Drug Resistance, Subcellular Targeting and Controlled Release10.1016/j.addr.2024.115239 ↗
30. Advanced Engineered Nanoparticulate Platforms to Address Key Biological Barriers for Delivering Chemotherapeutic Agents to Target Sites10.1016/j.addr.2020.06.030 ↗
31. The Interaction of Nanoparticles With Plasma Proteins and the Consequent Influence on Nanoparticles Behavior10.1517/17425247.2014.877442 ↗
32. Redox‐responsive Polyethyleneimine/Tetrahedron DNA/Doxorubicin Nanocomplexes for Deep Cell/Tissue Penetration to Overcome Multidrug Resistance10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.11.050 ↗
33. ECM Stiffness‐mediated Regulation of Glucose Metabolism in MSCs Osteogenic Differentiation: Mechanisms, Intersections, and Implications10.26599/OSHM.2025.9610025 ↗
34. Nanodelivery of Nucleic Acids10.1038/s43586-022-00104-y ↗
35. Immunogenicity of Lipid Nanoparticles and its Impact on the Efficacy of Mrna Vaccines and Therapeutics10.1038/s12276-023-01086-x ↗
36. Delivery of Drugs, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids Using Inorganic Nanoparticles10.1016/j.addr.2020.06.020 ↗
37. Construction of Nanocarriers Based on Nucleic Acids and Their Applications in Nanobiology Delivery Systems10.1093/nsr/nwac006 ↗
38. Design, Fabrication and Applications of Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructure‐Based Multifunctional Complexes in Drug Delivery and Biomedical Treatment10.1038/s41596-020-0355-z ↗
39. 10.1016/j.cej.2025.16373610.1016/j.cej.2025.163736 ↗
40. 10.1038/s41368‐022‐00171‐710.1038/s41368‐022‐00171‐7 ↗
41. Recent Progress and Application of the Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acid Materials on Drug Delivery10.1080/17425247.2023.2276285 ↗
42. 10.1038/s41596‐024‐01050‐710.1038/s41596‐024‐01050‐7 ↗
43. 10.2174/138920022466623060109134610.2174/1389200224666230601091346 ↗
44. 10.1038/s41368‐024‐00302‐210.1038/s41368‐024‐00302‐2 ↗
45. Macrophage Cytokines: Involvement in Immunity and Infectious Diseases
46. 10.1016/j.immuni.2013.10.02210.1016/j.immuni.2013.10.022 ↗
47. 10.1016/j.it.2015.01.00310.1016/j.it.2015.01.003 ↗
48. 10.1089/wound.2019.103210.1089/wound.2019.1032 ↗
49. 10.1016/j.jebdp.2024.10207310.1016/j.jebdp.2024.102073 ↗
50. Reactive oxygen species‐scavenging nanoantioxidants inflammation:Design and therapy
51. 10.26599/OSHM.2025.961000310.26599/OSHM.2025.9610003 ↗
52. The Nuclear Factor NF‐κB Pathway in Inflammation10.1101/cshperspect.a001651 ↗
53. Mammalian MAPK Signal Transduction Pathways Activated by Stress and Inflammation: a 10‐Year Update10.1152/physrev.00028.2011 ↗
54. 10.1007/s12013‐024‐01633‐x10.1007/s12013‐024‐01633‐x ↗
55. Epigallocatechin‐3‐Gallate Inhibits the Collagen Accumulation of Oral Submucous Fibrosis Induced by Arecoline10.3389/fphar.2025.1540559 ↗
56. Oral Submucous Fibrosis: Etiology, Pathogenesis, and Future Research
57. Hypoxia Promotes Fibrogenesis in Vivo via HIF‐1 Stimulation of Epithelial‐to‐Mesenchymal Transition
58. 10.1002/path.227710.1002/path.2277 ↗
59. In Vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays
60. 10.3389/fcell.2020.0026010.3389/fcell.2020.00260 ↗
61. 10.3389/fcell.2021.70202110.3389/fcell.2021.702021 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.yexcr.2013.02.02110.1016/j.yexcr.2013.02.021 ↗
63. 10.1016/S0960‐9822(99)80371‐610.1016/S0960‐9822(99)80371‐6 ↗
64. 10.1016/j.cell.2012.01.02110.1016/j.cell.2012.01.021 ↗
65. 10.1016/j.jfma.2017.02.01910.1016/j.jfma.2017.02.019 ↗
66. 10.4103/2141‐9248.17798310.4103/2141‐9248.177983 ↗
67. Macrophages and the Immune Microenvironment in OPMDs: a Systematic Review of the Literature10.3389/froh.2025.1605978 ↗
68. Matrix Metalloproteinases and Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases: Structure, Function, and Biochemistry10.1161/01.RES.0000070112.80711.3D ↗