Live imaging of mRNA using RNA-stabilized fluorogenic proteins

Fluorogenic RNA aptamers bind and activate the fluorescence of otherwise nonfluorescent dyes. However, fluorogenic aptamers are limited by the small number of fluorogenic dyes suitable for use in live cells. In this communication, fluorogenic proteins whose fluorescence is activated by RNA aptamers are described. Fluorogenic proteins are highly unstable until they bind RNA aptamers inserted into messenger RNAs, resulting in fluorescent RNA–protein complexes that enable live imaging of mRNA in living cells

Liposome-Based Engineering of Cells To Package Hydrophobic Compounds in Membrane Vesicles for Tumor Penetration

Natural membrane vesicles (MVs) derived from various types of cells play an essential role in transporting biological materials between cells. Here, we show that exogenous compounds are packaged in the MVs by engineering the parental cells via liposomes, and the MVs mediate autonomous intercellular migration of the compounds through multiple cancer cell layers. Hydrophobic compounds delivered selectively to the plasma membrane of cancer cells using synthetic membrane fusogenic liposomes were efficiently incorporated into the membrane of MVs secreted from the cells and then transferred to neighboring cells via the MVs. This liposome-mediated MV engineering strategy allowed hydrophobic photosensitizers to significantly penetrate both spheroids and in vivo tumors, thereby enhancing the therapeutic efficacy. These results suggest that innate biological transport systems can be in situ engineered via synthetic liposomes to guide the penetration of chemotherapeutics across challenging tissue barriers in solid tumors

Live imaging of mRNA using RNA-stabilized fluorogenic proteins

Fluorogenic RNA aptamers bind and activate the fluorescence of otherwise nonfluorescent dyes. However, fluorogenic aptamers are limited by the small number of fluorogenic dyes suitable for use in live cells. In this communication, fluorogenic proteins whose fluorescence is activated by RNA aptamers are described. Fluorogenic proteins are highly unstable until they bind RNA aptamers inserted into messenger RNAs, resulting in fluorescent RNA–protein complexes that enable live imaging of mRNA in living cells