DNA self-assembling nanostructure has been considered as a promising candidate as a drug delivery vehicle because of its compactness, mechanical stability, and noncytotoxicity. In this work, we developed functional, multiform DNA nanostructures by appending a tumor-penetrating peptide to tetrahedral DNA nanostructure (p-TDN). This functional structure is able to efficiently increase the rate of uptake of glioblastoma cell U87MG compared with the DNA tetrahedron and the double-stranded DNA structures. We found that the DNA tetrahedron plays the main role in the endocytosis of U87MG cells, whereas the tumor-penetrating peptide could also bind to transmembrane glycoprotein neuropilin-1 and mediate the endocytosis of the p-TDN nanostructure. Moreover, given the high efficiency of the growth inhibitory effect of the p-TDN loading doxorubicin hydrochloride, the p-TDN distinguishes itself as a promising candidate as an effective delivery carrier.

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The spinal surgeon community has expressed significant interest in applying calcium phosphate cement (CPC) for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and minimizing its disadvantages, such as its water-induced collapsibility and poor mechanical properties, limiting its clinical use. In this work, novel biodegradable electrospun nanofibrous poly(d,l-lactic acid-ϵ-caprolactone) balloons (ENPBs) were prepared, and the separation, pressure, degradation, and new bone formation behaviors of the ENPBs when used as CPC-filled containers in vitro and in vivo were systematically analyzed and compared. CPC could be separated from surrounding bone tissues by ENPBs in vitro and in vivo. ENPB-CPCs (ENPBs serving as CPC-filled containers) exerted pressure on the surrounding bone microenvironment, which was enough to crush trabecular bone. Compared with the CPC implantation, ENPB-CPCs delayed the degradation of CPC (i.e., its water-induced collapsilibity). Finally, possible mechanisms behind the in vivo effects caused by ENPB-CPCs implanted into rabbit thighbones and pig vertebrae were proposed. This work suggests that ENPBs can be potentially applied as CPC-filled containers in vivo and provides an experimental basis for the clinical application of ENPBs for the treatment of VCFs. In addition, this work will be of benefit to the development of polymer-based medical implants in the future.

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The most important risk factors affecting subsequent fractures after vertebroplasty were osteoporosis and treated level at the thoracolumbar junction.