(Reporter Zhang Mengran) Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a modular nanoparticle with a carefully designed surface that can accommodate any selected biological molecule, allowing for customized nanoparticles to target different biological entities such as tumors, viruses, or toxins. The research paper was published on the 30th in Nature Nanotechnology. This technology combines simplicity and efficiency. Researchers can use modular nanoparticle substrates and easily attach proteins to target the desired biological entities, rather than creating entirely new nanoparticles for each specific application. Zhang Liangfang, a professor of nanoengineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the university, said that this is a "plug and play" platform technology that can quickly modify functional biological nanoparticles. The key to modular nanoparticle design is a pair of synthetic proteins called SpyCatcher and SpyTag. Its working principle is that SpyCatcher is embedded on the surface of nanoparticles, while SpyTag chemically connects to target proteins (such as proteins targeting tumors or viruses). When the proteins connected by SpyTag come into contact with SpyCatcher modified nanoparticles, they easily bind to each other, allowing the target protein to effortlessly adhere to the surface of the nanoparticles. Researchers genetically modified human embryonic kidney 293 cells to express SpyCatcher protein on their surface. Then, the cell membrane is broken and coated on biodegradable polymer nanoparticles. Subsequently, these nanoparticles were mixed with proteins connected to SpyTag. The team conducted tests on mice with ovarian tumors. These nanoparticles were loaded with the chemotherapy drug docetaxel and injected intravenously every 3 days for a total of 4 times, ultimately inhibiting tumor growth and improving survival rate. The median survival period of treated mice is 63-71 days, while the median survival period of untreated mice is 24-29 days. (New News Agency)