Tetrahedral Framework\nNucleic Acid-Loaded Retinoic\nAcid Promotes Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Clearance

Metastatic osteosarcoma is a commonly seen malignant\ntumor in adolescents,\nwith a five year survival rate of approximately 20% and a lack of\ntreatment options. Osteosarcoma cancer stem cells are considered to\nbe important drivers of the metastasis of osteosarcoma, and therefore\ntheir clearance is considered a promising strategy for treating metastatic\nosteosarcoma.\nIn the relevant literature, retinoic acid (ATRA) is considered effective\nfor eliminating osteosarcoma stem cells, but it has some inherent\ndisadvantages, including poor solubility, difficulty in entering cells,\nand structural instability. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs)\nare a type of nanoparticles that can carry small-molecule drugs into\ncells to exert therapeutic effects. Therefore, we designed and synthesized\na nanoparticle named T-ATRA by using tFNAs to load ATRA and studied\nits effect in a nude mouse model. T-ATRA is more effective than ATRA\nin the clearance of osteosarcoma stem cells and in inhibiting osteosarcoma\ncell metastasis via the Wnt signaling pathway, thus prolonging the\nsurvival time of nude mice with osteosarcoma.