@article{Wu2026, 
author = {Tiantian Wu and Shun Zhang and Le Li and Chen Li and Pengxuan Zhao and Xiaoyuan Chen and Junjie Cheng},
title = {Programmable artificial chaperone for aging intervention},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {19},
number = {8},
pages = {94908731},
keywords = {nanomedicine, DNA nanotechnology, DNA biomaterials, nucleic acids chemistry, drug and gene delivery},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2026.94908731},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2026.94908731},
abstract = {Aging is marked by a decline in cellular proteostasis, leading to protein misfolding, oxidative modifications, and aggregation, thereby impairing cellular function and accelerating senescence-related deterioration. Strengthening proteostasis networks can mitigate these disruptions and restore cellular homeostasis. Here, a programmable DNA building blocks-based artificial chaperone, ThRibo, was constructed to selectively target ribosomes and employ a reductive repair cascade that prevents misfolding and aggregation caused by oxidative post-translational modifications (oxidative PTMs) of newly synthesized proteins, repairs already damaged residues, and restores proteostasis balance. In aging mice, ThRibo effectively suppressed senescence-associated signaling pathways, including the canonical tumor protein p53 (p53)/p21/p16 axis and the stress-responsive c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, improved brain protein homeostasis, reduced oxidative stress markers, enhanced motor performance, and exhibited desirable biocompatibility. This ribosome-targeted, programmable artificial chaperone provides a versatile platform for maintaining proteostasis and is expected to offer a promising strategy for anti-aging interventions.}
}