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Updated: May 10, 2026
09:41
Formulating and Characterizing Lipid Nanoparticles for Gene Delivery using a Microfluidic Mixing Platform
Published on: February 25, 2021
Drug delivery systems based on nucleic acid nanostructures.
Jan Willem de Vries1, Feng Zhang, Andreas Herrmann
1Department of Polymer Chemistry, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
Summary
DNA nanostructures offer versatile platforms for biomedical applications. This review explores their potential in drug delivery, focusing on pristine nucleic acid structures and hybrid materials like gold/silica cores and DNA block copolymers.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
Background:
- DNA nanotechnology has rapidly advanced, yielding diverse 1D, 2D, and 3D nanostructures.
- These DNA nanoobjects are fabricated via self-assembly, enabling precise functionalization and material integration.
- Certain DNA nanosystems exhibit low toxicity, prompting exploration for biomedical uses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the progress and potential of DNA nanostructures for drug delivery.
- To discuss pristine nucleic acid nanostructures and DNA hybrid materials as drug carriers.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on DNA nanostructures for drug delivery.
- Categorization of DNA hybrid materials into inorganic core carriers and amphiphilic DNA block copolymers.
Main Results:
- Accessible fabrication of diverse DNA nanostructures with controlled geometry and size.
- Integration capabilities for functional moieties and other materials within DNA nanostructures.
- Identification of low toxicity profiles for some DNA nanosystems.
Conclusions:
- DNA nanostructures are promising for drug delivery applications.
- DNA hybrid materials, including inorganic-core and amphiphilic block copolymer types, offer distinct advantages for drug encapsulation and release.
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