Lactose-modified DNA tile nanostructures as drug carriers

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• DNA hybridization enables the creation of nanoscale DNA structures for drug delivery.
• Low cellular uptake efficiency of DNA nanostructures due to negative charges necessitates surface modification.
• Enhancing cellular internalization is crucial for effective DNA-based drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a DNA-based nanocarrier system.
• To investigate the cellular uptake of DNA tiles with and without lactose modification.
• To evaluate the efficacy of lactose modification in improving drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Doxorubicin was loaded into DNA tiles.
• Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of drug-loaded DNA tiles (with/without lactose) were studied in HeLa, BT-474, and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells.
• Fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and WST-1 assay were used to analyze uptake and cytotoxicity.

Main Results:

• Lactose modification significantly increased intracellular uptake of doxorubicin-loaded DNA tiles in cancer cells.
• Compared to unmodified DNA tiles, lactose-modified versions showed enhanced drug delivery.
• The study demonstrated improved cellular internalization with lactose modification.

Conclusions:

• DNA-based nanostructures modified with carbohydrates, like lactose, serve as effective multifunctional nanocarriers.
• Simple chemical modifications can enhance the performance of DNA nanocarriers.
• Carbohydrate-modified DNA nanostructures show promise for targeted drug delivery applications.