DNA-Assisted Smart Nanocarriers: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Nanotechnology enables smart drug delivery mechanisms for biomedical research and therapeutics.
• Current enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) strategies are insufficient for precise drug delivery, leading to suboptimal concentrations and side effects.
• Stimuli-responsive systems offer on-demand drug delivery by reacting to the pathophysiological microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review progress in stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems utilizing DNA nanotechnology.
• To explore the chemical, physical, and biological engineering principles for constructing DNA-assisted nanocarriers.
• To summarize smart nanocarrier systems based on DNA structural changes in response to microenvironmental stimuli.

Main Methods:

• Focus on DNA nanotechnology for creating stimuli-responsive nanocarriers.
• Describe engineering principles for DNA-assisted nanocarrier construction.
• Organize systems by DNA structural changes triggered by pH, temperature, and intracellular oligonucleotides.

Main Results:

• DNA nanostructures can be precisely reconfigured by external and internal stimuli.
• Stimuli-responsive DNA nanocarriers enable targeted drug release in specific microenvironments.
• Recent advances demonstrate feasibility for in vivo therapies and clinical translation.

Conclusions:

• DNA-assisted nanocarriers represent a promising strategy for precise, on-demand drug delivery.
• Further development is needed to overcome challenges and advance clinical translation.
• These systems hold potential for future in vivo therapies with improved efficacy and safety.