Recent advances in gene delivery nanoplatforms based on spherical nucleic acids

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Gene therapy offers a promising alternative for diseases unresponsive to traditional treatments.
• Effective gene transfer into target cells is crucial for successful gene therapy outcomes.
• Current in-vivo gene transfer relies on viral and non-viral vectors, each with limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the unique structural properties, types, and optimization of Spherical Nucleic Acids (SNAs).
• To highlight SNAs as a novel class of non-viral gene delivery vectors.
• To review recent advancements in SNA-based nanoplatforms for gene delivery.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on Spherical Nucleic Acids (SNAs) as gene delivery systems.
• Analysis of SNA structural features and their impact on biological interactions.
• Discussion of synthesis strategies and optimization mechanisms for SNA nanoplatforms.

Main Results:

• SNAs are nanotechnology-based non-viral vectors with a spherical core functionalized with oligonucleotides.
• SNAs exhibit high cellular internalization, nuclease stability, and penetration of biological barriers.
• SNAs demonstrate negligible toxicity and minimal immune response, making them attractive for drug and nucleic acid delivery.

Conclusions:

• SNAs possess favorable physicochemical and biological attributes for advanced gene delivery.
• The unique structure of SNAs confers potent therapeutic delivery capabilities.
• Ongoing research focuses on optimizing SNA synthesis for enhanced gene delivery nanoplatforms.