Applications of DNA-based nanostructures in immunotherapy

DNA, as a carrier of genetic information, has further been efficiently utilized as a foundational element in creating diverse nanostructures of different shapes and sizes through precise base pairing. With spatial addressability, structural programmability, and remarkable biocompatibility, self-assembled DNA-based nanostructures have been broadly applied in various biomedical research areas, such as bio-imaging, disease diagnosis, and drug delivery. Of particular note, immunotherapy, known for its outstanding therapeutic efficacy, has garnered much attention. In this review, we highlight the recent applications of DNA-based nanostructures (including DNA junction, DNA polyhedron, DNA origami, RCA-based DNA structure, DNA hydrogel, and spherical nucleic acid) in immunotherapy (based on the delivery of CpG adjuvant, tumor antigen, PD1 inhibitor, mRNA vaccine, virus antigen, or direct regulating immune cells). Furthermore, the challenges and future prospects of DNA-based nanostructures for in vivo immunotherapy are discussed.