Prospects of DNA nanotechnology in stroke repair and regeneration

Stroke remains a significant global cause of death and long-term disability, with limited effective treatments for repairing and regenerating damaged brain tissue. Conventional therapy primarily focuses on acute care and preventing recurrence, but it falls short in restoring lost neural function. Recent advances in DNA nanotechnology, enabling precise molecular engineering, targeted delivery, and dynamic bio-functional platforms, offer promising avenues to address this gap. DNA nanostructures have been explored for various stroke therapies, including neuroprotective drug delivery, promoting angiogenesis, reducing inflammation, and guiding stem cells, thanks to their programmability, biocompatibility, and structural adaptability. Additionally, DNA nanodevices paired with imaging agents allow real-time monitoring of cerebral repair processes. Recent studies suggest that DNA nanoparticles could enhance neuronal survival, support functional regeneration, and modify the post-stroke environment. Despite these promising developments, significant challenges remain in vivo stability, immunogenicity, large-scale manufacturing, and safety for translation. This review outlines the current applications of DNA nanotechnology in stroke repair and regeneration, offering mechanistic insights into their therapeutic roles and prospects for clinical translation of DNA-based nanotherapeutics in neuroregenerative medicine.