Structure-switchable aptamer-arranged reconfigurable DNA nanonetworks for targeted cancer therapy

• Published in: Nanomedicine Vol. 43; p. 102553
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhenmeng, Lv, Jinrui, Huang, Hong, Xu, Huo, Zhang, Jingjing, Xue, Chang, Zhang, Songbai, Wu, Zai-Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2022
• Subjects: DNA nano-networks; Drug delivery; Multivalent aptamers; Targeted cancer therapy; Drug delivery; Multivalent aptamers; Targeted cancer therapy; DNA nano-networks
• ISSN: 1549-9634; 1549-9642
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2022.102553

The structural DNA nanotechnology holds great potential application in bioimaging, drug delivery and cancer therapy. Herein, an intelligent aptamer-incorporated DNA nanonetwork (Apt-Nnes) is demonstrated for cancer cell imaging and targeted drug delivery, which essentially is a micron-scale pattern with the thickness of double-stranded monolayer. Cancer cell-surface receptors can make it perform magical transformation into small size of nanosheet intermediates and specifically enter target cells. The binding affinity of Apt-Nnes is increased by 3-fold due to multivalent binding effect of aptamers and it can maintain the structural integrity in fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 8 h. More interestingly, target cancer cells can cause the structural disassembly, and each resulting unit transports 4963 doxorubicin (Dox) into target cells, causing the specific cellular cytotoxicity. The cell surface receptor-mediated disassembly of large size of DNA nanostructures into small size of fractions provides a valuable insight into developing intelligent DNA nanostructure suitable for biomedical applications. An aptamer-incorporated DNA nanonetwork is designed to be disassembled by target cancer cells, and each resulting unit transports drugs into the cells for intelligent targeted drug delivery. [Display omitted] •A micron-scale DNA pattern is presented for cell imaging and targeted drug delivery.•Disassembly of large size of DNA nanostructures into the small size.•Multivalent binding effect of aptamers provides a 3-fold higher binding affinity.•DNA nanonetworks retain the structural integrity in fetal bovine serum (FBS) over 8 h.•Each nanosheet intermediate can transport 4963 doxorubicin (Dox) into target cells.