Framework Nucleic Acids: A Promising Vehicle for Small Molecular Cargos.

Framework nucleic acids (FNAs), which are a series of self-assembled DNA nanostructures, are highly versatile tools for engineering intelligent molecular delivery vehicles. Owing to their precise and controllable design and construction, excellent programmability and functionality, as well as favorable intercalation between DNA and small molecules, FNAs provide a promising approach for small molecule delivery. This review discusses the advantages, applications, and current challenges of FNAs for the delivery of small molecular cargo. First, the physicochemical and biological properties that make FNAs favorable for the transport of small molecules are introduced. Thereafter, the classification of loaded cargos and the mechanism of combination between small molecules and FNAs are summarized in detail, and recent research on FNA-based delivery systems and their applications are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and prospects of FNA nanocarriers are discussed to advance their exploitation and clinical adoption.

Zhang J ，Li J ，Sui L ，Li Y ... -  《-》

Self-Assembled DNA Nanostructures-Based Nanocarriers Enabled Functional Nucleic Acids Delivery.

Huang J ，Ma W ，Sun H ，Wang H ，He X ，Cheng H ，Huang M ，Lei Y ，Wang K ... -  《-》

Functional Nucleic Acid Nanomaterials: Development, Properties, and Applications.

Functional nucleic acid (FNA) nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field between nucleic acid biochemistry and nanotechnology that focuses on the study of interactions between FNAs and nanomaterials and explores the particular advantages and applications of FNA nanomaterials. With the goal of building the next-generation biomaterials that combine the advantages of FNAs and nanomaterials, the interactions between FNAs and nanomaterials as well as FNA self-assembly technologies have established themselves as hot research areas, where the target recognition, response, and self-assembly ability, combined with the plasmon properties, stability, stimuli-response, and delivery potential of various nanomaterials can give rise to a variety of novel fascinating applications. As research on the structural and functional group features of FNAs and nanomaterials rapidly develops, many laboratories have reported numerous methods to construct FNA nanomaterials. In this Review, we first introduce some widely used FNAs and nanomaterials along with their classification, structure, and application features. Then we discuss the most successful methods employing FNAs and nanomaterials as elements for creating advanced FNA nanomaterials. Finally, we review the extensive applications of FNA nanomaterials in bioimaging, biosensing, biomedicine, and other important fields, with their own advantages and drawbacks, and provide our perspective about the issues and developing trends in FNA nanotechnology.

Xu W ，He W ，Du Z ，Zhu L ，Huang K ，Lu Y ，Luo Y ... -  《-》

Rational Design of Framework Nucleic Acids for Bioanalytical Applications.

With the advent of DNA nanotechnology, nucleic acids have been used building blocks for constructing various DNA nanostructures. As classical and simple DNA nanostructures, framework nucleic acids (FNAs) have attracted enormous attention in the field of biosensing. The sequence-specific self-assembly properties and high programmability of nucleic acids allow FNAs to be incorporated in advanced probe design. In addition, FNAs enable the engineering of surfaces for biosensing (e. g., probe orientation, probe spacing), thereby improving the accessibility of target molecules to the probes arranged on heterogeneous surfaces. Moreover, FNAs offer a universal and promising platform for sensing cellular molecules because of their prominent biocompatibility and cellular permeability. Herein recent advances in FNA-based biosensors are summarized, including electrochemical detection, optical detection, and intracellular sensing. It is hoped that this review will provide guidelines for the design and construction of FNA scaffold-based biosensors.

Su Y ，Li D ，Liu B ，Xiao M ，Wang F ，Li L ，Zhang X ，Pei H ... -  《ChemPlusChem》

Advances in DNA nanotechnology for chronic wound management: Innovative functional nucleic acid nanostructures for overcoming key challenges.

Chronic wound management is affected by three primary challenges: bacterial infection, oxidative stress and inflammation, and impaired regenerative capacity. Conventional treatment methods typically fail to deliver optimal outcomes, thus highlighting the urgency to develop innovative materials that can address these issues and improve efficacy. Recent advances in DNA nanotechnology have garnered significant interest, particularly in the field of functional nucleic acid (FNA) nanomaterials, owing to their exceptional biocompatibility, programmability, and therapeutic potential. Among them, FNAs with unique nanostructures have garnered considerable attention. First, they inherit the biological properties of FNAs, including biocompatibility, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capabilities, and modulation of cellular functions. Second, based on a precise design, these nanostructures exhibit superior physical properties, stability, and cellular uptake. Third, by leveraging the programmability of DNA strands, FNA nanostructures can be customized to accommodate therapeutic nucleic acids, peptides, and small-molecule drugs, thereby enabling a stable and controlled drug delivery system. These unique characteristics enable the use of FNA nanostructures to effectively address the major challenges in chronic wound management. This review focuses on various FNA nanostructures, including tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs), DNA hydrogels, DNA origami, and rolling-circle amplification (RCA) DNA assembly. Additionally, a summary of recent advancements in their design and application for chronic wound management as well as insights for future research in this field are provided.

Shi R ，Zhu Y ，Chen Y ，Lin Y ，Shi S ... -  《-》