DNA nanotechnology-based development of delivery systems for bioactive compounds.
Nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, not only allow transfer and replication of densely coded genetic information, but also act as danger signals triggering innate immune response. Recent progress in the design and construction of nano-sized structures using DNA has opened a new field of nanotechnology. The unique properties of nano-sized DNA constructs can be exploited to develop programmable materials for efficient delivery of bioactive compounds. In this review, recent advances in DNA nanotechnology and its applications as delivery systems are summarized. In particular, we focus on the delivery of DNA containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotide, or CpG motif, to immune cells expressing Toll-like receptor 9. Recent studies have shown that precisely designed DNA constructs, such as multi-branched DNA, polyhedral DNA, and DNA origami, can be used to enhance the biological activity of CpG DNA.
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Kohta
K
Mohri
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Makiya
M
Nishikawa
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Yuki
Y
Takahashi
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address: takakura@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Yoshinobu
Y
Takakura
D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D036103:Nanotechnology
D004247:DNA
CpG DNA; DNA nanotechnology; Drug delivery system; Immune response