Lipid Modification of DNA Tetrahedrons Enhances Cellular Uptake, Migration, and In Vivo Uptake

The extraordinary self-assembling nature of DNA nanostructuresand high functionality enable the formulation of DNA nanostructureswith multiple chemical and biological molecules. It is currently unknownexactly how these modified DNA nanostructures are incorporated intothe organisms as a whole, in their native or modified forms, or howstable they are within. Here, we report the fabrication and evaluationof a conjugate of a cationic lipid, N-[1-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammoniumchloride (DOTMA), and a DNA tetrahedron nanostructure (TdN), for theenhanced uptake, stability, bioimaging, and biotherapeutics in cellsand zebrafish (Danio rerio) eleutheroembryos as a model organism. We summarize the enhanced uptake potentialof the TdN-DOTMA conjugate for futuristic biomedical applicationssuch as drug delivery, bioimaging, biosensing, and therapeutics.