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.