Construction, Functionalization and Biomedical Application of DNA Supramolecular Hydrogels

Due to the similarity to extracellular matrix, hydrogels have been widely used in biomedical field such as drug delivery, tissue engineering and in vitro cell culture. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is known for the clear chemical composition, designable sequence and unique structural rigidity, which makes DNA an ideal material for construction of hydrogels. Based on our research, this review summarizes recent developments in DNA supramolecular hydrogels. Firstly, the construction strategies including the pure and hybrid DNA supramolecular hydrogels are introduced. While the construction of pure DNA supramolecular hydrogels is mainly based on base pairing or physical entanglement, covalent or non-covalent doping is also demonstrated to play important roles in preparing the hybrid hydrogels. Then, the physical properties of the DNA supramolecular hydrogels are discussed, such as the excellent permeability, tunable mechanical strength and dynamic properties. Next, the functionalization strategies are also summarized, including sequence design, chemical modification and network interpenetration. Furthermore, the applications of DNA supramolecular hydrogels in biomedicine are introduced, focusing on three-dimensional cell culture and printing, tissue engineering, immunotherapy and drug delivery. Finally, some challenges and future perspectives in the development of DNA supramolecular hydrogels are discussed. It is expected that with the flourishing development, DNA supramolecular hydrogels will have more applications. [GRAPHICS] .