Design, Assembly, Characterization and Biological Applications of Biocompatible and Multifunctional 3D DNA Nanocarriers in Living Cells

We propose to rationally design and assemble multifunctional 3D DNA nanocages containing fluorescent markers for imaging, targeting agents for cancer cells recognition and sub-cellular organelles localization, a cavity for selective encapsulation and photoresponsive agents for opening of cages. The chemical modification of cages with functional agents would facilitate specific tumor cell targeting and sub-cellular organelles localization without destroying their intrinsic behaviors. A low cytotoxicity, high uptake efficiency and high stability of nanocage are expected. We also propose to investigate the selective encapsulation of molecular cargos, and explore the possibility of trigger-release of cargo under multi-photon laser light excitation. Our finding should strongly envision that multifunctional DNA nano-object will become one of the most intelligent nano-tool for in vitro or in vivo biomedical studies in respect to targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy.