# Aptamer-mediated liver-targeted curcumin delivery system based on tetrahedral framework nucleic acids for NAFLD

## TL;DR

Researchers developed a new way to deliver curcumin to the liver using DNA nanostructures and aptamers, improving its effectiveness for treating fatty liver disease.

## Contribution

The novel approach combines DNA nanostructures and liver-targeting aptamers to enhance curcumin delivery and therapeutic efficacy for NAFLD.

## Key findings

- The curcumin delivery system significantly improved solubility and stability of curcumin.
- The system demonstrated enhanced therapeutic efficacy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- The method provides a blueprint for liver-targeted delivery of other drugs.

## Abstract

Curcumin is renowned for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects, and has been implicated in the amelioration of obesity and diabetes. Notwithstanding its considerable therapeutic potential, the clinical utility of curcumin is hampered by its suboptimal bioavailability, due to poor aqueous solubility and chemical instability. Consequently, the development of strategies to enhance the aqueous solubility, stability, and ultimately, the bioavailability of curcumin has been a focal point of intense research. This study harnessed tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs), a relatively simple DNA nanostructure, to encapsulate curcumin. Meanwhile, novel aptamers for liver-specific targeting were acquired by SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) method. By capitalizing on the unique properties of aptamers and tFNAs, an aptamer-mediated liver-targeted curcumin delivery system was constructed, with the goal of providing a more efficacious therapeutic approach for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This innovative delivery platform has not only markedly improved the solubility and stability of curcumin but has also significantly bolstered its therapeutic efficacy in the context of NAFLD. This research not only offers a novel approach for the delivery of curcumin but also presents a new therapeutic modality for NAFLD. Moreover, the implications of this research extend beyond curcumin, offering a blueprint for the liver-targeted delivery of other drug molecules.