Stimulus-responsive nanomaterials containing logic gates for biomedical applications
Can Luo, Lei He, Fengming Chen, Ting Fu, Penghui Zhang, Zeyu Xiao, Yanlan Liu, Weihong Tan
Abstract
The rapid advance of nanotechnology has presented tremendous opportunities for various biomedical applications. In particular, integration of biomolecular logic gates with nanostructures has opened new avenues in the fields of disease diagnosis and therapy that involve handling complex factors and require precise control. Over time, stimulus-responsive nanomaterials containing molecular logic gates have advanced from simple single input-triggered “YES/NO” responses into sophisticated Boolean logic computations. In these smart nanomaterials, the Boolean logic operations can only be activated by two or more defined inputs via biorecognition, catalysis, or biochemical reactions, contributing to improved specificity and minimized off-target or side effects. In this review, we provide an up-to-date overview of the development of stimulus-responsive nanomaterials containing logic gates and their applications in cell profiling, sensing, imaging, and drug delivery. Future perspectives and challenges in this emerging field are also discussed.