LAUSR

Immune cells sense, communicate, and logically integrate a multitude of environmental signals to make important cell-fate decisions and fulfill their effector functions. These processes are initiated and regulated by a diverse array of immune receptors and via their dynamic spatiotemporal organization upon ligand binding. Given the widespread relevance of the immune system to health and disease, there have been significant efforts towards understanding the biophysical principles governing immune receptor signaling and activation, as well as the development of biomaterials which exploit these principles for therapeutic immune-engineering. Here, we discuss how advances in the field of DNA nanotechnology constitutes a growing toolbox for further pursuit of these endeavors. We first summarize key cellular players involved in the induction of immunity against pathogens or diseased cells. We then present how the ability to design DNA nanostructures with custom shapes, dynamics, and with site-specific incorporation of diverse guests, can be leveraged to manipulate the signaling pathways that regulate these processes. We follow by highlighting emerging applications of DNA nanotechnology at the crossroads of immune engineering, such as in vitro reconstitution platforms, vaccines, and adjuvant delivery systems. Finally, we outline outstanding questions that remain for further advancing immune-modulatory DNA nanodevices. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.