Chemisorption Mechanism of DNA on Mg/Fe Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles: Insights into Engineering Effective SiRNA Delivery Systems

Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDH NPs) have attracted interest as an effective gene delivery vehicle in biomedicine. Recent advances in clinic trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Mg/Fe LDHs for hyperphosphatemia treatment, but their feasibility for gene delivery has not been systematically evaluated. As a starting point, we aimed to study the interaction between oligo-DNA and Mg/Fe LDH NPs. Our investigation revealed the chemisorption mechanism of DNA on Mg/Fe LDH surfaces, wherein the phosphate backbone of the DNA polymer coordinates with the metal cations of the LDH lattice via the ligand-exchange process. This mechanistic insight may facilitate future gene delivery applications using Mg/Fe LDH NPs.