Demonstrates enhanced calcium influx in mammalian cells, suggesting novel therapeutic applications.
Electrical signaling in biology is ionic. Safe modulation needs interfaces that couple electrons to ions at soft membranes without injury. We present DNA-FOCUS, a membrane-conformal, DNA-programmed carbon-nanotube biointerface that self-assembles on living cells, weaving DNA-wrapped SWCNTs into an ultraflexible mesh. A subvolt bias is condensed into nanometer hotspots at the membrane, lowering access resistance and engaging endogenous calcium-permeable ion channels. Subvolt stimulation drives sustained Ca 2+ influx across multiple lineages, with voltage-sensitive dye and impedance readouts showing stronger coupling. Responses occur without excess ROS or loss of viability. The focused field also enables gentle electroporation for plasmid delivery, augments mechano-electrical transduction, and modulates neuronal excitability. Transcriptional analysis and functional validation confirm NFAT activation, and in natural killer cells, it boosts perforin and IFN-γ release with higher tumor killing. This programmable, substrate-free interface supports low-voltage electro-modulation for high-throughput analytics and therapeutic augmentation.
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Li et al. (2026) studied this question.
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