Recent Advances in DNAzyme Systems for Disease Diagnosis and Therapy

As the prevalence and complexity of health conditions rise, the importance of disease diagnosis and therapy has never been more critical. However, challenges remain, including the demand for improved sensitivity, specificity, and biocompatibility in diagnostic and therapeutic methods. DNAzymes offer distinct advantages, including programmability, catalytic efficiency, and excellent biocompatibility, which make them highly promising for applications in disease diagnosis and therapy. This review comprehensively summarizes their structural classifications and functional properties, with particular emphasis on recent advances in the sensitive and specific detection of disease-associated biomarkers, including proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules. Additionally, emerging therapeutic strategies are highlighted based on DNAzymes, encompassing gene regulation, immunomodulation, chemodynamic therapy, and phototherapy. Finally, key challenges and optimization strategies are discussed, as well as the prospects for the clinical translation of DNAzyme systems in precision medicine.