Recent progresses and challenges on mesoporous silica nanoparticles for DNA-based biosensors and diagnostics

Integration of nanomaterials with biomolecule recognition elements is instrumental in advancing biosensor technology. Among possible combinations, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs)-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hybrid has been extensively reported for the detection of a wide range of clinically validated biomarkers in biospecimens due to their unique characteristics of excellent sensitivity and selectivity, biocompatibility, and stability. Nonetheless, the challenges to efficiently integrating these hybrids into conventional sensor technologies persist. In this review, we present state-of-the-art and prospects of MSNP in DNA-based sensors for diagnostic applications. We first examine the importance of utilizing MSNPs and DNAs in biosensors and then discuss their integration strategies to achieve enhanced sensitivity and selectivity in quantifying analytical samples. Finally, we outline future trends and practical considerations to address their limitations in various sensing mechanisms.