DNA-Scaffolded Multivalent Ligands to Modulate Cell Function

We report a simple, versatile, multivalent ligand system that is capable of specifically and efficiently modulating cell-surface receptor clustering and function. The multivalent ligand is made of a polymeric DNA scaffold decorated with biorecognition ligands (i.e., antibodies) to interrogate and modulate cell receptor signaling and function. Using CD20 clustering-mediated apoptosis in B-cell cancer cells as a model system, we demonstrated that our multivalent ligand is significantly more effective at inducing apoptosis of target cancer cells than its monovalent counterpart. This multivalent DNA material approach represents a new chemical biology tool to interrogate cell receptor signaling and functions and to potentially manipulate such functions for the development of therapeutics.