Polymeric Nanoparticles in Gene Therapy
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Neda maserat,1,* Roghayeh Gholizadeh Doran Mahalleh,2
1. General Office of Standards of Sistan and Baluchestan
2. Islamic Azad University, Zahedan Branch
- Introduction: With the development of genomic technologies, the prospect for gene therapy has progressed rapidly. The major challenge of gene delivery is to improve the transfection efficiencies of the nonviral carriers. Among various nonviral gene vectors, nanoparticles (NPs) offer an ideal platform for the incorporation of all the desirable characteristics into a single gene delivery system.
The field of polymeric nanoparticles is quickly expanding and playing a pivotal role in a wide spectrum of areas ranging from electronics, photonics, conducting materials, and sensors to medicine, pollution control, and environmental technology. Among the applications of polymers in medicine, gene therapy has emerged as one of the most advanced, with the capability to tackle disorders from the modern era. However, there are several barriers associated with the delivery of genes in the living system that need to be mitigated by polymer engineering.
For the past few decades, there has been a considerable research interest in the area of drug delivery using particulate delivery systems as carriers for small and large molecules. Particulate systems like nanoparticles have been used as a physical approach to alter and improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of various types of drug molecules. They have been used in vivo to protect the drug entity in the systemic circulation, restrict access of the drug to the chosen sites and to deliver the drug at a controlled and sustained rate to the site of action.Various polymers in nanoparticle formulations have been used for pharmaceutical research and gene therapy to increase therapeutic benefits while increasing side effects.
- Methods: By reviewing the latest scientific articles, the PubMed site and scientific books have been collected.
- Results: Alkylcyanoacrylates can be polymerized in acidified aqueous media by a process of anionic polymerization. The small particles produced tend to be monodisperse and have sizes in the range of 20 to 3000 nm depending upon the polymerization conditions and the presence of additives in the form of surfactants and other stabilizers.
The polyalkylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles so produced have been studied in recent years as a possible means of targeting drugs to specific sites in the body, with particular emphasis in cancer chemotherapy. The small colloidal carriers are biodegradable and drug substances can be incorporated normally by a process of surface adsorption.
The review by Davis and others considers the formulation of nanoparticles, the important physicochemical variables such as pH, monomer concentration, added stabilizers, ionic strengths, etc., as well as the characteristics of the particle so created in terms of surface charge, particle size, and molecular weight. Monodisperse particles in the range of 20 to 3000 nm can be obtained.
- Conclusion: In addition, by the use of stabilizers such as dextran and its derivatives, which can be incorporated into the nanoparticle surface by a process of polymer grafting, it is possible to make nanoparticles with interesting surface characteristics and different surface charges (sign). The stability of nanoparticles in vitro and their biodegradation in vivo are examined, and the possible formation of toxic products such as formaldehyde is highlighted.
- Keywords: nanoparticles, Gene Therapy, Polymeric Nanoparticles, polyalkylcyanoacrylate ,nanoparticles.
