Critical Reviews™ in Eukaryotic Gene Expression

ISSN for PRINT: 1045-4403

For Online Access

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2005, Volume15

Issue 4

90 pages

Issue price - $169.00

Han Chang Kang
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The University of Utah, 421 Wakara Way, Suite 318, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA

Minhyung Lee
Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Korea

You Han Bae
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The University of Utah, 421 Wakara Way, Suite 318, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA

Polymeric gene carriers are a potential alternative to using viral vectors. Polymeric carriers have relatively low immunogenicity and cytotoxicity. In addition, polymeric carriers can accommodate large-size DNA, be conjugated with appropriate functionalities, and be administered repeatedly. In spite of these advantages, polymeric gene carriers have some limitations, such as low gene transfection efficiencies and relatively short duration of gene expression. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted toward the development of efficient polymeric carriers. In this review, we discuss current problems associated with polymeric gene carriers and various strategies against transfection barriers—in particular, gene stabilization and protection, cellular targeting, endosomal escaping, nuclear targeting, unpackaging, and biocompatibility. Finally, requirements for future polymeric gene carriers are considered. With all these ongoing efforts, polymeric carriers have become one of the promising gene delivery methods for human gene therapy.

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