Chitosan conjugated DNA nanoparticles in gene therapy

Chapters and Reviews

Carbohydrate Polymers 79 (2010) 1–8

Chitosan conjugated DNA nanoparticles in gene therapy

R. Jayakumar^a,*, K.P. Chennazhi^a, R.A.A. Muzzarelli^b, H. Tamura^c, S.V. Nair^a, N. Selvamurugan^d

a Amrita Center for Nanosciences, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kochi 682 026, India
b Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ancona, IT-60100 Ancona, Italy
c Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering & High Technology Research Centre, Kansai University, Osaka 564-8680, Japan
d Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur 603203, India

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ARTICLE INFO

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Article history:
Received 30 July 2009
Received in revised form 11 August 2009
Accepted 18 August 2009
Available online 22 August 2009

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Keywords:
Chitosan
DNA
siRNA
Nanoparticles
Gene delivery

ABSTRACT

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Conventional gene delivery with viral or lipid carriers-are plagued by disadvantages such as low transfection efficiency, cytotoxicity and immunogenicity. Numerous techniques are being probed to help improve efficiency, including the development of biodegradable polymers with reduced toxicity, incorporation of cell targeting moieties, improved chemistry for syntheses of polymers with uniform size and topology etc. Chitosan, a naturally occurring cationic polysaccharide, is emerging as a potential candidate for gene delivery applications with its reasonable transfection efficiency combined with a minimal level of cytotoxicity.
The chitosan and their nanoparticles have potential to form polyelectrolyte complex with DNA
and it is useful for non-viral vectors for gene therapy applications. Hence, the objective of this review is to summarize the recent advances in gene therapy giving emphasis to the applications of chitosan nanoparticles as gene carriers in enhancing cellular uptake and transfection efficiency.