Non-Viral Carriers for Nucleic Acids Delivery: Fundamentals and Current Applications

3D printing and computer-aided design techniques for drug delivery scaffolds in tissue engineering

INTRODUCTION

The challenge in tissue engineering lies in replicating the intricate structure of the native extracellular matrix. Recent advancements in AM, notably 3D printing, offer unprecedented capabilities to tailor scaffolds precisely, controlling properties like structure and bioactivity. CAD tools complement this by facilitating design using patient-specific data.

AREA’S COVERED

This review introduces additive manufacturing (AM) and computer-aided design (CAD) as pivotal tools in advancing tissue engineering, particularly cartilage regeneration. This article explores various materials utilized in AM, focusing on polymers and hydrogels for their advantageous properties in tissue engineering applications. Integrating bioactive molecules, including growth factors, into scaffolds to promote tissue regeneration is discussed alongside strategies involving different cell sources, such as stem cells, to enhance tissue development within scaffold matrices.

EXPERT OPINION

Applications of AM and CAD in addressing specific challenges like osteochondral defects and osteoarthritis in cartilage tissue engineering are highlighted. This review consolidates current research findings, offering expert insights into the evolving landscape of AM and CAD technologies in advancing tissue engineering, particularly in cartilage regeneration.

Advancing Breast Cancer Therapeutics: Targeted Gene Delivery Systems Unveiling the Potential of Estrogen Receptor-Targeting Ligands

Although curcumin has been well known as a phytochemical drug that inhibits tumor promotion by modulating multiple molecular targets, its potential was not reported as a targeting ligand in the field of drug delivery system. Here, we aimed to assess the tumor-targeting efficiency of curcumin and its derivatives such as phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. Curcumin exhibited a high affinity for estrogen receptors through a pull-down assay using the membrane proteins of MCF-7, a breast cancer cell line, followed by designation of a polymer-based gene therapy system. As a basic backbone for gene binding, dextran grafted with branched polyethylenimine was synthesized, and curcumin and its derivatives were linked to lysine dendrimers. In vitro and in vivo antitumor effects were evaluated using plasmid DNA expressing anti-bcl-2 short hairpin RNA. All synthesized gene carriers showed excellent DNA binding, protective effects against nuclease, and gene transfection efficiency in MCF-7 and SKBr3 breast cancer cells. Preincubation with curcumin or 17α-estradiol resulted in a marked dose-dependent decrease in gene transfer efficiency and suggested targeting specificity of curcumin. Our study indicates the potential of curcumin and its derivatives as novel targeting ligands for tumor cells and tissues.

Gene therapy for retinal diseases: From genetics to treatment

The gene therapy approach for retinal disorders has been considered largely over the last decade owing to the favorable outcomes of the US Food and Drug Administration-approved commercial gene therapy, Luxturna. Technological advances in recent years, such as next-generation sequencing, research in molecular pathogenesis of retinal disorders, and precise correlations with their clinical phenotypes, have contributed to the progress of gene therapies for various diseases worldwide, and more recently in India as well. Thus, considerable research is being conducted for the right choice of vectors, transgene engineering, and accessible and cost-effective large-scale vector production. Many retinal disease-specific clinical trials are presently being conducted, thereby necessitating the collation of such information as a ready reference for the scientific and clinical community. In this article, we present an overview of existing gene therapy research, which is derived from an extensive search across PubMed, Google Scholar, and clinicaltrials.gov sources. This contributes to prime the understanding of basic aspects of this cutting-edge technology and information regarding current clinical trials across many different conditions. This information will provide a comprehensive evaluation of therapies in existing use/research for personalized treatment approaches in retinal disorders.

DNA-Based Nonviral Gene Therapy─Challenging but Promising

Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in utilizing nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA molecules, for therapeutic purposes. For DNA molecules, although various DNA delivery systems have been established, viral vector systems are the go-to choice for large-scale commercial applications. However, viral systems have certain disadvantages such as immune response, limited payload capacity, insertional mutagenesis and pre-existing immunity. In contrast, nonviral systems are less immunogenic, not size limited, safer, and easier for manufacturing compared with viral systems. What's more, nonviral DNA vectors have demonstrated their capacity to mediate specific protein expression in vivo for diverse therapeutic objectives containing a wide range of diseases such as cancer, rare diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and infectious diseases, yielding promising therapeutic outcomes. However, exogenous plasmid DNA is prone to degrade and has poor immunogenicity in vivo. Thus, various strategies have been developed: (i) designing novel plasmids with special structures, (ii) optimizing plasmid sequences for higher expression, and (iii) developing more efficient nonviral DNA delivery systems. Based on these strategies, many interesting clinical results have been reported. This Review discusses the development of DNA-based nonviral gene therapy, including novel plasmids, nonviral delivery systems, clinical advances, and prospects. These developments hold great potential for enhancing the efficacy and safety of nonviral gene therapy and expanding its applications in the treatment of various diseases.

Nanotechnology-based non-viral vectors for gene delivery in cardiovascular diseases

Gene therapy is a technique that rectifies defective or abnormal genes by introducing exogenous genes into target cells to cure the disease. Although gene therapy has gained some accomplishment for the diagnosis and therapy of inherited or acquired cardiovascular diseases, how to efficiently and specifically deliver targeted genes to the lesion sites without being cleared by the blood system remains challenging. Based on nanotechnology development, the non-viral vectors provide a promising strategy for overcoming the difficulties in gene therapy. At present, according to the physicochemical properties, nanotechnology-based non-viral vectors include polymers, liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, and inorganic nanoparticles. Non-viral vectors have an advantage in safety, efficiency, and easy production, possessing potential clinical application value when compared with viral vectors. Therefore, we summarized recent research progress of gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases based on commonly used non-viral vectors, hopefully providing guidance and orientation for future relevant research.

Serum-Resistant Ternary DNA Polyplexes for Suicide Gene Therapy of Uterine Leiomyoma

Uterine leiomyoma (UL) is a prevalent benign tumor in women that frequently gives rise to a multitude of reproductive complications. The use of suicide gene therapy has been proposed as a highly promising method for treating UL. To achieve successful gene therapy, it is essential to develop carriers that can efficiently transport nucleic acids into targeted cells and tissues. The instability of polyplexes in blood and other biological fluids is a crucial factor to consider when using non-viral carriers. In this study, we present serum-resistant and cRGD-modified DNA complexes for targeted delivery genes to UL cells. Ternary polyplexes were formed by incorporating cystine-cross-linked polyglutamic acid modified with histidine residues. We employed two techniques in the production of cross-linked polyanionic coating: matrix polymerization and oxidative polycondensation. In this study, we investigated the physicochemical properties of ternary DNA complexes, including the size and zeta-potential of the nanoparticles. Additionally, we evaluated cellular uptake, toxicity levels, transfection efficiency and specificity in vitro. The study involved introducing the HSV-TK gene into primary UL cells as a form of suicide gene therapy modeling. We have effectively employed ternary peptide-based complexes for gene delivery into the UL organtypic model. By implementing in situ suicide gene therapy, the increase in apoptosis genes expression was detected, providing conclusive evidence of apoptosis occurring in the transfected UL tissues. The results of the study strongly suggest that the developed ternary polyplexes show potential as a valuable tool in the implementation of suicide gene therapy for UL.

Biomaterials-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery: recent challenges and opportunities in gene therapy

The use of biomaterials in delivering CRISPR/Cas9 for gene therapy in infectious diseases holds tremendous potential. This innovative approach combines the advantages of CRISPR/Cas9 with the protective properties of biomaterials, enabling accurate and efficient gene editing while enhancing safety. Biomaterials play a vital role in shielding CRISPR/Cas9 components, such as lipid nanoparticles or viral vectors, from immunological processes and degradation, extending their effectiveness. By utilizing the flexibility of biomaterials, tailored systems can be designed to address specific genetic diseases, paving the way for personalized therapeutics. Furthermore, this delivery method offers promising avenues in combating viral illnesses by precisely modifying pathogen genomes, and reducing their pathogenicity. Biomaterials facilitate site-specific gene modifications, ensuring effective delivery to infected cells while minimizing off-target effects. However, challenges remain, including optimizing delivery efficiency, reducing off-target effects, ensuring long-term safety, and establishing scalable production techniques. Thorough research, pre-clinical investigations, and rigorous safety evaluations are imperative for successful translation from the laboratory to clinical applications. In this review, we discussed how CRISPR/Cas9 delivery using biomaterials revolutionizes gene therapy and infectious disease treatment, offering precise and safe editing capabilities with the potential to significantly improve human health and quality of life.

Recent advances in novel miRNA mediated approaches for targeting breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is considered one of the most frequent cancers among woman worldwide. While conventional therapy has been successful in treating many cases of breast cancer, drug resistance, heterogenicity, tumour features and recurrence, invasion, metastasis and the presence of breast cancer stem cells can hinder the effect of treatments, and can reduce the quality of life of patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules that play a crucial role in the development and progression of breast cancer. Several studies have reported that aberrant expression of specific miRNAs is associated with the pathogenesis of breast cancer. However, miRNAs are emerging as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Understanding their role in breast cancer biology could help develop more effective treatments for this disease. The present study discusses the biogenesis and function of miRNAs, as well as miRNA therapy approaches for targeting and treating breast cancer cells.