Speaker : 조종수교수 (서울대학교 농업생명과학연구원 책임연구원)

Date : 2013-04-29

Location : Room 401， Pharmacy Hall, Dankook University

Abstract : The regulation of cellular uptake of non-viral polymeric gene carriers can be a promising strategy to improve gene transfer for effective gene therapy, because the efficacy of gene delivery mostly rely on the intracellular fate of the delivery vectors by which the uptake pathway is taken. Therefore, cellular uptake process has been dealt with prime importance since it controls the intracellular processing of particles either toward the digestive way or non-digestive route depending on the cellular entry mechanism. Understanding on the different mechanism for cellular uptake will be helpful to selectively regulate the uptake route of polymeric gene vectors. It is, therefore, necessary to extend our knowledge on not only how the gene carriers are taken up and transported within the cells but also how the uptake mechanism can be regulated for efficient gene expression and/or silencing through DNA and small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery, respectively. This review will describe and update the importance of polymeric carriers for delivery of DNA and siRNA with the inclusion of various degradable linkages to advantageously control the function of polymeric gene vectors. The cellular uptake of the polymeric carriers and the regulation of the uptake mechanism in regard to conquer extracellular and intracellular gene delivery barriers are also potentially described. Moreover, the approaches and materials, essential to control or regulate cellular uptake of polymeric gene vectors, will be discussed in detail for efficient DNA transfection and RNAi silencing.