Chitosan-DNA complex nanoparticles

Peng SF, Yang MJ, Su CJ et al (2009) Effects of incorporation of poly(y-glutamic acid) in chitosan/DNA complex nanoparticles on cellular uptake and transfection efficiency. Biomaterials 30 1797-1808... 

Sajomsang W, Ruktanonchai U, Gonil P, Mayen V, Opanasopit P. Methylated N-aryl chitosan derivative/DNA complex nanoparticles for gene delivery Synthesis and structure-activity relationships. Carbohydr Polym. 2009 78(4) 743-52. 

Transferrin HEK293 cells, HeLa cells Transferrin was conjugated to chitosan nanoparticles. The transferrin conjugation showed a fourfold increase in transfection efficiency compared with chitosan/DNA complexes [48]... 

Due to the cationic nature of chitosan, it can bind with negatively charged DNA by electrostatic interaction, which can be determined by competitive binding tests using ethidium bromide (EtBr) as a DNA stain [54]. As chitosan is added to a solution of EtBr-stained DNA, cationic chitosan binds with DNA which causes a decrease in fluorescence, determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy [55]. There are various methods for the determination of the extent of DNA complexation or encapsulation into chitosan nanoparticles, such as gel electrophoresis [54], Pico Green assay [55], and photoelectric methods. 

Li X W, Lee D K L, Chan A S C, Alpar H O (2003). Sustained expression in mammalian cells with DNA complexed with chitosan nanoparticles. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)—Gene Struc. Expres. 1630 7-18. 

Nafee N, Taetz S, Schneider M, Schaefer UF, Lehr CM. Chitosan-coated PLGA nanoparticles for DNA/RNA delivery effect of the formulation parameters on complexation and transfection of antisense oligonucleotides. Nanomed Nanotech Biol Med. 2007 3(3) 173-83. 

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