Encapsulation of Nucleic Acid-Based Therapeutics

Norbert Maurer, Igor Zhigaltsev, and Pieter R. Cullis 

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

Both approaches are simple and allow efficient encapsulation of nucleic acid-based molecules such as oligonucleotides (9,10) and pDNA (8,10,12) in liposomes that are small in size (about lOOnm diameter) and stable in circulation, protecting the cargo from degradation. In the sections to follow, we will provide a brief overview of these methods. 

Entrapment of Polynucleotides Using the Preformed Vesicle Approach 

The preformed vesicle (PFV) approach involves incubation of liposomes containing a cationic lipid and a PEG coating with polynucleotides in the presence of ethanol. Typically, LUV composed of distearoyl-phosphatidyl-choline (DSPC), cholesterol (Choi), l-0-(2 -(oi-methoxy-polyethylene-glycol) 

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Cationic polymer-based nanogels are nanosized swollen cationic hydrogel particles composed of chemically or physically crosslinked polymer net-works/ The highly hydrated properties and tightly crosslinked core makes these systems superior in colloidal stability. These properties make these nanogels suitable for encapsulation of therapeutic nucleic acids in the core for carrier systems for delivery, in comparison to macroscopic hydrogels or nanoparticles. ... 

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