Transfection efficiency specific ligand modification

The transfection efficiency of the complexes can be enhanced by a specific ligand modification of the chitosan owing to specific binding to the receptors of the cells with ligands. 

While several reviews collected in this volume describe the basic chemical composition of transfection reagent classes, Salcher and Wagner focus on the modification and functionalization of polymeric gene carriers to improve their transfection efficiencies for DNA or siRNA. Such modifications include the introduction of cell-specific ligands or pH-sensitive lytic residues. 

Due to its cationic properties, chitosan has been extensively used for gene delivery. However, due to its low buffering capacity and the low stability of nucleic acid-loaded chitosan nanoparticles, several chemical modifications have been introduced to improve transfection efficiency in vivo (1) quatemization to improve solubility and stability of the nanoparticles, (2) grafting of polymer chains such as PEI to improve endosomal escape, or (3) grafting of ligands for specific cell targeting. 

Singh, B., Choi, Y.J., Park, I.K., Akaike, T, Cho, C.S., 2014. Chemical modification of chi-tosan with pH-sensitive molecules and specific ligands for efficient DNA transfection and siRNA silencing. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 14 (1), 564—576. 

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