Vectors polymeric nucleic acid delivery

Figure 1 Schematic of polycadon-pDNA binding, polyplex formation, and cellular deliveiy. (a) Polycations bind with pDNA via electrostatic interactions, (b) Smail nanoparticies (polyplexes) spontaneously form that associate with the cellular membrane, (c) Upon glycoprotein binding, polyplexes are internalized via endocytosis. (d) Endosomes carry the polyplexes into the cells, (e) The polyplexes must escape the endosomes to avoid degradation, (f) The polymeric delivery vector must reiease Its nucleic add cargo either in the cytoplasm or in the nucleus (depending in the desired destination) for effective delivery. It should be noted that delivery of other nucleic acid forms (i.e., siRNA) is thought to occur by similar pathways. Adapted from Reineke. T. M. J. Pofym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 2006, 44,6895. ...

Alternatively to the use of hpids for the development of deUvery systems, polymeric materials can be also used as building blocks. As with Upid-based delivery systems for nucleic acids, polymers were first used in gaie deUvery as a part of the development of new DNA transfection vectors (Wu and Wu, 1987). Polymers can be synthesized in different lengths, with different geometry (linear versus branched), and with substitution or addition of functional groups. As such, there is a wide variety of natural and synthetic polymers currently used for siRNA and DNA deUvery, such as chitosan (Yao et al., 2015), polylactic-co-glycoUc acid (Lee et al., 2011), or polyethylenimine (PEI Francis et al., 2014). 

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