title: Use of adhesion molecules for gene delivery.
abstract: Integrins are heterodimeric membrane glycoproteins important for interaction of cells with the extracellular matrix and with each other. However, integrins are also exploited as receptors by a number of bacterial, viral, and eukaryotic pathogens for cell binding and entry. This well-conserved pathway into the cell has now been exploited in the development of synthetic gene delivery systems for gene therapy. Peptides, such as the conserved arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif, provide convenient integrin-binding ligands for targeting polycationic complexes formed electrostatically with plasmid DNA. This review describes the development, advantages, and potential applications of such systems in gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College of London Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005813:Genes, Synthetic; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000502:physiology*; D008024:Ligands; D009842:Oligopeptides; D055672:Static Electricity; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016023:Integrins; D008024:Ligands; D009842:Oligopeptides; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid