Glycofection: facilitated gene transfer by cationic glycopolymers.
Mammalian cells express several types of lectins involved in intracellular trafficking, including endocytosis, interorganelle routing and putatively nuclear import. In order to enhance the gene transfer efficiency, glycosylated cationic polymers have been used as nonviral vectors. We developed a simple method to convert reducing saccharides into glycosynthons. Glycosynthons are used to synthesize cationic glycopolymers, called Glycofectins. Glycofectins interact with a plasmid to give a glycoplex, a compacted form of a polymer/DNA complex. The high glycoplex efficiency depends on the sugar involved in the uptake and in the intracellular trafficking of glycoplexes. The present paper deals with glycoplexes, with gene transfer into cystic fibrosis airway epithelial and gland serous cells, and with some of the problems that have to be solved before clinical trials.
Roche
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AC
Glycobiologie, Vectorologie et Trafic Intracellulaire, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique & Université d'Orleans, 1, rue Charles-Sadron, 45071 Orléans cedex 02, France.
Fajac
I
I
Grosse
S
S
Frison
N
N
Rondanino
C
C
Mayer
R
R
Monsigny
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004705:Endocytosis; D005544:Forecasting; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D011107:Polylysine / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport
D002412:Cations; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011107:Polylysine