title: Smart polymeric carriers for enhanced intracellular delivery of therapeutic macromolecules.
abstract: Limited cytoplasmic delivery of enzyme-susceptible drugs remains a significant challenge facing the development of protein and nucleic acid therapies that act in intracellular compartments. Researchers have examined several approaches, including fusogenic proteins and protein transduction domains, to enhance the intracellular delivery of the therapeutic cargo. This review summarises efforts to develop 'smart' pH-sensitive and membrane-destabilising polymers that can shuttle therapeutic peptide, protein and nucleic acid molecules past the endosomal membrane into the cytoplasm of targeted cells. Several classes of 'smart' non-degradable polymeric carriers have been developed that have proved effective both in vitro and in vivo in enhancing the cytoplasmic delivery of a variety of therapeutic molecules.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Box 351721, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Mohamed E H
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.forename: Allan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Patrick S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Stayton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers