Formation and intracellular trafficking of lipoplexes and polyplexes.
Cationic lipid/DNA lipoplexes and cationic polymer/DNA polyplexes represent an attractive alternative to viral vectors for cell transfection in vitro and in vivo but still suffer from a relatively low efficiency. Optimization of their transfection efficiency may be attempted by using a trial and error approach consisting of synthesizing and testing a large number of derivatives. On the other hand, rational design of highly efficient cationic lipids and polymers requires a deeper understanding of the interactions between the vector and the DNA as well as the cellular pathways and mechanisms involved in DNA entry into the cell and ultimately the nucleus. In the present review, the pathways and mechanisms involved in lipoplex- and polyplex-mediated transfection are comparatively addressed and unresolved questions are highlighted.
Elouahabi
Abdelatif
A
Center for Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Structure and Function of Biological Membranes, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine CP 206/2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Ruysschaert
Jean-Marie
JM
D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D014162:Transfection
D002412:Cations; D004247:DNA