title: Biocompatible chitosan-DNAzyme nanoparticle exhibits enhanced biological activity.
abstract: DNAzymes are oligonucleotides capable of specific catalysis of target mRNA. To date, a delivery vehicle for DNAzymes has not been developed. Chitosan is a biomaterial obtained abundantly in nature. A biocompatible c-jun (an oncogene) DNAzyme nanoparticle formulated from chitosan was found to be more active against osteosarcoma (bone cancer) cells, inducing apoptotic cell death in these cells. The formulation was stable in serum for a week and at room temperature for a month. Clinically, knockdown of c-jun gene expression with chitosan nanobiotechnology may improve treatment outcome for tumours growing in bone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, St. Vincent's Hospital, VIC, Australia. crispin.dass@svhm.org.au
authors.forename: Crispin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Dass
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Friedhuber
authors.forename: Levon M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Khachigian
authors.forename: Dave E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dunstan
authors.forename: Peter F M
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Choong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D021881:DNA, Catalytic / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism; D010919:Placebos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D021881:DNA, Catalytic; D010919:Placebos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D048271:Chitosan