Pharmaceutical emulsions: a new approach for gene therapy.
The concept of gene therapy involves the experimental transfer of a therapeutic gene into an individual's cells and tissues to replace an abnormal gene aiming to treat a disease, or to use the gene to treat a disease just like a medicine, improving the clinical status of a patient. The achievement of a foreigner nucleic acid into a population of cells requires its transfer to the target. Therefore, it is essential to create carriers (vectors) that transfer and protect the nucleic acid until it reaches the target. The obvious disadvantages of the use of viral vectors have directed the research for the development of a nonviral organized system such as emulsions. In fact, recently, there has been an increase of interest in its use in biotechnology as a nonviral vector for gene therapy. This review focuses on the progress of cationic emulsions and the improvement of the formulations, as a potential delivery system for gene therapy.
Verissimo
Lourena Mafra
LM
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Laboratório de Sistemas Dispersos (LASID), Natal/RN, Brazil.
Lima
Lucymara Fassarela Agnez
LF
Egito
Lucila Carmem Monte
LC
de Oliveira
Anselmo Gomes
AG
do Egito
E Sócrates Tabosa
ES
D004655:Emulsions; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
D004655:Emulsions; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations