title: Bioreducible polycations in nucleic acid delivery: past, present, and future trends.
abstract: Polycations that are degradable by reduction of disulfide bonds are developed for applications in delivery of nucleic acids. This Feature Article surveys methods of synthesis of bioreducible polycations and discusses current understanding of the mechanism of action of bioreducible polyplexes. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the biological redox environment and toxicity, trafficking, transfection activity, and in vivo behavior of bioreducible polycations and polyplexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Durham Research Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5830, USA. david.oupicky@unmc.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oupický
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D004220:Disulfides; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000639:trends*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes
keywords: bioreducible; disulfides; gene delivery; polycations; polyplexes