title: Cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of oligonucleotides.
abstract: Oligonucleotides manifest much promise as potential therapeutic agents. However, understanding of how oligonucleotides function within living organisms is still rather limited. A major concern in this regard is the mechanisms of cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of both 'free' oligonucleotides and oligonucleotides associated with various polymeric or nanocarrier delivery systems. Here we review basic aspects of the mechanisms of endocytosis and intracellular trafficking and how insights from these processes can be used to understand oligonucleotide delivery. In particular we discuss opportunities for escape of oligonucleotides from endomembrane compartments and describe recent studies using small molecules to enhance oligonucleotide effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States. Electronic address: arjay@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Juliano
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carver
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002460:Cell Line; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004705:Endocytosis; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides
keywords: Delivery; Endocytosis; Oligonucleotide; Pharmacology; Therapeutics; Trafficking