title: Targeted polymeric nanoparticles for cancer gene therapy.
abstract: In this article, advances in designing polymeric nanoparticles for targeted cancer gene therapy are reviewed. Characterization and evaluation of biomaterials, targeting ligands, and transcriptional elements are each discussed. Advances in biomaterials have driven improvements to nanoparticle stability and tissue targeting, conjugation of ligands to the surface of polymeric nanoparticles enable binding to specific cancer cells, and the design of transcriptional elements has enabled selective DNA expression specific to the cancer cells. Together, these features have improved the performance of polymeric nanoparticles as targeted non-viral gene delivery vectors to treat cancer. As polymeric nanoparticles can be designed to be biodegradable, non-toxic, and to have reduced immunogenicity and tumorigenicity compared to viral platforms, they have significant potential for clinical use. Results of polymeric gene therapy in clinical trials and future directions for the engineering of nanoparticle systems for targeted cancer gene therapy are also presented.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA .
authors.forename: Jayoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA .
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA .|b Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science , Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions , Baltimore , MD , USA .|c Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil .
authors.forename: Camila G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA .|d Department of Materials Science and Engineering , Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore , MD , USA , and.|e Department of Neurosurgery and.|f Department of Ophthalmology , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Jordan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers
keywords: Cancer therapy; cell-specificity; gene delivery; nanoparticles; polymeric biomaterial; promoter; targeting ligands; tissue-specificity