title: Nanoparticle-motivated gene delivery for ophthalmic application.
abstract: Ophthalmic gene therapy is an intellectual and intentional manipulation of desired gene expression into the specific cells of an eye for the treatment of ophthalmic (ocular) genetic dystrophies and pathological conditions. Exogenous nucleic acids such as DNA, small interfering RNA, micro RNA, and so on, are used for the purpose of managing expression of the desired therapeutic proteins in ocular tissues. The delivery of unprotected nucleic acids into the cells is limited because of exogenous and endogenous degradation modalities. Nanotechnology, a promising and sophisticated cutting edge tool, works as a protective shelter for these therapeutic nucleic acids. They can be safely delivered to the required cells in order to modulate anticipated protein expression. To this end, nanotechnology is seen as a potential and promising strategy in the field of ocular gene delivery. This review focused on current nanotechnology modalities and other promising nonviral strategies being used to deliver therapeutic genes in order to treat various devastating ocular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Rajendra Narayan
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Carolina Institute for NanoMedicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Zongchao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use