title: Synthesis and evaluation of alendronate-modified gelatin biopolymer as a novel osteotropic nanocarrier for gene therapy.
abstract: To synthesize an osteotropic alendronate functionalized gelatin (ALN-gelatin) biopolymer for nanoparticle preparation and targeted delivery of DNA to osteoblasts for gene therapy applications.
  
  
  
  Alendronate coupling to gelatin was confirmed using Fourier transform IR, (31)PNMR, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry. ALN-gelatin biopolymers prepared at various alendronate/gelatin ratios were utilized to prepare nanoparticles and were optimized in combination with DNA and gemini surfactant for transfecting both HEK-293 and MG-63 cell lines.
  
  
  
  Gelatin functionalization was confirmed using the above methods. Uniform nanoparticles were obtained from a nanoprecipitation technique. ALN-gelatin/gemini/DNA complexes exhibited higher transfection efficiency in MG-63 osteosarcoma cell line compared with the positive control.
  
  
  
  ALN-gelatin is a promising biopolymer for bone targeting of either small molecules or gene therapy applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.|Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mekhail
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.|Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amany O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gehanne As
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Awad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
authors.forename: Nahed D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Mortada
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Rowena L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Spagnuolo
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.|Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Shawn D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wettig
mesh_terms: D019386:Alendronate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D005780:Gelatin; D004247:DNA; D019386:Alendronate
keywords: alendronate; biopolymer; gelatin; gene therapy; nanoparticles; osteotropic