Nanoparticles for DNA delivery

The success of nonviral gene therapy mainly depends on the design and development of safe and effective gene delivery systems. Nonviral vectors have attracted the attention of researchers, as they offer several advantages over their viral counterparts. Among various nonviral vectors, polyethylenimines have been the most widely used in in vitro and in vivo gene transfer studies. Cationic nanoparticles have been shown to enhance the efficiency of the transfection. These are compact and help in overcoming various biological and cellular barriers. Due to their smaller size, these are less susceptible to reticuloendothelial (RES) clearance and exhibit better uptake and internalization into the cells/tissues. To exploit these properties of the nanoparticles, the present chapter highlights the synthesis of nanoparticles of polyethylenimine (linear and branched) and their ability to effect gene transfer across the biological systems.