Iranian, US Scientists Take Significant Step towards Gene Delivery

Iranian researchers from Tarbiat Modarres University in cooperation with researchers from Harvard University succeeded in the production of an appropriate carrier for gene delivery, specially antisense delivery.
In this study, a core-shell albumin-chitosan nanoparticle was designed and produced as the carrier of nucleic acids and genes. Then, the designing stages were optimized through surface respond method. To this end, the effects of the three independent parameters were investigated on the size and the yield of nanoparticles loading. In the end, the cellular uptake of nanoparticles was studied through flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy.

One of the most significant problems in gene therapy at present is the lack of an appropriate carrier for gene delivery. This study can undertake an important step towards this objective.

In this research, the new core-shell albumin-chitosan nanoparticles were reported to be used in gene and antisense delivery, and the processes to optimize the size and the loading yield of the mentioned nanoparticles were carried out through surface respond method. According to the results, the uptake of nanoparticles cell is about 85%. Therefore, it seems that the produced nanoparticles can be considered appropriate carriers for gene delivery.

According to Karimi, one of the Iranian researchers, the produced nanoparticles have applications in pharmaceutical industries. The nanoparticles can be also used in simultaneous drug delivery and gene delivery (the drug is loaded in the core of the particle while the gene is loaded in the shell). Further investigations are required in order to industrialize the produced nanoparticles.