International Journal of Gerontology
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 35-47, June 2008

Nonviral Technologies for Gene Therapy in Cardiovascular Research

  • Cheng-Huang Su

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Cheng-Huang Su, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 92, Section 2, Chung-San North Road, Taipei 10449, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hung-I Yeh

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Charles Jia-Yin Hou

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Cheng-Ho Tsai

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

Accepted 22 April 2008.

Article Outline

Summary 

Gene therapy, which is still at an experimental stage, is a technique that attempts to correct or prevent a disease by delivering genes into an individual's cells and tissues. In gene delivery, a vector is a vehicle for transferring genetic material into cells and tissues. Synthetic vectors are considered to be prerequisites for gene delivery, because viral vectors have fundamental problems in relation to safety issues as well as large-scale production. Among the physical approaches, ultrasound with its associated bioeffects such as acoustic cavitation, especially inertial cavitation, can increase the permeability of cell membranes to macromolecules such as plasmid DNA. Microbubbles or ultrasound contrast agents lower the threshold for cavitation by ultrasound energy. Furthermore, ultrasound-enhanced gene delivery using polymers or other nonviral vectors may hold much promise for the future but is currently at the preclinical stage. We all know aging is cruel and inevitable. Currently, among the promising areas for gene therapy in acquired diseases, the incidences of cancer and ischemic cardiovascular diseases are strongly correlated with the aging process. As a result, gene therapy technology may play important roles in these diseases in the future. This brief review focuses on understanding the barriers to gene transfer as well as describing the useful nonviral vectors or tools that are applied to gene delivery and introducing feasible models in terms of ultrasound-based gene delivery.

Key Words:  cavitation , gene therapy , microbubble , transfection efficiency , ultrasound , vector

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PII: S1873-9598(08)70009-7

doi:10.1016/S1873-9598(08)70009-7

International Journal of Gerontology
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 35-47, June 2008

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