Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can be used as in gene therapies for e.g. cancers such as leukemia. However, the application of these is limited by a lack of efficient drug delivery. Therefore, in the presented study, chitosan was functionalized with arginine to form nanoparticles, loaded with siRNA, and their properties as siRNA vectors were investigated.
Small interferring RNAs (siRNAs) can inactivate viruses by so-called gene silencing. In order to use this process in biomedicine, the transport of unstable siRNAs must be improved. In the presented study, siRNAs are coupled to chitosan microparticles and investigated for the inactivation of viral proteins in HIV-1 infected C8166 cells. siRNA transfection mediated by chitosan microparticles for the treatment of HIV-1 infections of human cell lines
At the beginning of the year 2015, an incredible large number of chitosan-related articles have been released, indicating another record year. All in all, 196 publications about chitosan and its derivatives were contributed by scientist from all over the world, especially from China (46 articles), India (29) and USA (15). The main terms address chitosan in evaluation studies, nanoparticles and pharmaceutical preparations.
