These drawbacks can be overcome by preparing ultra-low size calcium phosphate nanoparticles entrapping DNA molecules [59, 60]. Furthermore, calcium phosphate nanoparticles are very safe and can overcome many targeting problems such as an efficient endosomal escaping, rendering sufficient protection of DNA in the cytosol and providing an easy passage of cytosolic DNA to the nucleus [59]. These nanoparticles can be useful in gene delivery in the treatment of bone defects due to high calcium phosphate content of the bone [61]. It seems that the use of nanotubes, nanoshells, and mesoporous nanoparticles (such as silica mesoporous nanoparticle)
is a promising idea for gene delivery because of their hollow and porous structures and facile surface fictionalization as well [62]. Recently, the application of silica nanoparticles has been reported as a non-viral vector for efficient in Atezolizumab mouse vivo gene delivery. Silica nanoparticles functionalized with amino groups can BI 6727 supplier efficiently bind to plasmid DNA and
protect it from enzymatic digestion and effect cell transfection in vitro. It has been shown that by loading of DNA on the modified silica nanoparticles, DNA has been protected from degradation by DNase which can effectively be taken up by COS-1 cells [63]. This type of silica nanoparticles overcomes many of the limitations of unmodified silica nanoparticles. Indeed the presence of organic group on the surface of these nanoparticles imparts some degree of flexibility
to the otherwise rigid silica matrix and increases the stability of them in aqueous systems. Based on the previous Buspirone HCl investigation results, these nanoparticles as a non-viral gene delivery carriers have a promising future direction for effective therapeutic manipulation of the neural stem/progenitor cells as well as in vivo targeted brain therapy [12]. Functionalized dendrimer-like hybrid silica nanoparticles are attractive nanocarriers for the advanced delivery of various sized drugs and genes simultaneously because these nanoparticles have hierarchical pores, unique structure, large surface area, and excellent biocompability [64]. Quantum dot (QD) has been successfully applied for in vitro and in vivo transfection. QDs are nearly spherical semiconductor particles with core-shell structure. The semiconducting nature and the size-dependent fluorescence of these nanocrystals have made them very attractive for diagnosis of diseases. Gene-associated drugs can be loaded within a QD core or attached to the surface of these nanoparticles through direct conjugation or electrostatic complexation by which QDs can protect the gene from degradation by nucleases [65–67]. Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONS) are utilized as gene delivery systems. In pulmonary gene delivery systems, either branched biodegradable polyesters or PEG-coated super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are promising carriers.