Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Reviews Vol. 2(3), pp. 058-067, August 2007
ISSN 1538-2273 © 2007 Academic Journals

Standard Review
 

Cationic lipids used in non-viral gene delivery systems

Sarder Nasir Uddin

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Disciplne, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh. E-mail: opunasir@gmail.com.

Accepted 8 May, 2007

To perform gene transfer two types of vectors are available, (i) viral vectors (ii) nonviral vectors. Among the vectors, nonviral vectors have proved less toxic and safe compare to viral vectors through clinical trials. No single vector is proved suitable for every gene transfection experiment. Cationic lipids are experimentally established as non-viral vector with higher transfection efficiency. Identifying the barriers for transfection and the possible solutions, stability improvement research is needed for better clinical performance of cationic vectors. The newly described liposomal preparation, Liposomes-Protamine-DNA (LPD), has shown superiority over conventional Liposomes-DNA complexes (lipoplexes). In future it is also possible to find new conjugates as cationic lipids bearing many properties, suitable to bound with DNA and penetrate cell. Considering all these properties, these works reviews the most recent studies highlighting cationic lipids used in nonviral gene delivery systems.

Key words: Gene therapy, non-viral, lipids, cation, delivery systems.