ON THE STRATEGY OF USING NONVIRAL CARRIERS IN CANCER GENE-THERAPY

Effectiveness and mode of therapeutic gene delivery in vivo as well as biological safety of such transfer must be improved before widespread application of gene therapy in the clinic becomes possible. Most rese arch has so far focused on recombinant viral delivery systems. Clinica l future seems to belong, however, to nonviral delivery systems. Such systems feature DNA complexed to lipid, protein, peptide or polymeric carriers with ligands allowing in vivo tissue targeting by the complex and nuclear translocation of the exogene. Nonviral gene carrier syste ms are discussed together with strategies of destroying cancer cells.