| 초록 |
For gene therapy, viral delivery system is currently the most effective way. However, it introduces serious concerns about endogenous virus recombinations, oncogenic effects, and immunological reactions. Such concerns have limited the use of viral vectors for human gene therapy. These limitations prompted the development of non-viral delivery system, its have several advantages to viral systems. They can accomodate large size DNA, be modified with appropriate ligands for specific cell targeting, and be administered repeatedly. However, non viral system has its limitations such as toxicity and low transfection efficiency. To reduce the cytotoxicity and to increase the transfection efficiency, several kinds of derivatives of natural and synthetic agents have been studied. Chitosan has also been attractive gene carrier, because it has high positive charges, and low cytotoxicity to cell. In this study, water-soluble low molecular weight chitosan oligomer(LMCO) was characterized and evaluated as a gene carrier. Various amounts of LMCO was slowly dropped into 1㎍ of the plasmid DNA and left for 30 minutes at room temperature for complex formation. The transfection efficiency of plasmid DNA/LMCO complex was evaluated by beta-galactosidase assay. LMCO presents some characteristics favorable for gene delivery. |
