Fundamental and Practical Aspects in the Formulation of Colloidal Polyelectrolyte Complexes of Chitosan and siRNA

Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Delivery: Technological Aspects, Applications, and Future Perspectives

“…The preparation of chitosan complexes for nucleic acid delivery and targeting is of paramount importance for the behavior of polyplexes in vitro and in vivo. Chitosan, with its highly positive charge, can easily interact with negatively charged nucleic acids, forming polymeric complexes—polyplexes [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. There are three different ways of incorporating genetic material into chitosan and/or chitosan derivatives: encapsulation, adsorption, and electrostatic interactions.…”

“…Several parameters affect the technology and the properties of the nanoparticulate systems self-assembled from chitosan [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Firstly, the molecular weight of chitosan is one of the most crucial parameters for the design and development of chitosan gene vectors.…”

“…Thirdly, the pH of the dispersion medium, which is usually constant between 5.6 and 6.5. Alteration of the pH values leads to different surface characteristics of the chitosan nanoparticles and complexes, as well as their stability [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

“…As mentioned previously, chitosan is a safe biomaterial and pharmaceutical multifunctional excipient with several applications in gene delivery. Several routes of administration have been already reported for chitosan-based nanoparticles, including oral, intravenous, intramucosal, nasal, and transdermal delivery, as well as targeting to brain [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 117 ]. Furthermore, chitosan–nucleic acid complexes are widely used for cancer therapy, photothermal cancer therapy, vaccine platforms, and adjuvants [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

“…Several routes of administration have been already reported for chitosan-based nanoparticles, including oral, intravenous, intramucosal, nasal, and transdermal delivery, as well as targeting to brain [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 117 ]. Furthermore, chitosan–nucleic acid complexes are widely used for cancer therapy, photothermal cancer therapy, vaccine platforms, and adjuvants [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Here, we are going to discuss some of the multifunctional chitosan-based nanoparticles and their applications in the fields of pharmaceutics, medicine, and precision medicine.…”