Delivery of DNA to lung airway epithelium

Delivering exogenous DNA or genes directly to the lung airways offers a unique and appealing opportunity for specifically targeting gene expression to airway and alveolar epithelium. A large body of literature and experience supports the feasibility of this approach. However, airway-directed gene delivery is not as simple as was originally anticipated. The lung has evolved both physical and immunologic barriers that can hinder effective transduction of epithelial cells (1-3). Much current work in lung gene therapy is directed toward overcoming the inflammatory and immune responses provoked by gene-transfer vectors while simultaneously maximizing vector delivery and subsequent gene expression.