Nucleic acid delivery systems based on poly(galactosyl ureaethyl methacrylate-b-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)...

Elevated low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level is a major risk factor leading to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, since the proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates LDL-C receptors, it represents the appropriate target for cholesterol-lowering gene therapy. However, although delivery of antisense oligonucleotides (ODNs) is a promising therapeutic method for the treatment of several diseases, it is fundamental to develop new and efficacious carriers that transport the ODNs into the target cell in a nontoxic manner. This study reports on the synthesis, characterization and in vitro testing of a new liver specific carrier based on linear cationic diblock glycopolymer composed of galactosyl ureaethyl methacrylate (GAMA) and the primary amine-containing dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). Delivery experiments proved that the poly(galactosyl ureaethyl methacrylate -b-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer (pGa4D47), internalized in a receptor-mediated manner, exhibited a much faster nuclear transportation than ODNs carried by pDMAEMA homopolymer or glycopolymer bearing glucose moieties.