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Polymer That Delivers Genetic Medicine Developed
This advancement is a result of the efforts of Theresa M. Reineke, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Science, and her colleagues in her lab at Virginia Tech and at the University of Cincinnati.
"My lab has been trying to find a way to deliver genetic-based drugs into cells," said Reineke.
While studies being conducted across the world are using information from the human genome project as an approach to treat disease, Reineke's focus is cancer and cardiovascular disease.
"Traditional drugs are aimed at treating disease at the protein level. Genetic drugs - such as those that can alter or control gene expression - aim to treat disease at the genetic level and have the added benefit of being more specific for their medicinal target," she said.
The scientists created novel polycations, a polymer chain with positive charges, which is not too unusual.
DNA itself is a polyanion, a polymer with negative charges. However, the Reineke Group's supramolecule contains chemistry (oligoethyleneamines) that binds and compacts nucleic acids - pieces of the DNA - into nanoparticles.
It also incorporates a group of rare-earth elements known as lanthanides. The repackaged DNA is protected from damage as it travels into the cells and the lanthanides allow visualization of the delivery into cells.
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