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Delivering Nucleic‐Acid Based Nanomedicines on Biomaterial Scaffolds for Orthopedic Tissue Repair: Challenges, Progress and Future Perspectives
Author(s) -
Raftery Rosanne M.,
Walsh David P.,
Castaño Irene Mencía,
Heise Andreas,
Duffy Garry P.,
Cryan SallyAnn,
O'Brien Fergal J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201505088
Subject(s) - biomaterial , gene delivery , genetic enhancement , regenerative medicine , regeneration (biology) , tissue engineering , drug delivery , rna interference , materials science , biomedical engineering , microbiology and biotechnology , nanotechnology , biology , gene , medicine , rna , stem cell , biochemistry
As well as acting to fill defects and allow for cell infiltration and proliferation in regenerative medicine, biomaterial scaffolds can also act as carriers for therapeutics, further enhancing their efficacy. Drug and protein delivery on scaffolds have shown potential, however, supraphysiological quantities of therapeutic are often released at the defect site, causing off‐target side effects and cytotoxicity. Gene therapy involves the introduction of foreign genes into a cell in order to exert an effect; either replacing a missing gene or modulating expression of a protein. State of the art gene therapy also encompasses manipulation of the transcriptome by harnessing RNA interference (RNAi) therapy. The delivery of nucleic acid nanomedicines on biomaterial scaffolds — gene‐activated scaffolds —has shown potential for use in a variety of tissue engineering applications, but as of yet, have not reached clinical use. The current state of the art in terms of biomaterial scaffolds and delivery vector materials for gene therapy is reviewed, and the limitations of current procedures discussed. Future directions in the clinical translation of gene‐activated scaffolds are also considered, with a particular focus on bone and cartilage tissue regeneration.