Targeting of Drugs: Strategies for Gene Constructs and Delivery (NATO Science Series A: Life Sciences): Vol 323 [Hardcover] G. Gregoriadis. Questo articolo non è disponibile.Targeting of Drugs: Strategies for Gene Constructs and Delivery (NATO Science Series A: Life Sciences): Vol 323 [Hardcover] G. Gregoriadis

Comprising the proceedings of the 10th NATO Advanced Studies Institute forum held in Marathon, Greece in June-July 1999, this volume contains 21 contributions addressing a variety of viral and non-viral vectors for the effective delivery of genes to target cells, the problems associated with such vectors, and methods of circumventing the problems. Written by academics and researchers in the fields of molecular genetics, gene therapy, experimental neurosurgery, tumor virology, molecular biology, pharmacology, and other fields, the contributions address such topics as adeno-associated viral vectors; overcoming barriers to nonviral gene delivery; plasmid gene delivery; liposomal DNA vaccines; progress towards third generation non-viral vectors for gene therapy; cationic amphiphiles as delivery system for genes into eukaryotic cells; design and properties of a lipid-based carrier system for systemic gene therapy; methacrylate-based polyplexes as transfection agent; and ligand-mediated gene delivery. Lacks a subject index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Gene therapy, developed as an alternative to the use of therapeutic proteins, can be hampered by nuclease degradation of the plasmid DNA, its inability to access target cells or when within cells, to enter the nucleus and transfect these efficiently. This book deals with recent developments in circumventing the problems of direct plasmid administration by the use of viral or non-viral vectors. Representatives from both camps discuss the challenges and opportunities of the two approaches and present current progress with a variety of constructs. These include viruses such as retroviruses, lentiviruses, poxviruses, alphavirus, herpevirus and parvovirus. Non-viral constructs are represented by polycations, polymers, cationic liposomes and nanoparticles.