Shape Matters in DNA Nanoparticle Therapy

Researchers from John Hopkins and Northwestern University have recently discovered that the shape of nanoparticles can make a difference in how well they work and have also discovered how to control the shape of these particles. What is also new about this gene therapy technique is that it does not use a virus to carry the DNA into cells. Because there are no viruses being used in this therapy the healthy risks are lowered. By compressing healthy pieces of DNA within protective polymer coatings Hai-Quan Mao was able to develop a non viral nanoparticle that is designed to deliver the genetic material once in target cells. Mao was able to fix these particles into different shapes such as rods worms and spheres, which mimic the shape of viral particles.

By using computer simulations they were able to get an understanding of what was responsible for the shape change of these particles. With knowing the mechanisms behind the shape change they could predict how to choose nanoparticle components in order to get the desired shape. To create these shapes used in research researchers packed DNA with polymers and exposed them to different dilutions of an organic solvent. The DNA aversion along with the researchers' polymer makes the nanoparticles become the desired shape that has a shield in order to protect it. By using the same particle of three shapes to test on animals, it showed that the worm shaped particles resulted in 1,600 times more gene expression in the liver cells than did the rod and sphere.

(DNA molecules packaged into nanoparticles using a polymer)

These nanoparticles could lead to a safer and more effective delivery for gene therapy, targeting cancer and other genetic diseases, and anything else that can be treated with gene medicine. By producing nanoparticles in the shape they excel most in then it would lead to a much more efficient way to deliver gene therapy. From looking at the differences the worm shaped particles made it shows that having the optimal shape can really make a difference. It is amazing to see how much of a difference a shape can make in these carriers when it comes to treating diseases.