Gene delivery based on non-viral vector for therapy of acute lung injury

Abstract

As one of the most frequent forms of serious disease, acute lung injury seriously threatens human health due to its rapid progression and high mortality rate, yet, there is currently no clinically viable therapeutic. With the gradual deepening of the understanding of the pathological mechanism of the disease, the role of gene therapy in acute lung injury has gradually become prominent. Nowadays, gene therapy for acute lung injury mainly aims at enhancing alveolar fluid clearance, suppressing pro-inflammatory response and repairing lung barrier. Current gene delivery carriers include viral and non-viral vectors. Non-viral delivery systems are not as effective as viral vectors, but they have the advantages of being less immunogenic, cheaper, and simpler to mass-produce. Gene therapy based on non-viral delivery systems including those based on lipids, dendrimers, polymers, graphene, and other inorganic nanoparticles have been extensively investigated. As an alternative, exosomes and cells have been offered as a promising delivery approach used by nature to transport gene into the lungs. The review briefly summarizes the research progress of gene therapy based on non-viral vector for acute lung injury therapy. For presenting a thorough perspective of gene therapy of acute lung injury, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for implementing this method into clinical practice are discussed. Data availabilityNo data was used for the research described in the article.