ABSTRACT
Nanotechnologies form the basis of support for a number of applications, including biomedical applications such as drug delivery and drug targeting. Among the several submicronic particles developed for drug targeting, biodegradable nanoparticles have been widely used to carry different types of therapeutic agents such as antisense oligonucleotides.1,2 Once they get inside the cell, these short gene fragments are able to control gene expression and can be potentially used to treat oncogene-related cancers, viral infections, or inflammatory diseases. Because of their low intracellular penetration and poor stability, antisense oligonucleotides need to be transported by a carrier. The choice of nanoparticles was made because of their stability in the systemic circulation and their ability to achieve tissue or cellular targeting. For oligonucleotide delivery, the poly(alkylcyanoacrylate) (PACA) polymer has been the subject of several studies. This review will summarize the achievements that were recently made in the development of this approach.
