ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors provide a brief introduction on the delivery of nucleic acids into tumor cells confined within the peritoneal cavity, with a focus on the mechanism of action of lipidic and polymeric carriers that have been administered intraperitoneal (IP). It should be noted that none of these delivery systems has received Food and Drug Administration approval yet. In most applications using nonviral gene delivery, the resulting gene expression is transient. Most nonviral nucleic acid delivery systems are based on polymeric or lipidic nanosized carriers. The ultimate goal for nonviral nucleic acid delivery systems is to obtain site-specific delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids and release these nucleic acids in a controlled fashion, in order to maximize the treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects. For efficacious IP nucleic acid delivery, nonviral vectors should meet several requirements on both the extracellular and intracellular level. Nonviral vectors can however interact with components of the peritoneal fluid, especially proteins.
