Silk-Elastinlike Copolymers for Breast Cancer Gene Therapy
Abstract
The overall purpose of the project is to use silkelastin-like polymers (SELPs) for the development of controlled gene delivery systems for localized breast cancer gene therapy. The rationale is that by controlling the structure of the polymer, it is possible to control DNA release, duration of transgene expression and the corresponding reduction in tumor size. In year 1 progress was made in the following areas: i) In the biosynthesis of the analogs, and ii) the demonstration that when reporter plasmids embedded in one of the polymers are localized around breast cancer tumors in mice, they show transfection. efficiency over time depending on polymer concentration. In addition to the proposed research the following related results were also achieved: i) Release of plasmid DNA from the polymeric analogs depends on plasmid size, DNA conformation and hydrogel geometry, and ii) the heat capacity of water in SELP hydrogels is similar to that of "normal" water. Such results have implications in controlled release of plasmid DNA. Overall the results obtained will aid in the tailor-making of the hydrogels for better localized transfection efficiency in gene therapy of breast cancer which are the subsequent phases of this research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA425167
Entities
People
- Hamid Ghandehari
Organizations
- University of Maryland, Baltimore