Sistema FMUSP-HC: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) e Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSPKIM, JayoungWILSON, David R.ZAMBONI, Camila G.GREEN, Jordan J.2016-07-182016-07-182015JOURNAL OF DRUG TARGETING, v.23, n.7-8, p.627-641, 20151061-186Xhttps://observatorio.fm.usp.br/handle/OPI/14420In this article, advances in designing polymeric nanoparticles for targeted cancer gene therapy are reviewed. Characterization and evaluation of biomaterials, targeting ligands, and transcriptional elements are each discussed. Advances in biomaterials have driven improvements to nanoparticle stability and tissue targeting, conjugation of ligands to the surface of polymeric nanoparticles enable binding to specific cancer cells, and the design of transcriptional elements has enabled selective DNA expression specific to the cancer cells. Together, these features have improved the performance of polymeric nanoparticles as targeted non-viral gene delivery vectors to treat cancer. As polymeric nanoparticles can be designed to be biodegradable, non-toxic, and to have reduced immunogenicity and tumorigenicity compared to viral platforms, they have significant potential for clinical use. Results of polymeric gene therapy in clinical trials and future directions for the engineering of nanoparticle systems for targeted cancer gene therapy are also presented.engrestrictedAccessCancer therapycell-specificitygene deliverynanoparticlespolymeric biomaterialpromotertargeting ligandstissue-specificitynucleic-acid deliveryhepatocellular-carcinoma cellsmesenchymal stem-cellssmall interfering rnasplasmid dna deliveryin-vivobreast-cancersuicide genetransgene expressionprostate-cancerarticleCopyright TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD10.3109/1061186X.2015.1048519Pharmacology & Pharmacy1029-2330