QUESTIONS:

1. Which between organic and inorganic nanoparticles is better to use in gene theraphy?

2. Knowing all the potential hazards and ethical aspects of nanoparticles, would you still avail of gene theraphy?

Q1

The organic nanoparticles.

Polymer nanoparticles are used in the use of gene therapy to address the different difficulties faced. Some genes have relatively long base sequences that make it hard for the desired sites to be administered to them. In addition, the nucleases in the target cells can degrade the delivered DNA as well. Organic polymers (organic nanoparticles) and/or inorganic elements (inorganic nanoparticles) are used to prepare nanoparticles. Examples of organic nanoparticles are liposomes, dendrimers, carbon nanomaterials and polymeric micelles.

Q2

In general, the toxic effects of nanoparticles on health are very serious due to their very small size, nanoparticles can cause dangerous effects, allowing them to be highly mobile in the environment and the human body. The systemic distribution of these particles can be caused by inhalation of the nanoparticles; they may cross the blood brain barrier and then reach the olfactory bulb and cerebellum. Another problem is that the products made up of such nanoparticles, many of which are made of non-biodegradable contaminants, such as metals and carbon black, should be regarded as the long-term conduct of those materials since it is still uncertain.

Some nanoparticles consist of silver, silver can cause some early changes in the permeability of the cell membrane to potassium and then to sodium at concentrations that do not limit Na+, K+-ATP activity. Silver nanoparticles can also cause toxic effects on PBMCs, proliferation, and PBMCs expression of cytokine on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Cadmium is a heavy metal used in nanoparticles, but it is also known as a toxicant because in mammalian hepatocytes it has the ability to cause lysosomal damage and DNA breakage. Cadmium may also affect the role of the mitochondria and induce apoptosis.