Liposomes versus micelles as gene delivery vectors

Gene therapy, because of its aim to eradicate causes rather than symptoms of diseases, is believed by many to be the therapy of the future. The generic aim of gene therapy is to achieve the expression of transgenes in the target cells for as long as required, in an appropriately regulated form, without side effects. The components of gene therapy are the genetic material and a gene delivery system able to transfer and release nucleic acids inside cells. Cationic lipids have long been viewed as the most promising non viral gene delivery systems. In this short communication, the physico-chemical properties of cationic lipids, their states of aggregation (micelles, liposomes, free lipids) before and after DNA complexation, and their implication on the system efficiency will be briefly investigated.