Bioreducible polymers for therapeutic gene delivery

Most currently available cationic polymers have significant acute toxicity concerns such as cellular toxicity, aggregation of erythrocytes, and entrapment in the lung capillary bed, largely due to their poor biocompatibility and non-degradability under physiological conditions. To develop more intelligent polymers, disulfide bonds are introduced in the design of biodegradable polymers. Herein, the sustained innovations of biomimetic nano-sized constructs with bioreducible poly(disulfide amine)s demonstrate a viable clinical tool for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, anemia, diabetes, and cancer. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.