Non-viral gene therapy for spinal cord regeneration

Spinal cord injury (SCI) normally results in life-long disabilities and a broad range of secondary complications. Advances in therapeutic delivery during the past few decades offer hope for such victims. However, the limited functional improvement shown in in vivo studies hinders effective therapeutic application in clinical practice. Recent studies showed that gene vectors can transfect cells present in the lesion of an injured spinal cord (endogenous cells) and thereby produce therapeutic molecules with long-lasting biological effects that promote neural tissue regeneration. In this article we review recent advances in non-viral gene delivery into neural cells and their use for gene therapy in SCI.

► The development of nanocarriers improved neural cell transfection efficiency in vitro.
► Gene vectors can transfect endogenous cells and create long-lasting biological effects.
► Non-viral gene therapy enhanced neurogenesis after spinal cord injury.
► Biomaterials provide structural guidance for regeneration and a reservoir for gene delivery.