@article {216951,
	title = {Design of biodegradable hydrogel for the local and sustained delivery of angiogenic plasmid DNA},
	journal = {Pharm Res},
	volume = {25},
	number = {5},
	year = {2008},
	month = {2008 May},
	pages = {1230-8},
	abstract = {PURPOSE: To attain the effective local and sustained delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding for a growth factor.

METHODS: We hypothesized that controlling the degradation rate of biomaterials encapsulating pDNA via concurrent physical dissociation of the cross-linked structure and hydrolytic chain breakage of polymers would allow one to significantly broaden the range of pDNA release rate. This hypothesis was examined using ionically cross-linked polysaccharide hydrogels which were previously designed to rapidly degrade via engineering of ionic cross-linking junction and partial oxidation of polysaccharide chains.

RESULTS: The hydrogel degradation rates were varied over the broad range, and pDNA release correlated with the gel degradation rate. Degradable hydrogels were used for the local and sustained delivery of a pDNA encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the ischemic hindlimbs of mice, and local pDNA release significantly improved the recovery of blood perfusion as compared with a bolus injection of VEGFencoding pDNA.

CONCLUSION: This strategy to control the hydrogel degradation rate may be useful in regulating the delivery of a broad array of macromolecular drugs, and subsequently improve their therapeutic efficacy.},
	keywords = {Alginates, Algorithms, Animals, Cross-Linking Reagents, Delayed-Action Preparations, DNA, Gene Expression, Mice, Mice, Inbred NOD, Molecular Weight, Neovascularization, Physiologic, Plasmids, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A},
	issn = {0724-8741},
	doi = {10.1007/s11095-007-9526-7},
	author = {Kong, Hyunjoon and Kim, Eun Seok and Huang, Yen-Chen and Mooney, David J}
}
