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DQAsomes as the Prototype of Mitochondria-Targeted Pharmaceutical Nanocarriers: Preparation, Characterization, and Use

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Mitochondrial Medicine

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1265))

Abstract

DQAsomes (dequalinium-based liposome-like vesicles) are the prototype for all mitochondria-targeted vesicular pharmaceutical nanocarrier systems. First described in 1998, they have been successfully explored for the delivery of DNA and low-molecular weight molecules to mitochondria within living mammalian cells. Potential areas of application involve mitochondrial gene therapy, antioxidant therapy as well as apoptosis-based anticancer chemotherapy. Here, detailed protocols for the preparation, characterization, and application of DQAsomes are given.

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Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank his former graduate students Dr. Gerard D’Souza and Dr. Shing-Ming Cheng for their outstanding contributions to the work described in this chapter.

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Correspondence to Volkmar Weissig .

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Weissig, V. (2015). DQAsomes as the Prototype of Mitochondria-Targeted Pharmaceutical Nanocarriers: Preparation, Characterization, and Use. In: Weissig, V., Edeas, M. (eds) Mitochondrial Medicine. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1265. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2288-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2288-8_1

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2287-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2288-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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