Hydrogel-based non-viral carrier for gene delivery for treating Epidermolysis Bullosa: optimising hydrogel formulation

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) refers to a cluster of medical conditions characterised by heightened skin blistering, primarily resulting from insufficient collagen VII expression [1]. Our approach involves the development of a topical nanogel containing nanoparticles encoding collagen VII, targeted for delivery into skin cells to stimulate collagen VII production. RALA nanoparticles, a 30-amino acid peptide comprising arginine/alanine/ leucine/alanine repeats, facilitate nucleic acid condensation. The nanogel formulation includes chitosan (CH), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and gelatin (Gel). CH, known for its antimicrobial properties, serves to mitigate additional complications associated with EB, including infections [2]. The positively charged nature of gelatin in acidic environments, such as wounds, enables effective interactions with negatively charged cellular membranes and DNA, making it a potentially efficient gene delivery vector that enhances cell uptake and gene trans