Nucleic Acid Delivery

Nucleic acid delivery refers to a process or technology platform, not a molecular entity that can be therapeutically targeted. It describes the multistep mechanism by which nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, siRNA, mRNA) are transported into cells and subcellular compartments for therapeutic purposes. It encompasses delivery vectors and systems (viral and non-viral carriers), biological barriers (extracellular and intracellular), transport mechanisms (endocytosis, endosomal escape, nuclear trafficking), and engineering approaches (lipid nanoparticles, polymeric vectors, cationic lipids). As a functional outcome rather than a discrete molecular receptor, enzyme, transporter, or protein, it cannot be directly 'hit' with drugs.