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Nowadays, gene delivery for therapeutic objects is considered one of the most promising strategies to cure both the genetic and acquired diseases of human. The design of efficient gene delivery vectors possessing the high transfection efficiencies and low cytotoxicity is considered the major challenge for delivering a target gene to specific tissues or cells. On this base, the investigations on non-viral gene vectors with the ability to overcome physiological barriers are increasing. Among the non-viral vectors, nanoparticles showed remarkable properties regarding gene delivery such as the ability to target the specific tissue or cells, protect target gene against nuclease degradation, improve DNA stability, and increase the transformation efficiency or safety. This review attempts to represent a current nanoparticle based on its lipid, polymer, hybrid, and inorganic properties. Among them, hybrids, as efficient vectors, are utilized in gene delivery in terms of materials (synthetic or natural), design, and in vitro/in vivo transformation efficiency.

In recent decades, the use of nanomaterials has received much attention in industrial and medical fields. However, some reports have mentioned adverse effects of these materials on the biological systems and cellular components. There are several major mechanisms for cytotoxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) such as physicochemical properties, contamination with toxic element, fibrous structure, high surface charge and radical species generation. In this review, a brief key mechanisms involved in toxic effect of NPs are given, followed by the in vitro toxicity assays of NPs and prooxidant effects of several NPs such as carbon nanotubes, titanium dioxide NPs, quantum dots, gold NPs and silver NPs.