The widespread use of various cyclodextrin (CyD)-appended polymers and polyrotaxanes as gene carriers has been reported. Among the various polyamidoamine dendrimer (dendrimer) conjugates with CyDs (CDE), the dendrimer (G3) conjugate with alpha-CyD having an average degree of substitution (DS) of 2.4 (alpha-CDE (G3, DS 2)) displayed remarkable properties as DNA carriers. In an attempt to develop cell-specific gene transfer carriers, we prepared some sugar-appended alpha-CDEs, e.g. mannosylated, galactosylated, and lactosylated alpha-CDEs. In addition, PEGylated Lac-alpha-CDEs (G3) were prepared and evaluated as a hepatocyte-selective and serum-resistant gene transfer carrier. Moreover, PEGylated-alpha-CDE/CyD polypseudorotaxane systems for novel sustained DNA release system have been developed. Interestingly, glucronylglucosyl-beta-cyclodextrin (GUG-beta-CyD) conjugates with dendrimer (G2) (GUG-beta-CDE (G2)) had superior gene transfer activity to alpha-CDE (G2), expecting a development of new series of sugar-appended CDEs over alpha-CDEs (G2). Collectively, sugar-appended alpha-CDEs have the potential as novel cell-specific and safe carriers for DNA. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.