A triploblast origin for Myxozoa?

Characterization and evaluation of the efficacy of cationic complex mediated plasmid DNA delivery in human embryonic palatal mesenchyme cells

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a non-viral gene delivery system that can be employed to deliver genes of interest into a pre-osteoblastic cell line. Human embryonic palatal mesenchymal (HEPM 1486) cells were transfected with vector-plasmid DNA (pDNA) complexes. We explored calcium phosphate and polyethylenimine (PEI) as non-viral vectors and compared their respective in vitro transfection efficacies. Plasmid DNA encoding luciferase protein (LUC) was complexed with PEI (with differing N:P ratios) and calcium phosphate (with differing Ca:P ratios), using established protocols. The complexes prepared were then characterized for size and surface charge, using a Malvern Zetasizer Nano-ZS. The transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity of the prepared complexes were evaluated in HEPM cells. The PEI-pDNA complexes over the whole range of N:P ratios were found to be < 160 nm in size, while the calcium phosphate-pDNA complexes were relatively bigger. The PEI-pDNA complexes prepared at a N:P ratio of 10 were found to have maximum transfection efficiency at 4 h of treatment, with minimal cytotoxicity. The highest transfection efficiency obtained with calcium phosphate-pDNA complexes (Ca:P 200) was nearly 12-fold lower than that obtained with PEI-pDNA complexes (N:P 10). Following this, transgene expression in the HEPM cells treated with complexes prepared at a N:P ratio of 10 was further examined, using pDNA coding for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP-N1) or therapeutically relevant platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B). In conclusion, PEI was a more effective vector for delivering genes of interest to pre-osteoblasts than calcium phosphate. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bioreducible POSS-cored star-shaped polycation for efficient gene delivery

The bioreducible star-shaped gene vector (POSS-(SS-PDMAEMA)8) with well-defined structure and relatively narrow molecular weight distribution was synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of (2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) from a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) macroinitiator. POSS-(SS-PDMAEMA)8 was composed of a biocompatible POSS core and eight disulfide-linked PDMAEMA arms, wherein the PDMAEMA chain length could be adjusted by controlling polymerization time. POSS-(SS-PDMAEMA)8 can effectively bind pDNA into uniform nanocomplexes with appropriate particle size and zeta potential. The incorporation of disulfide bridges gave the POSS-(SS-PDMAEMA)8 material facile bioreducibility. In comparison with POSS-(PDMAEMA)8 without disulfide linkage, POSS-(SS-PDMAEMA)8 exhibited much lower cytotoxicity and substantially higher transfection efficiency. The present work would provide useful information for the design of new POSS-based drug/gene carriers.

Gene therapy for malignant glioma

Glioblastoma multiforme represents the most common primary malignant tumor of the adult CNS. Unfortunately, the median survival after surgical intervention alone is less than 6 months and the addition of radiotherapy can extend this time to only 9 months. Consequently, efforts aimed at developing new therapies have focused on new treatment strategies that specifically target tumor cells and spare normal cells. One such modality, gene therapy, has shown promise in the spectrum of agents utilized against brain tumors. This review highlights the principles of gene therapy and discusses the results of recent clinical trials in which gene therapy has been employed against malignant brain tumors.

Discovery of antibiotics-derived polymers for gene delivery using combinatorial synthesis and cheminformatics modeling

We describe the combinatorial synthesis and cheminformatics modeling of aminoglycoside antibiotics-derived polymers for transgene delivery and expression. Fifty-six polymers were synthesized by polymerizing aminoglycosides with diglycidyl ether cross-linkers. Parallel screening resulted in identification of several lead polymers that resulted in high transgene expression levels in cells. The role of polymer physicochemical properties in determining efficacy of transgene expression was investigated using Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) cheminformatics models based on Support Vector Regression (SVR) and 'building block' polymer structures. The QSAR model exhibited high predictive ability, and investigation of descriptors in the model, using molecular visualization and correlation plots, indicated that physicochemical attributes related to both, aminoglycosides and diglycidyl ethers facilitated transgene expression. This work synergistically combines combinatorial synthesis and parallel screening with cheminformatics-based QSAR models for discovery and physicochemical elucidation of effective antibiotics-derived polymers for transgene delivery in medicine and biotechnology.

PLGA-carbon nanotube conjugates for intercellular delivery of caspase-3 into osteosarcoma cells

Cancer has arisen to be of the most prominent health care issues across the world in recent years. Doctors have used physiological intervention as well as chemical and radioactive therapeutics to treat cancer thus far. As an alternative to current methods, gene delivery systems with high efficiency, specificity, and safety that can reduce side effects such as necrosis of tissue are under development. Although viral vectors are highly efficient, concerns have arisen from the fact that viral vectors are sourced from lethal diseases. With this in mind, rod shaped nano-materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become an attractive option for drug delivery due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect in tumors as well as the ability to penetrate the cell membrane. Here, we successfully engineered poly (lactic-co-glycolic) (PLGA) functionalized CNTs to reduce toxicity concerns, provide attachment sites for pro-apoptotic protein caspase-3 (CP3), and tune the temporal release profile of CP3 within bone cancer cells. Our results showed that CP3 was able to attach to functionalized CNTs, forming CNT-PLGA-CP3 conjugates. We show this conjugate can efficiently transduce cells at dosages as low as 0.05 μg/ml and suppress cell proliferation up to a week with no further treatments. These results are essential to showing the capabilities of PLGA functionalized CNTs as a non-viral vector gene delivery technique to tune cell fate.

Effects of a delocalizable cation on the headgroup of gemini lipids on the lipoplex-type nanoaggregates directly formed from plasmid DNA

Lipoplex-type nanoaggregates prepared from pEGFP-C3 plasmid DNA (pDNA) and mixed liposomes, with a gemini cationic lipid (CL) [1,2-bis(hexadecyl imidazolium) alkanes], referred as (C16Im)2Cn (where Cn is the alkane spacer length, n = 2, 3, 5, or 12, between the imidazolium heads) and DOPE zwitterionic lipid, have been analyzed by zeta potential, gel electrophoresis, SAXS, cryo-TEM, fluorescence anisotropy, transfection efficiency, fluorescence confocal microscopy, and cell viability/cytotoxicity experiments to establish a structure-biological activity relationship. The study, carried out at several mixed liposome compositions, α, and effective charge ratios, ρeff, of the lipoplex, demonstrates that the transfection of pDNA using CLs initially requires the determination of the effective charge of both. The electrochemical study confirms that CLs with a delocalizable positive charge in their headgroups yield an effective positive charge that is 90% of their expected nominal one, while pDNA is compacted yielding an effective negative charge which is only 10-25% than that of the linear DNA. SAXS diffractograms show that lipoplexes formed by CLs with shorter spacer (n = 2, 3, or 5) present three lamellar structures, two of them in coexistence, while those formed by CL with longest spacer (n = 12) present two additional inverted hexagonal structures. Cryo-TEM micrographs show nanoaggregates with two multilamellar structures, a cluster-type (at low α value) and a fingerprint-type, that coexist with the cluster-type at moderate α composition. The optimized transfection efficiency (TE) of pDNA, in HEK293T, HeLa, and H1299 cells was higher using lipoplexes containing gemini CLs with shorter spacers at low α value. Each lipid formulation did not show any significant levels of toxicity, the reported lipoplexes being adequate DNA vectors for gene therapy and considerably better than both Lipofectamine 2000 and CLs of the 1,2-bis(hexadecyl ammnoniun) alkane series, recently reported.

The role of gene therapy in regenerative surgery: updated insights

BACKGROUND

In the past two decades, regenerative surgeons have focused increasing attention on the potential of gene therapy for treatment of local disorders and injuries. Gene transfer techniques may provide an effective local and short-term induction of growth factors without the limits of other topical therapies. In 2002, Tepper and Mehrara accurately reviewed the topic: given the substantial advancement of research on this issue, an updated review is provided.

METHODS

Literature indexed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database (PubMed) has been reviewed using variable combinations of keywords ("gene therapy," "regenerative medicine," "tissue regeneration," and "gene medicine"). Articles investigating the association between gene therapies and local pathologic conditions have been considered. Attention has been focused on articles published after 2002. Further literature has been obtained by analysis of references listed in reviewed articles.

RESULTS

Gene therapy approaches have been successfully adopted in preclinical models for treatment of a large variety of local diseases affecting almost every type of tissue. Experiences in abnormalities involving skin (e.g., chronic wounds, burn injuries, pathologic scars), bone, cartilage, endothelia, and nerves have been reviewed. In addition, the supporting role of gene therapies to other tissue-engineering approaches has been discussed. Despite initial reports, clinical evidence has been provided only for treatment of diabetic ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.

CONCLUSIONS

Translation of gene therapy strategies into human clinical trials is still a lengthy, difficult, and expensive process. Even so, cutting-edge gene therapy-based strategies in reconstructive procedures could soon set valuable milestones for development of efficient treatments in a growing number of local diseases and injuries.

Mesoporous iron oxide nanoparticles prepared by polyacrylic acid etching and their application in gene delivery to mesenchymal stem cells

Novel monodisperse mesoporous iron oxide nanoparticles (m-IONPs) were synthesized by a postsynthesis etching approach and characterized by electron microscopy. In this approach, solid iron oxide nanoparticles (s-IONPs) were first prepared following a solvothermal method, and then etched anisotropically by polyacrylic acid to form the mesoporous nanostructures. MTT cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the m-IONPs have good biocompatibility with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Owing to their mesoporous structure and good biocompatibility, these monodisperse m-IONPs were used as a nonviral vector for the delivery of a gene of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tagged with a green fluorescence protein (GFP) into the hard-to-transfect stem cells. Successful gene delivery and transfection were verified by detecting the GFP fluorescence from MSCs using fluorescence microscopy. Our results illustrated that the m-IONPs synthesized in this work can serve as a potential nonviral carrier in gene therapy where stem cells should be first transfected and then implanted into disease sites for disease treatment.

Polycations-functionalized water-soluble gold nanoclusters: a potential platform for simultaneous enhanced gene delivery and cell imaging

Noble metal nanoclusters have emerged as a fascinating area of widespread interest in nanomaterials. Herein, we report the synthesis of the PEI-templated gold nanoclusters (PEI-AuNCs) as an efficient carrier for gene delivery. The PEI-AuNCs integrate the advantages of PEI and AuNCs: the presence of AuNCs can effectively decrease the cytotoxicity of PEI, making it possible to apply them in biological systems, while the cationic polymer layer PEI with positive charges is essential for enhanced gene transfection efficiency. In addition, with excellent photoluminescent properties, the AuNCs also endow our system with the versatility of fluorescent imaging, indicating a great potential as an ideal fluorescent probe to track the transfection behavior. Our studies provide strong evidence that the PEI-AuNCs can be utilized as efficient gene delivery agents.

Gene transfection in high serum levels: case studies with new cholesterol based cationic gemini lipids

Background

Six new cationic gemini lipids based on cholesterol possessing different positional combinations of hydroxyethyl (-CH₂CH₂OH) and oligo-oxyethylene -(CH₂CH₂O)_n- moieties were synthesized. For comparison the corresponding monomeric lipid was also prepared. Each new cationic lipid was found to form stable, clear suspensions in aqueous media.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To understand the nature of the individual lipid aggregates, we have studied the aggregation properties using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements and X-ray diffraction (XRD). We studied the lipid/DNA complex (lipoplex) formation and the release of the DNA from such lipoplexes using ethidium bromide. These gemini lipids in presence of a helper lipid, 1, 2-dioleoyl phophatidyl ethanol amine (DOPE) showed significant enhancements in the gene transfection compared to several commercially available transfection agents. Cholesterol based gemini having -CH₂-CH₂-OH groups at the head and one oxyethylene spacer was found to be the most effective lipid, which showed transfection activity even in presence of high serum levels (50%) greater than Effectene, one of the potent commercially available transfecting agents. Most of these geminis protected plasmid DNA remarkably against DNase I in serum, although the degree of stability was found to vary with their structural features.

Conclusions/Significance

-OH groups present on the cationic headgroups in combination with oxyethylene linkers on cholesterol based geminis, gave an optimized combination of new genera of gemini lipids possessing high transfection efficiency even in presence of very high percentage of serum. This property makes them preferential transfection reagents for possible in vivo studies.

Nonviral gene transfer strategies to promote bone regeneration

Despite the inherent ability of bone to regenerate itself, there are a number of clinical situations in which complete bone regeneration fails to occur. In view of shortcomings of conventional treatment, gene therapy may have a place in cases of critical-size bone loss that cannot be properly treated with current medical or surgical treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of gene therapy in general, nonviral techniques of gene transfer including physical and chemical methods, RNA-based therapy, therapeutic genes to be transferred for bone regeneration, route of application including ex vivo application, and direct gene therapy approaches to regenerate bone.

Synergetic Targeted Delivery of Sleeping-Beauty Transposon System to Mesenchymal Stem Cells Using LPD Nanoparticles Modified with a Phage-Displayed Targeting Peptide

An important criterion for effective gene therapy is sufficient chromosomal integration activity. The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system is a plasmid system allowing efficient insertion of transgenes into the host genome. However, such efficient insertion occurs only after the system is delivered to nuclei. Since transposons do not have the transducing abilities of viral vectors, efficient delivery of this system first into cells and then into cell nuclei is still a challenge. Here, a phage display technique using a major coat displayed phage library is employed to identify a peptide (VTAMEPGQ) that can home to rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs). A nanoparticle, called liposome protamine/DNA lipoplex (LPD), is electrostatically assembled from cationic liposomes and an anionic complex of protamine, DNA and targeting peptides. Various peptides are enveloped inside the LPD to improve its targeting capability for rMSCs and nuclei. The rMSC-targeting peptide and nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptide can execute the synergetic effect to promote transfection action of LPD. The homing peptide directs the LPD to target the MSCs, whereas the NLS peptide directs transposon to accumulate into nuclei once LPD is internalized inside the cells, leading to increased gene expression. This suggests that rMSC-targeting peptide and NLS peptide within LPD can target to rMSCs and then guide transposon into nuclei. After entering the nuclei, SB transposon increase the insertion rates into cellular chromosomes. The targeting LPD does not show obvious cell toxicity and influence on the differentiation potential of rMSCs. Therefore, the integration of SB transposon and LPD system is a promising nonviral gene delivery vector in stem cell therapy.

The therapeutic effect of PEI-Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles/pEgr1-HSV-TK/GCV associated with radiation and magnet-induced heating on hepatoma

Comprehensive therapy based on the integration of hyperthermia, radiation, gene therapy and chemotherapy is a promising area of study in cancer treatment. Using PEI-Mn(0.5)Zn(0.5)Fe(2)O(4) nanoparticles (PEI-MZF-NPs) as a gene transfer vector, the authors transfected self-prepared pEgr1-HSV-TK into HepG2 cells and measured the expression of the exogenous gene HSV-TK by RT-PCR. The results showed that HSV-TK was successfully transfected into HepG2 cells and the expression levels of HSV-TK remained stable. Besides, PEI-MZF-NPs were used as magnetic media for thermotherapy to treat hepatoma by magnet-induced heating, combined with radiation-gene therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo results suggest that this combined treatment with gene, radiation and heating has a better therapeutic effect than any of them alone. The apoptotic rate and necrotic rate of the combined treatment group was 51.84% and 15.45%, respectively. In contrast, it was only 20.55% and 6.80% in the radiation-gene group, 7.49% and 3.62% in the radiation-alone group, 15.23% and 7.90% in the heating-alone group, and only 3.52% and 2.16% in the blank control group. The inhibition rate of cell proliferation (88.5%) of the combined treatment group was significantly higher than that of the radiation-gene group (59.5%), radiation-alone group (37.6%) and heating-alone group (60.6%). The tumor volume and mass inhibition rate of the combined treatment group was 94.45% and 93.38%, respectively, significantly higher than 41.28% and 33.58% of the radiation-alone group, 60.76% and 52.18% of the radiation-gene group, 79.91% and 77.40% of the heating-alone group. It is therefore concluded that this combined application of heating, radiation and gene therapy has a good synergistic and complementary effect and PEI-MZF-NPs can act as a novel non-viral gene vector and magnetic induction medium, which offers a viable approach for the treatment of cancer.

Agent of whirling disease meets orphan worm: phylogenomic analyses firmly place Myxozoa in Cnidaria

Myxozoa are microscopic obligate endoparasites with complex live cycles. Representatives are Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of whirling disease in salmonids, and the enigmatic "orphan worm" Buddenbrockia plumatellae parasitizing in Bryozoa. Originally, Myxozoa were classified as protists, but later several metazoan characteristics were reported. However, their phylogenetic relationships remained doubtful. Some molecular phylogenetic analyses placed them as sister group to or even within Bilateria, whereas the possession of polar capsules that are similar to nematocysts of Cnidaria and of minicollagen genes suggest a close relationship between Myxozoa and Cnidaria. EST data of Buddenbrockia also indicated a cnidarian origin of Myxozoa, but were not sufficient to reject a closer relationship to bilaterians. Phylogenomic analyses of new genomic sequences of Myxobolus cerebralis firmly place Myxozoa as sister group to Medusozoa within Cnidaria. Based on the new dataset, the alternative hypothesis that Myxozoa form a clade with Bilateria can be rejected using topology tests. Sensitivity analyses indicate that this result is not affected by long branch attraction artifacts or compositional bias.

Optimization of brush-like cationic copolymers for nonviral gene delivery

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is one of the most broadly used polycations for gene delivery due to its high transfection efficiency and commercial availability but materials are cytotoxic and often polydisperse. The goal of current work is to develop an alternative family of polycations based on controlled living radical polymerization (CLRP) and to optimize the polymer structure for efficient gene delivery. In this study, well-defined poly(glycidyl methacrylate)(P(GMA)) homopolymers were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization followed by decoration using three different types of oligoamines, i.e., tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA), and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN), respectively, to generate various P(GMA-oligoamine) homopolycations. The effect of P(GMA) backbone length and structure of oligoamine on gene transfer efficiency was then determined. The optimal polymer, P(GMA-TEPA)(50), provided comparable transfection efficiency but lower cytotoxicity than PEI. P(GMA-TEPA)(50) was then used as the cationic block in diblock copolymers containing hydrophilic N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA). Polyplexes of block copolymers were stable against aggregation in physiological salt condition and in Opti-MEM due to the shielding effect of P(HPMA) and P(OEGMA). However, the presence of the HPMA/OEGMA block significantly decreased the transfection efficacy of P(GMA-TEPA)(50) homopolycation. To compensate for reduced cell uptake caused by the hydrophilic shell of polyplex, the integrin-binding peptide, RGD, was conjugated to the hydrophilic chain end of P(OEGMA)(15)-b-P(GMA-TEPA)(50) copolymer by Michael-type addition reaction. At low polymer to DNA ratios, the RGD-functionalized polymer showed increased gene delivery efficiency to HeLa cells compared to analogous polymers lacking RGD.

Protein-resistant, reductively dissociable polyplexes for in vivo systemic delivery and tumor-targeting of siRNA

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been considered as a very attractive therapeutic alternative to chemical drugs; however, the chemical and biological instability and poor delivery efficiency of siRNA limit its success in clinical applications. Here we report a protein-resistant, reductively dissociable siRNA delivery system based on self-assembled polyelectrolyte complexes of dextran-siRNA conjugates linked by disulfide bonds. The prepared polyplexes exhibit excellent dispersion stability in the presence of serum because of the anti-fouling property of dextran exposed onto the complex surface. The enzymatic degradation of siRNA is also effectively suppressed within the complex. Folates are introduced as an active tumor-targeting moiety via the conjugation of folates to the hydroxyl groups of dextran. An in vivo investigation with a xenograft tumor mouse model shows that the folate-decorated dextran-siRNA conjugates are very efficiently targeted to cancer cells and induce sequence-specific gene silencing.

In vitro transfection mediated by dendrigraft poly(L-lysines): the effect of structure and molecule size

Dendritic poly(L-lysines) (DGL) constitute promising nanomaterials applicable as a nonviral gene-delivery vector. In this study, we evaluate the transfection abilities of four DGL generations with special emphasis on the systematic description of the relationship of how generation (i.e., molecule size) affects the transfection efficacy. Using Hep2 cells, we demonstrated that the capability of unmodified DGL to deliver plasmid is of a magnitude lower than that of jetPEI. On the other hand, employing the Hep2 cell line stably transduced with eGFP, we observed that DGL G5 delivers the siRNA oligonucleotide with the same efficiency as Lipofectamine 2000. In further experiments, it was shown that DGL affords excellent ability to bind DNA, protect it against DNase I attack, and internalize it into cells.

Development of in vitro gene delivery system using ORMOSIL nanoparticle: Analysis of p53 gene expression in cultured breast cancer cell (MCF-7)

This article reports on the application of organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles as an efficient in vitro gene delivery system in the recent years. Based on that prime objective, the present study addresses the possible ways to reduce cancers incidence at cellular level. In this context, ORMOSIL nanoparticles had been synthesized and incubated along with pCMV–Myc (3.8 kb) plasmid vector construct carrying p53gene, and transfected into the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 cells. Western blot analysis showed that the p53 protein was significantly expressed in breast cancer cell upon transfection. The confocal and electron microscopic studies further confirmed that the nanoparticles were accumulated in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of the cancer cells transfected with p53 gene. Interesting agarose gel electrophoresis studies revealed that the nanoparticles efficiently complex with pCMV–Myc vector. The anti-cancer properties of p53 were demonstrated by assessing the cell survival and growth rate which showed a positive linear correlation in cancer cells. Whereas, the growth rate was significantly reduced in ORMOSIL/p53/pCMV–Myc transfected breast cancer cells compared to the growth rate of non-transfected cells. The results of this approach using ORMOSIL nanoparticles as a non-viral gene delivery platform have a promising future for use as effective transfection agent for therapeutic manipulation of cancer cells and targeted cancer gene therapy in vivo.

Cancer gene therapy targeting cellular apoptosis machinery

The unraveling of cellular apoptosis machinery provides novel targets for cancer treatment, and gene therapy targeting this suicidal system has been corroborated to cause inflammation-free autonomous elimination of neoplastic cells. The apoptotic machinery can be targeted by introduction of a gene encoding an inducer, mediator or executioner of apoptotic cell death or by inhibition of anti-apoptotic gene expression. Strategies targeting cancer cells, which are achieved by selective gene delivery, specific gene expression or secretion of target proteins via genetic modification of autologous cells, dictate the outcome of apoptosis-based cancer gene therapy. Despite so far limited clinical success, gene therapy targeting the apoptotic machinery has great potential to benefit patients with threatening malignancies provided the availability of efficient and specific gene delivery and administration systems.

Calcium phosphate composite layers for surface-mediated gene transfer

In this review, the surface-mediated gene transfer system using calcium phosphate composite layers is described. Calcium phosphate ceramics are osteoconductive bioceramics used typically in orthopedic and dental applications. Additionally, calcium phosphate particles precipitated by a liquid-phase process have long been used as a safe and biocompatible transfection reagent in molecular biology. Recently, calcium phosphate composite layers immobilizing DNA were fabricated on the surfaces of base materials through a biomimetic process using supersaturated solutions. These composite layers possess useful characteristics of both osteoconductive bioceramics and transfection reagents; they thus provide a biocompatible surface to support cell adhesion and growth, and can stimulate the cell effectively via surface-mediated gene transfer. By modifying the fabrication conditions, physicochemical and biological properties of the composite layers can be varied. With such an approach, these composite layers can be designed to have improved affinity for cells and to exhibit increased gene transfer efficiency over that of conventional lipid transfection reagents. The composite layers with the increased gene transfer efficiency induced specific cell differentiation and tissue regeneration in vivo. These composite layers, given their good biocompatibility and the potential to control cell behavior on their surfaces, have great potential in tissue engineering applications.

"Molecular trinity" for soft nanomaterials: Integrating nucleobases, amino acids, and glycosides to construct multifunctional hydrogelators

This highlight introduces the development of hydrogelators consisting of nucleobases, amino acids, and glycosides (i.e., molecular trinity), or nucleobases and amino acids (i.e., nucleopeptides). These novel small molecule hydrogelators self-assemble in water to form stable supramolecular nanofibers/hydrogels and exhibit useful biological properties (e.g., biocompatibility, biostability, and the ability to bind and transport DNA into live cells). The approach discussed here not only provides a new strategy to develop soft biomaterials as a form of nanomedicines, but also contributes to the understanding of molecular self-assembly in water by modulating the non-covalent interactions derived from the three basic building blocks used in living organisms.

Gene delivery using dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles as nonviral vectors

Development of highly efficient nonviral gene delivery vectors still remains a great challenge. In this study, we report a new gene delivery vector based on dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs) with significantly higher gene transfection efficiency than that of dendrimers without AuNPs entrapped. Amine-terminated generation 5 poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers (G5.NH(2)) were utilized as templates to synthesize AuNPs with different Au atom/dendrimer molar ratios (25:1, 50:1, 75:1, and 100:1, respectively). The formed Au DENPs were used to complex two different pDNAs encoding luciferase (Luc) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), respectively for gene transfection studies. The Au DENPs/pDNA polyplexes with different N/P ratios and compositions of Au DENPs were characterized by gel retardation assay, light scattering, zeta potential measurements, and atomic force microscopic imaging. We show that the Au DENPs can effectively compact the pDNA, allowing for highly efficient gene transfection into the selected cell lines as demonstrated by both Luc assay and fluorescence microscopic imaging of the EGFP expression. The transfection efficiency of Au DENPs with Au atom/dendrimer molar ratio of 25:1 was at least 100 times higher than that of G5.NH(2) dendrimers without AuNPs entrapped at the N/P ratio of 2.5:1. The higher gene transfection efficiency of Au DENPs is primarily due to the fact that the entrapment of AuNPs helps preserve the 3-dimensional spherical morphology of dendrimers, allowing for more efficient interaction between dendrimers and DNA. With the less cytotoxicity than that of G5.NH(2) dendrimers demonstrated by thiazoyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay and higher gene transfection efficiency, it is expected that Au DENPs may be used as a new gene delivery vector for highly efficient transfection of different genes for various biomedical applications.

Polyamidoamine-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes for gene delivery: synthesis, transfection and intracellular trafficking

Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f-MWNTs) are of great interest and designed as a novel gene delivery system. In this paper, we presented synthesis of polyamidoamine-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PAA-g-MWNTs) and their application as a novel gene delivery system. The PAA-g-MWNTs, obtained from amide formation between PAA and chemically oxidized MWNTs, were stable in aqueous solution and much less toxic to cells than PAA and PEI 25KDa. More importantly, PAA-g-MWNTs showed comparable or even higher transfection efficiency than PAA and PEI at optimal w/w ratio. Intracellular trafficking of Cy3-labeled pGL-3 indicated that a large number of Cy3-labeled pGL-3 were attached to nucleus membrane, the majority of which was localized in nucleus after incubation with cells for 24 h. We have demonstrated that PAA modification of MWNTs facilitate higher DNA uptake and gene expression in vitro. All these facts suggest potential application of PAA-g-MWNTs as a novel gene vector with high transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity.

Effect of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-AFP-hTNF on liver cancer cells (HepG2 Cells) in vitro when delivered by PEG-PEI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Gene delivery into liver cancer cells has been a problem. This study aimed to understand the effect of using PEGI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid as a gene vector for liver cancer gene therapy. An AFP enhancer aids in the expression of tumor-specific foreign genes in AFP-producing cancer cells like HepG2 cells, and was utilized in the delivery method in this study.

METHODS

We constructed recombinant plasmid PEGFP-AFP-hTNFα, which was transfected into AFP positive HepG2 cells and AFP negative Hela cells by PEG-PEI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid. Fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate the transfection rate of the hTNFα gene in the HepG2 cells 12 hours after transfection. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were used to detect expression of hTNFα gene in the HepG2 cells 48 hours after transfection. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of hTNFα on the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

RESULTS

Plasmid PEGFP-AFP-hTNFα delivered by PEG-PEI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid was successfully transfected into HepG2 cells and expressed in the HepG2 cells. The transfection efficacy of hTNFα gene delivered by PEG-PEI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid was superior to that of hTNFα gene delivered by lipofectamine in HepG2 cells. RT-PCR and western blot demonstrated that hTNFα gene was expressed in HepG2 cells that were transfected with complexes of nanomagnetic fluid/PEGFP-AFP-hTNFα. MTT and flow cytometry showed that the hTNFα gene markedly exerted a cell killing effect.

CONCLUSION

PEG-PEI/Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic fluid successfully transfected PEGFP-AFP-hTNFα into HepG2 cells and induced expression of hTNFα gene in the HepG2 cells, thus showing promise as a gene vector for liver cancer gene therapy. Furthermore, an AFP enhancer can specifically increase the expression of target genes in cells positive for AFP.

Cyclen-based cationic lipids for highly efficient gene delivery towards tumor cells

BACKGROUND

Gene therapy has tremendous potential for both inherited and acquired diseases. However, delivery problems limited their clinical application, and new gene delivery vehicles with low cytotoxicity and high transfection efficiency are greatly required.

METHODS

In this report, we designed and synthesized three amphiphilic molecules (L1-L3) with the structures involving 1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen), imidazolium and a hydrophobic dodecyl chain. Their interactions with plasmid DNA were studied via electrophoretic gel retardation assays, fluorescent quenching experiments, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The in vitro gene transfection assay and cytotoxicity assay were conducted in four cell lines.

RESULTS

Results indicated that L1 and L3-formed liposomes could effectively bind to DNA to form well-shaped nanoparticles. Combining with neutral lipid DOPE, L3 was found with high efficiency in gene transfer in three tumor cell lines including A549, HepG2 and H460. The optimized gene transfection efficacy of L3 was nearly 5.5 times more efficient than that of the popular commercially available gene delivery agent Lipofectamine 2000™ in human lung carcinoma cells A549. In addition, since L1 and L3 had nearly no gene transfection performance in normal cells HEK293, these cationic lipids showed tumor cell-targeting property to a certain extent. No significant cytotoxicity was found for the lipoplexes formed by L1-L3, and their cytotoxicities were similar to or slightly lower than the lipoplexes prepared from Lipofectamine 2000™.

CONCLUSION

Novel cyclen-based cationic lipids for effective in vitro gene transfection were founded, and these studies here may extend the application areas of macrocyclic polyamines, especially for cyclen.

[Oro-maxillofacial bone tissue engineering combining biomaterials, stem cells, and gene therapy]

Improvements have been made in regenerative medicine, due to the development of tissue engineering and cellular therapy. Bone regeneration is an ambitious project, leading to many applications involving skull, maxillofacial, and orthopaedic surgery. Scaffolds, stem cells, and signals support bone tissue engineering. The scaffold physical and chemical properties promote cell invasion, guide their differentiation, and enable signal transmission. Scaffold may be inorganic or organic. Their conception was improved by the use of new techniques: self-assembled nanofibres, electrospinning, solution-phase separation, micropatterned hydrogels, bioprinting, and rapid prototyping. Cellular biology processes allow us to choose between embryonic stem cells or adult stem cells for regenerative medicine. Finally, communication between cells and their environment is essential; they use various signals to do so. The study of signals and their transmission led to the discovery and the use of Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP). The development of cellular therapy led to the emergence of a specific field: gene therapy. It relies on viral vectors, which include: retroviruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated vectors (AAV). Non-viral vectors include plasmids and lipoplex. Some BMP genes have successfully been transfected. The ability to control transfected cells and the capacity to combine and transfect many genes involved in osseous healing will improve gene therapy.