Inorganic nanoparticles as carriers of nucleic acids into cells

Nanosized and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates

Recent developments in biomineralization have already demonstrated that nanosized crystals and particles play an important role in the formation of hard tissues of animals. Namely, it is well established that the basic inorganic building blocks of bones and teeth of mammals are nanosized and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates in the form of apatites. In mammals, tens to hundreds nanocrystals of a biological apatite have been found to be combined into self-assembled structures under the control of bioorganic matrixes. Therefore, application and prospective use of the nanosized and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates for a clinical repair of damaged bones and teeth are also well known. For example, greater viability and better proliferation of various types of cells have been detected on smaller crystals of calcium orthophosphates. Thus, the nanosized and nanocrystalline forms of calcium orthophosphates have great potential to revolutionize the hard tissue-engineering field, starting from bone repair and augmentation to controlled drug delivery systems. This paper reviews the current state of art and recent developments of various nanosized and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates, starting from synthesis and characterization to biomedical and clinical applications. The review also provides possible directions for future research and development.

Fenton-treated functionalized diamond nanoparticles as gene delivery system

When raw diamond nanoparticles (Dnp, 7 nm average particle size) obtained from detonation are submitted to harsh Fenton-treatment, the resulting material becomes free of amorphous soot matter and the process maintains the crystallinity, reduces the particle size (4 nm average particle size), increases the surface OH population, and increases water solubility. All these changes are beneficial for subsequent Dnp covalent functionalization and for the ability of Dnp to cross cell membranes. Fenton-treated Dnps have been functionalized with thionine and the resulting sample has been observed in HeLa cell nuclei. A triethylammonium-functionalized Dnp pairs electrostatically with a plasmid having the green fluorescent protein gene and acts as gene delivery system permitting the plasmid to cross HeLa cell membrane, something that does not occur for the plasmid alone without assistance of polycationic Dnp.

Vertical silicon nanowires as a universal platform for delivering biomolecules into living cells

A generalized platform for introducing a diverse range of biomolecules into living cells in high-throughput could transform how complex cellular processes are probed and analyzed. Here, we demonstrate spatially localized, efficient, and universal delivery of biomolecules into immortalized and primary mammalian cells using surface-modified vertical silicon nanowires. The method relies on the ability of the silicon nanowires to penetrate a cell's membrane and subsequently release surface-bound molecules directly into the cell's cytosol, thus allowing highly efficient delivery of biomolecules without chemical modification or viral packaging. This modality enables one to assess the phenotypic consequences of introducing a broad range of biological effectors (DNAs, RNAs, peptides, proteins, and small molecules) into almost any cell type. We show that this platform can be used to guide neuronal progenitor growth with small molecules, knock down transcript levels by delivering siRNAs, inhibit apoptosis using peptides, and introduce targeted proteins to specific organelles. We further demonstrate codelivery of siRNAs and proteins on a single substrate in a microarray format, highlighting this technology's potential as a robust, monolithic platform for high-throughput, miniaturized bioassays.

Ion mediated monolayer deposition of gold nanoparticles on microorganisms: discrimination by age

A general strategy to target cells by nanoparticles for drug delivery, imaging, or diagnostics involves immunospecific binding between the probes and target molecules on the particles and on the cell surface, respectively. Usually, the macromolecular nature of the molecules requires a specific conformation to achieve the desired immunospecificity, and the extent of deposition of particles is limited by the number of receptor molecules present on the cell. In this report, we successfully obtain targeted binding by decorating the nanoparticle with simple ions, such as Ca(2+), without affecting the cell's vitality. The yeast cells for study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have no specific electrostatic affinity toward positive charge as confirmed by lysine-coated Au nanoparticles. The specificity of nanoparticle binding is found to be directly related to the metabolic vitality of the yeast cell (i.e., a significantly larger deposition occurs on a younger generation with higher metabolism than on older cells). The ion-mediated targeted deposition seems to be a general phenomenon for biologically important ions, as demonstrated by the contrast between Mg(2+) and (toxic) Cd(2+). The high density of (percolating) nanoparticle deposition as a monolayer on the cells, as a result of the large number of ion receptors on the cell surface, is shown to be a potential method for building bioelectronic devices. The use of ions as an interface to target cells can have possible applications in diagnosing diseases and making biosensors using live cells.

An alternative strategy to synthesize PNA and DNA magnetic conjugates forming nanoparticle assembly based on PNA/DNA duplexes

In this paper we report an alternative approach to synthesize PNA and DNA magnetic nanoconjugates. Chemical modifications were introduced on the 130 nm dextran-magnetite particles to obtain poly-functionalized particles containing reversible bonds sensitive to the cellular environment and suitable for the direct introduction of unmodified oligomers. Due to the polyvalent nature of the nanoparticles, when the complementary PNA and DNA nanoconjugates were mixed together, the resulting duplex structures bring to a nanoparticle assembly driven by W-C base pairs. The formation of the nanoparticle assembly was investigated by optical spectroscopy (UV, FTIR), scanning and transmission electron microscopies and by the analysis of the macroscopic behaviour of the nanoparticle-conjugates in aqueous solution with and without magnetic field application. Furthermore, serum stability assays revealed an increased enzymatic resistance in FCS of the PNA/DNA nanoconjugate duplex with respect to the unconjugated duplex. The described nanosystem could be extended to other duplex structures, possibly involving aptameric sequences of biomedical relevance, and could be very useful in order to obtain high local concentration at the target site of both the duplex and the magnetic nanoparticles in biotechnological applications.

Receptor-mediated cellular uptake of folate-conjugated fluorescent nanodiamonds: a combined ensemble and single-particle study

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are nontoxic and photostable nanomaterials, ideal for long-term in vivo imaging applications. This paper reports that FNDs with a size of approximately 140 nm can be covalently conjugated with folic acid (FA) for receptor-mediated targeting of cancer cells at the single-particle level. The conjugation is made by using biocompatible polymers, such as polyethylene glycol, as crosslinked buffer layers. Ensemble-averaged measurements with flow cytometry indicate that more than 50% of the FA-conjugated FND particles can be internalized by the cells (such as HeLa cells) through receptor-mediated endocytosis, as confirmed by competitive inhibition assays. Confocal fluorescence microscopy reveals that these FND particles accumulate in the perinuclear region. The absolute number of FNDs internalized by HeLa cells after 3 h of incubation at a particle concentration of 10 microg mL(-1) is in the range of 100 particles per cell. The receptor-mediated uptake process is further elucidated by single-particle tracking of 35-nm FNDs in three dimensions and real time during the endocytosis.

Nanodimensional and Nanocrystalline Apatites and Other Calcium Orthophosphates in Biomedical Engineering, Biology and Medicine

Recent developments in biomineralization have already demonstrated that nanosized particles play an important role in the formation of hard tissues of animals. Namely, the basic inorganic building blocks of bones and teeth of mammals are nanodimensional and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates (in the form of apatites) of a biological origin. In mammals, tens to hundreds nanocrystals of a biological apatite were found to be combined into self-assembled structures under the control of various bioorganic matrixes. In addition, the structures of both dental enamel and bones could be mimicked by an oriented aggregation of nanosized calcium orthophosphates, determined by the biomolecules. The application and prospective use of nanodimensional and nanocrystalline calcium orthophosphates for a clinical repair of damaged bones and teeth are also known. For example, a greater viability and a better proliferation of various types of cells were detected on smaller crystals of calcium orthophosphates. Thus, the nanodimensional and nanocrystalline forms of calcium orthophosphates have a great potential to revolutionize the field of hard tissue engineering starting from bone repair and augmentation to the controlled drug delivery devices. This paper reviews current state of knowledge and recent developments of this subject starting from the synthesis and characterization to biomedical and clinical applications. More to the point, this review provides possible directions of future research and development.

Biodegradable calcium phosphate nanoparticle with lipid coating for systemic siRNA delivery

A lipid coated calcium phosphate (LCP) nanoparticle (NP) formulation was developed for efficient delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to a xenograft tumor model by intravenous administration. Based on the previous formulation, liposome-polycation-DNA (LPD), which was a DNA-protamine complex wrapped by cationic liposome followed by post-insertion of PEG, LCP was similar to LPD NP except that the core was replaced by a biodegradable nano-sized calcium phosphate precipitate prepared by using water-in-oil micro-emulsions in which siRNA was entrapped. We hypothesized that after entering the cells, LCP would de-assemble at low pH in the endosome, which would cause endosome swelling and bursting to release the entrapped siRNA. Such a mechanism was demonstrated by the increase of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration as shown by using a calcium specific dye Fura-2. The LCP NP was further modified by post-insertion of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with or without anisamide, a sigma-1 receptor ligand for systemic administration. Luciferase siRNA was used to evaluate the gene silencing effect in H-460 cells which were stably transduced with a luciferase gene. The anisamide modified LCP NP silenced about 70% and 50% of luciferase activity for the tumor cells in culture and those grown in a xenograft model, respectively. The untargeted NP showed a very low silencing effect. The new formulation improved the in vitro silencing effect 3-4 folds compared to the previous LPD formulation, but had a negligible immunotoxicity.

Nonviral gene delivery: principle, limitations, and recent progress

Gene therapy is becoming a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of genetic and acquired disorders. Nonviral approaches as alternative gene transfer vehicles to the popular viral vectors have received significant attention because of their favorable properties, including lack of immunogenicity, low toxicity, and potential for tissue specificity. Such approaches have been tested in preclinical studies and human clinical trials over the last decade. Although therapeutic benefit has been demonstrated in animal models, gene delivery efficiency of the nonviral approaches remains to be a key obstacle for clinical applications. This review focuses on existing and emerging concepts of chemical and physical methods for delivery of therapeutic nucleic acid molecules in vivo. The emphasis is placed on discussion about problems associated with current nonviral methods and recent efforts toward refinement of nonviral approaches.

General strategy for designing functionalized magnetic microspheres for different bioapplications

Surface functionalization and water solubility of magnetic nanoparticles are crucial for bioapplication. Here, we describe a synthetic approach for direct preparation of a wide range of functionalized and hydrophilic magnetic polymer particles (MPPs) that is both simple and general and involves using different polymers as the source of functional groups. This simple strategy of changing the polymer used in the reaction can give rise to a wide variety of hydrophilic MPPs with a high number of functional groups. For the purpose of bioapplication, we synthesized three types of MPPs with typical functional groups, such as hydroxyl groups (-OH), amino groups (-NH2), and carboxyl groups (-COOH), and further characterized these MPPs by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The magnetic saturation of the MPPs was also studied and was adequate for most bioapplications. MPPs were shown to have good biocompatibility using cell proliferation and apoptosis assays. Two types of MPPs with different functional groups were used successfully for intracellular imaging and antibody purification. Our results demonstrate that this simple and general synthesis strategy has potential for designing hydrophilic magnetic nanoparticles with multifunctionalities that cater for a range of bioapplications.

Cationic shell-cross-linked knedel-like (cSCK) nanoparticles for highly efficient PNA delivery

Peptide nucleic acids have a number of features that make them an ideal platform for the development of in vitro biological probes and tools. Unfortunately, their inability to pass through membranes has limited their in vivo application as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Herein, we describe the development of cationic shell-cross-linked knedel-like (cSCK) nanoparticles as highly efficient vehicles for the delivery of PNAs into cells, either through electrostatic complexation with a PNA * ODN hybrid, or through a bioreductively cleavable disulfide linkage to a PNA. These delivery systems are better than the standard Lipofectamine/ODN-mediated method and much better than the Arg(g)-mediated method for PNA delivery in HeLa cells, showing lower toxicity and higher bioactivity. The cSCKs were also found to facilitate both endocytosis and endosomal release of the PNAs, while themselves remaining trapped in the endosomes.

Induction of notch signaling by immobilization of jagged-1 on self-assembled monolayers

Notch signaling is a key mechanism during mammal development and stem cell regulation. This study aims to target and control Notch signaling by ligands immobilization using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as model surfaces. Non-fouling substrates were prepared by immersion of gold substrates in (1-Mercapto-11-undecyl)tetra(ethylene glycol) thiol solutions. These surfaces were activated with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) at different concentrations (0, 0.03, 0.3, 3 and 30 mg/ml) and an anti-human IgG, Fc specific fragment antibody (Ab) was covalently bound to EG4-SAMs to guarantee the correct exposure of the Notch ligand Jagged-1/Fc chimera (Jag-1). The presence of Ab and Jag-1 was confirmed by radiolabeling, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry and ELISA. The biological activity of Jag-1-Ab-SAMs was assessed by real-time PCR for Hes-1 family gene expression, a Notch pathway target gene, in HL-60 cell line. Results have shown an increase of the amount of immobilized Ab with increasing surface activator concentrations. Jag-1 concentration also increases with Ab concentration. Interestingly, a higher Jagged-1 exposure and fold increase in Hes-1 expression were obtained for surfaces activated with the lowest concentration of CDI (0.03 mg/ml). These results illustrate the great importance of ligands orientation and exposure, when compared with density. This investigation brings new insights into Notch signaling mechanisms. In particular, Jag-1-Ab-SAMs have shown to be adequate model surfaces to study Notch pathway activation and may provide a basis to develop new interfaces in biomaterials to control Notch mechanism in different cell systems.

The use of size-defined DNA-functionalized calcium phosphate nanoparticles to minimise intracellular calcium disturbance during transfection

Calcium phosphate-based transfection methods are frequently used to transfer DNA into living cells. However, it has so far not been studied in detail to what extend the different transfection methods lead to a net calcium uptake. Upon subsequent resolution of the calcium phosphate, intracellular free ionic calcium-surges could result, inducing as side effect various physiological responses that may finally result in cell death. Here we investigated the overall calcium uptake by the human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 during the standard calcium phosphate transfection method and also during transfection with custom-made calcium phosphate/DNA nanoparticles by isotope labelling with (45)calcium. (45)Calcium uptake was strongly increased after 7h of standard calcium phosphate transfection but not if the transfection was performed with calcium phosphate nanoparticles. Time lapse imaging microscopy using the calcium-sensitive dye Fura-2 revealed large transient increases of the intracellular free calcium level during the standard calcium phosphate transfection but not if calcium phosphate nanoparticles were used. Consistently, the viability of cells transfected by calcium phosphate/DNA nanoparticles was not changed, in remarkable contrast to the standard method where considerable cell death occurred.

Characterization and performance of nucleic acid nanoparticles combined with protamine and gold

Macromolecular nucleic acids such as DNA vaccines, siRNA, and splice-site switching oligomers (SSO) have vast chemotherapeutic potential. Nanoparticulate biomaterials hold promise for DNA and RNA delivery when a means for binding is identified that retains structure-function and provides stabilization by the nanoparticles. In order to provide these benefits of binding, we combined DNA and RNA with protamine-demonstrating association to gold microparticles by electrophoretic, gel shot, fluorescence, and dynamic laser light spectroscopy (DLLS). A pivotal finding in these studies is that the Au-protamine-DNA conjugates greatly stabilize the DNA; and DNA structure and vaccine activity are maintained even after exposure to physical, chemical, and temperature-accelerated degradation. Specifically, protamine formed nanoparticles when complexed to RNA. These complexes could be detected by gel shift and were probed by high throughput absorbance difference spectroscopy (HTADS). Biological activity of these RNA nanoparticles (RNPs) was demonstrated also by a human tumor cell splice-site switching assay and by siRNA delivery against B-Raf-a key cancer target. Finally, RNA:protamine particles inhibited growth of cultured human tumor cells and bacteria. These data provide new insights into DNA and RNA nanoparticles and prospects for their delivery and chemotherapeutic activity.

Electrostatically mediated liposome fusion and lipid exchange with a nanoparticle-supported bilayer for control of surface charge, drug containment, and delivery

The loading and containment of cargo within nanoparticles and their efficient delivery to cells represent a primary challenge in nanomedicine. We report lipid exchange between free and mesoporous silica nanoparticle-supported lipid bilayers as an effective means of containing cargo, controlling charge, and directing delivery to mammalian cells. The delivery of a membrane-impermeable dye (calcein) and a chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin) are demonstrated. Exchanged lipid bilayers minimized premature drug release, and an overall positive charge on the supported lipid bilayer effected enhanced delivery.

Nanoparticles of adaptive supramolecular networks self-assembled from nucleotides and lanthanide ions

Amorphous nanoparticles of supramolecular coordination polymer networks are spontaneously self-assembled from nucleotides and lanthanide ions in water. They show intrinsic functions such as energy transfer from nucleobase to lanthanide ions and excellent performance as contrast enhancing agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, adaptive inclusion properties are observed in the self-assembly process: functional materials such as fluorescent dyes, metal nanoparticles, and proteins are facilely encapsulated. Dyes in these nanoparticles fluoresce in high quantum yields with a single exponential decay, indicating that guest molecules are monomerically wrapped in the network. Gold nanoparticles and ferritin were also wrapped by the supramolecular shells. In addition, these nucleotide/lanthanide nanoparticles also serve as scaffolds for immobilizing enzymes. The adaptive nature of present supramolecular nanoparticles provides a versatile platform that can be utilized in a variety of applications ranging from material to biomedical sciences. As examples, biocompatibility and liver-directing characteristics in in vivo tissue localization experiments are demonstrated.

Mammalian cell penetration, siRNA transfection, and DNA transfection by supercharged proteins

Nucleic acid reagents, including small interfering RNA (siRNA) and plasmid DNA, are important tools for the study of mammalian cells and are promising starting points for the development of new therapeutic agents. Realizing their full potential, however, requires nucleic acid delivery reagents that are simple to prepare, effective across many mammalian cell lines, and nontoxic. We recently described the extensive surface mutagenesis of proteins in a manner that dramatically increases their net charge. Here, we report that superpositively charged green fluorescent proteins, including a variant with a theoretical net charge of +36 (+36 GFP), can penetrate a variety of mammalian cell lines. Internalization of +36 GFP depends on nonspecific electrostatic interactions with sulfated proteoglycans present on the surface of most mammalian cells. When +36 GFP is mixed with siRNA, protein-siRNA complexes approximately 1.7 mum in diameter are formed. Addition of these complexes to five mammalian cell lines, including four that are resistant to cationic lipid-mediated siRNA transfection, results in potent siRNA delivery. In four of these five cell lines, siRNA transfected by +36 GFP suppresses target gene expression. We show that +36 GFP is resistant to proteolysis, is stable in the presence of serum, and extends the serum half-life of siRNA and plasmid DNA with which it is complexed. A variant of +36 GFP can mediate DNA transfection, enabling plasmid-based gene expression. These findings indicate that superpositively charged proteins can overcome some of the key limitations of currently used transfection agents.

Porous nanoparticle supported lipid bilayers (protocells) as delivery vehicles

Mixing liposomes with hydrophilic particles induces fusion of the liposome onto the particle surface. Such supported bilayers have been studied extensively as models of the cell membrane, while their applications in drug delivery have not been pursued. In this communication, we report liposome fusion on mesoporous particles as a synergistic means to simultaneously load and seal cargo within the porous core. We find fusion of a cationic lipid (DOTAP) on an anionic silica particle loads an anionic fluorescent dye (calcein) into the particle to a concentration exceeding 100x that in the surrounding medium. The loaded "protocell" particles are taken up efficiently by Chinese hamster ovary cells, where, due to a reduced pH within endosomal compartments, calcein is effectively released. Compared to some other nanoparticle systems, protocells provide a simple construct for cargo loading, sealing, delivery, and release. They promise to serve as useful vectors in nanomedicine.

Efficient gene delivery vectors by tuning the surface charge density of amino acid-functionalized gold nanoparticles

Gold colloids functionalized with amino acids provide a scaffold for effective DNA binding with subsequent condensation. Particles with lysine and lysine dendron functionality formed particularly compact complexes and provided highly efficient gene delivery without any observed cytotoxicity. Nanoparticles functionalized with first generation lysine dendrons (NP-LysG1) were approximately 28-fold superior to polylysine in reporter gene expression. These amino acid-based nanoparticles were responsive to intracellular glutathione levels, providing a tool for controlled release and concomitant expression of DNA.

Carbon nanotubes protect DNA strands during cellular delivery

To protect against nuclease digestion, or single-strand binding protein interactions, oligonucleotides for targeted delivery into intracellular systems must be stable. To accomplish this, we have developed single-walled carbon nanotubes as a carrier for single-stranded DNA probe delivery. This has resulted in superior biostability for intracellular application and, hence, has achieved the desired protective attributes, which are particularly important when DNA probes are used for intracellular measurements. Specifically, when bound to single-walled carbon nanotubes, DNA probes are protected from enzymatic cleavage and interference from nucleic acid binding proteins. Moreover, and equally important, our study shows that a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified DNA probe, which targets a specific mRNA inside living cells, has increased self-delivery capability and intracellular biostability when compared to free DNA probes. Therefore, this new conjugate provides significant advantages for basic genomic studies in which DNA probes are used to monitor intracellular levels of molecules.