Synthesis and characterization of low molecular weight polyethyleneimine-terminated Poly(β-amino ester) for highly efficient gene delivery of minicircle DNA

Patient derived cancer organoids model the response to HER2-CD3 bispecific antibody (BsAbHER2) generated from hydroxyapatite gene delivery system

HER2-positive cancer is a prevalent subtype of malignancy with poor prognosis, yet current targeted therapies, like Trastuzumab and pyrotinib, have resulted in remission in patients with HER2-positive cancer. This study provides a novel approach for immunotherapy based on a hydroxyapatite (HA) gene delivery system producing a bispecific antibody for HER2-positive cancer treatment. An HA nanocarrier has been synthesized by the classical hydrothermal method. Particularly, the HA-nanoneedle system was able to mediate stable gene expression of minicircle DNA (MC) encoding a humanized anti-CD3/anti-HER2 bispecific antibody (BsAbHER2) in vivo. The produced BsAbs exhibited a potent killing effect not only in HER2-positive cancer cells but also in patient-derived organoids in vitro. This HA-nanoneedle gene delivery system features simple large-scale preparation and clinical applicability. Hence, the HA-nanoneedle gene delivery system combined with minicircle DNA vector encoding BsAbHER2 reported here provides a potential immunotherapy strategy for HER2-positive tumors.

Role of Hydrophobic Modification in Spermine-Based Poly(β-amino ester)s for siRNA Delivery and Their Spray-Dried Powders for Inhalation and Improved Storage

After RNAi was first discovered over 20 years ago, siRNA-based therapeutics are finally becoming reality. However, the delivery of siRNA has remained a challenge. In our previous research, we found that spermine-based poly(β-amino ester)s are very promising for siRNA delivery. However, the role of hydrophobic modification in siRNA delivery of spermine-based poly(β-amino ester)s is not fully understood yet. In the current work, we synthesized spermine-based poly(β-amino ester)s with different percentages of oleylamine side chains, named P(SpOABAE). The chemical structures of the polymers were characterized by 1H NMR. The polymers showed efficient siRNA encapsulation determined by SYBR Gold assays. The hydrodynamic diameters of the P(SpOABAE) polyplexes from charge ratio N/P 1 to 20 were 30-100 nm except for aggregation phenomena observed at N/P 3. Morphology of the polyplexes was visualized by atomic force microscopy, and cellular uptake was determined by flow cytometry in H1299 cells, where all the polyplexes showed significantly higher cellular uptake than hyperbranched polyethylenimine (25 kDa). The most hydrophobic P(SpOABAE) polyplexes were able to achieve more than 90% GFP knockdown in H1299/eGFP cells. The fact that gene silencing efficacy increased with hydrophobicity but cellular uptake was affected by both charge and hydrophobic interactions highlights the importance of endosomal escape. For pulmonary administration and improved storage stability, the polyplexes were spray-dried. Results confirmed the maintained siRNA activity after storage for 3 months at room temperature, indicating potential for dry powder inhalation.

PEI-based functional materials: Fabrication techniques, properties, and biomedical applications

Cationic polymers have recently attracted considerable interest as research breakthroughs for various industrial and biomedical applications. They are particularly interesting due to their highly positive charges, acceptable physicochemical properties, and ability to undergo further modifications, making them attractive candidates for biomedical applications. Polyethyleneimines (PEIs), as the most extensively utilized polymers, are one of the valuable and prominent classes of polycations. Owing to their flexible polymeric chains, broad molecular weight (MW) distribution, and repetitive structural units, their customization for functional composites is more feasible. The specific beneficial attributes of PEIs could be introduced by purposeful functionalization or modification, long service life, biocompatibility, and distinct geometry. Therefore, PEIs have significant potential in biotechnology, medicine, and bioscience. In this review, we present the advances in PEI-based nanomaterials, their transfection efficiency, and their toxicity over the past few years. Furthermore, the potential and suitability of PEIs for various applications are highlighted and discussed in detail. This review aims to inspire readers to investigate innovative approaches for the design and development of next-generation PEI-based nanomaterials possessing cutting-edge functionalities and appealing characteristics.

Co-delivery of docetaxel and p53 gene from cationic nanoparticles based on poly (l-lactide) and low-molecular-weight polyethyleneimine (PEA)

Recent findings revealed that low-concentration paclitaxel(DTX) could enhance cytotoxicity by upregulating p53 expression in lung cancer cell lines. So, co-delivery of DTX and RFP-p53 gene with PEA nanoparticles (NPs) was studied. The prepared DTX loaded PEA NPs (PEA/DTX) were characterized by particle size distribution, morphology, zeta potential, and crystallography and cytotoxicity. Results showed that the PEA/DTX NPs had a mall particle size (≤100 nm), moderate zeta potential (≥40 mV) and drug loading of 9.0%, DTX was released from PEA/DTX NPs in an extended period in vitro. More important, agarose gel electrophoresis showed that PEA/DTX cationic NPs were able to completely bind RFP-p53 gene with mean particles size and zeta potential. Studies on cellular uptake of (PEA/DTX)/RFP-p53 NPs demonstrated that both drug and gene were effectively taken up by A549 tumor cells. It was found that intravenous injection of (PEA/DTX)/RFP-p53 NPs efficiently inhibited growth of subcutaneous A549 carcinoma in vivo (p < 0.05) and was significantly less side effect than that of mice treated with the other groups. Therefore, the (PEA/DTX)/RFP-p53 NPs might be a promising candidate for A549 cancer therapy.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Evaluation of MSNs-PbAE Nanocontainers for the Controlled Release of Caffeine as a Corrosion Inhibitor

In this paper, a controlled-release system of caffeine as a corrosion inhibitor was obtained by encapsulating it in MCM-41 silica nanoparticles coated with a poly(β-amino ester) (PbAE), a pH-sensible polymer. Encapsulation was verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetry (TGA). The release of caffeine from the nanocontainers was analyzed in electrolytes with pH values of 4, 5, and 7 using UV-Vis, showing a 21% higher release in acidic electrolytes than in neutral electrolytes, corroborating its pH sensitivity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization were used to determine the inhibition mode and efficiency of the encapsulated and free caffeine. The caffeine released from the nanocontainers showed the highest efficiency, which was 85.19%. These results indicate that these nanocontainers could have potential use in smart anticorrosion coating applications.

Synthesis and characterization of polyethyleneimine-terminated poly(β-amino esters) conjugated with pullulan for gene delivery

Cationic polymers endowed with a flexible system for condensing DNA, are regarded as effective materials for gene delivery. The synthesis of poly(β-amino esters) (pBAEs) based on 1,4-butanediol diacrylate-ethanolamine monomer (1.2:1 molar ratio) and 1,4-butanediol diacrylate-ethylene diamine (1:2 molar ratio) were carried out and modification with 1800 Da polyethyleneimine (PEI) at different weight ratios (3 and 1) as well as conjugation with pullulan in various weight ratios of (0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, and 1) performed. Gel-retardation assay demonstrated that the synthesized polymers were able to condense DNA at low carrier/plasmid (C/P) ratios. The polyplexes with ratio 3 of PEI (pβ₁/PEI₃) were restricted in all C/P ratios and the polyplexes of pβ₁/PEI₃/pull_0.125 were condensed at C/P ratios higher than 0.5. The particle size at C/P were approximately about 200 nm with a positive surface charge. The presence of the pullulan in the structure of the synthesized pBAEs could be effective in reducing toxicity of the base polymer. Highest metabolic activity dedicated to C/P₂ of pβ₂/PEI₃/pull_0.125 with 80.6 percent viability. Furthermore, the most efficient gene reporter delivery was seen at C/P ratio of 6 in pβ₂/PEI₃/pull_0.125 nanoparticles. Therefore, pullulan grafting could enhance the cellular response of cells in terms of cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency.

Poly (β amino esters) copolymers: Novel potential vectors for delivery of genes and related therapeutics

The unique properties of polymers have performed an essential contribution to the drug delivery system by providing an outstanding platform for the delivery of macromolecules and genes. However, the block copolymers have been the subject of many recently published works whose results have demonstrated excellent performance in drug targeting. Poly(β-amino esters) (PβAEs) copolymers are the synthetic cationic polymers that are tailored by chemically joining PβAEs with other additives to demonstrate extraordinary efficiency in designing pre-defined and pre-programmed nanostructures, site-specific delivery, andovercoming the distinct cellular barriers. Different compositional and structural libraries could be generated by combinatorial chemistry and by the addition of various novel functional additives that fulfill the multiple requirements of targeted delivery. These intriguing attributes allow PβAE-copolymers to have customized therapeutic functions such as excellent encapsulation capacity, high stability, and stimuli-responsive release. Here, we give an overview of PβAE copolymers-based formulations along with focusing on most notable improvements such as structural modifications, bio-conjugations, and stimuli-responsive approaches, for safe and effective nucleic acids delivery.

Zinc(II)-Cyclen Multifunctional Complex Module-Mediated Polycation-Based High-Performance pDNA Vectors

A kind of novel multifunctional modules based on zinc(II)-coordinative cyclen has been developed, which is utilized to modify low molecular weight polyethylenimine (LMWPEI) obtaining high-performance DNA vectors. A series of in vitro experiments were carried out to explore the performance of the module in improving the key process of gene transfection, such as DNA condensation, serum resistance, cellular uptake, and endosomal escape. The results demonstrate that there is a significant synergistic effect between the functional module and PEI2.5k in the process of breaking through the key barriers of gene transfection. The optimal Zn-PCD mediates 160-fold higher gluciferase activity than commercial transfection reagents PEI25k in ADSC stem cells with more than 90% cell viability and achieves excellent transfection efficiency in diverse cell types, for instance, HepG2 cells, 293T cells, and 293F suspension cells.

Cancer treatment evolution from traditional methods to stem cells and gene therapy

BACKGROUND

Cancer, a malignant tumor, is caused by the failure of the mechanism that controls cell growth and proliferation. Late clinical symptoms often manifest as lumps, pain, ulcers, and bleeding. Systemic symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, and loss of appetite. It is a major disease that threatens human life and health. How to treat cancer is a long-standing problem that needs to be overcome in the history of medicine.

METHOD

Traditional tumor treatment methods are poorly targeted, and the side effects of treatment seriously damage the physical and mental health of patients. In recent years, with the advancement of medical science and technology, the research on gene combined with mesenchymal stem cells to treat tumors has been intensified. Mesenchymal stem cells carry genes to target cancer cells, which can achieve better therapeutic effects.

DISCUSSION

In the text, we systematically review the cancer treatment evolution from traditional methods to novel approaches that include immunotherapy, nanotherapy, stem cell theapy, and gene therapy. We provide the latest review of the application status, clinical trials and development prospects of mesenchymal stem cells and gene therapy for cancer, as well as their integration in cancer treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells are effective carriers carrying genes and provide new clinical ideas for tumor treatment.

CONCLUSION

This review focuses on the current status, application prospects and challenges of mesenchymal stem cell combined gene therapy for cancer, and provides new ideas for clinical research.

Intracellular Delivery of Proteins into Living Cells by Low-Molecular-Weight Polyethyleneimine

Introduction

Intracellular protein delivery is emerging as a potential strategy to revolutionize therapeutics in the field of biomedicine, aiming at treating a wide range of diseases including cancer, inflammatory diseases and other oxidative stress-related disorders with high specificity. However, the current challenges and limitations are addressed to either synthetically or biologically through multipotency of engineering, such as protein modification, insufficient delivery of large-size proteins, deficiency or mutation of proteins, and high cytotoxicity.

Methods

We prepared the nanocomposites by mixing protein with PEI1200 at a certain molar ratio and demonstrated that it can deliver proteins into living cells in high efficiency and safety through the following experiments, such as dynamic light scattering, fluorescent detection, agarose gel electrophoresis, ß-Galactosidase activity detection, immunofluorescence staining, digital fluorescent detection, cell viability assay and flow cytometry.

Results

The self-assembly of PEI1200/protein nanocomposites with appropriate molar ratio (4:1 and 8:1) could provide efficiently delivery of active proteins to a variety of cell types in the presence of serum. The nanocomposites could continuously release protein up to 96 h in their desired intracellular locations. In addition, these nanocomposites were able to preserve protein activity while maintain low cytotoxicity (when final concentration <1 μg/mL).

Conclusion

Collectively, PEI1200-based delivery system provided an alternative strategy to direct protein delivery in high efficiency and safety, offering increased potential applications in clinical biomedicine.

Highly Osmotic Oxidized Sucrose-Crosslinked Polyethylenimine for Gene Delivery Systems

In this work, highly osmotic oxidized sucrose-crosslinked polyethylenimine (SP2K) polymers were developed for gene delivery systems, and the transfection mechanism is examined. First, periodate-oxidized sucrose and polyethylenimine 2K (PEI2K) were crosslinked with various feed ratios via reductive amination. The synthesis was confirmed by ¹H NMR and FTIR. The synthesized SP2K polymers could form positively charged (~40 mV zeta-potential) and nano-sized (150–200 nm) spherical polyplexes with plasmid DNA (pDNA). They showed lower cytotoxicity than PEI25K but concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. Among them, SP2K7 and SP2K10 showed higher transfection efficiency than PEI25K in both serum and serum-free conditions, revealing the good serum stability. It was found that SP2K polymers possessed high osmolality and endosome buffering capacity. The transfection experiments with cellular uptake inhibitors suggest that the transfection of SP2K polymers would progress by multiple pathways, including caveolae-mediated endocytosis. It was also thought that caveolae-mediated endocytosis of SP2K polyplexes would be facilitated through cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression induced by high osmotic pressure of SP2K polymers. Confocal microscopy results also supported that SP2K polyplexes would be internalized into cells via multiple pathways and escape endosomes efficiently via high osmolality and endosome buffering capacity. These results demonstrate the potential of SP2K polymers for gene delivery systems.

Poly(beta-amino ester)s as gene delivery vehicles: challenges and opportunities

INTRODUCTION

Gene delivery technologies are being developed for an increasing number of biomedical applications, with delivery vehicles including viruses and non-viral materials. Among biomaterials used for non-viral gene delivery, poly(beta-amino ester)s (PBAEs), a class of synthetic, biodegradable polymers, have risen as a leading gene delivery vehicle that has been used for multiple applications in vitro and in vivo.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes the key properties of PBAEs and their development, including a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of PBAEs for gene delivery applications. The use of PBAEs to improve the properties of other drug delivery vehicles is also summarized.

EXPERT OPINION

PBAEs are designed to have multiple characteristics that are ideal for gene delivery, including their reversible positive charge, which promotes binding to nucleic acids as well as imparting high buffering capacity, and their rapid degradability under mild conditions. Simultaneously, some of their properties also lead to nanoparticle instability and low transfection efficiency in physiological environments. The ease with which PBAEs can be chemically modified as well as non-covalently blended with other materials, however, allows them to be customized specifically to overcome delivery barriers for varied applications.

Calcium phosphate nanoneedle based gene delivery system for cancer genetic immunotherapy

Ovarian cancer has become one of the most common gynecological cancers with a high mortality. However, conventional surgery together with combination chemotherapy is difficult to achieve ideal therapeutic effect. Although genetic immunotherapy is applied to active immune responses against cancer, the absence of efficient in vivo gene delivery technique is still an obstacle in clinical application. To overcome these problems, a minicircle DNA vector encoding humanized anti-EpCAM/CD3 bispecific antibody (BsAb_EPH) has been constructed. Moreover, different shapes of calcium phosphate (CaPO) biomaterials were prepared. Specifically, the CaPO-nanoneedle-mediated "cell perforation" transfection technology achieves high levels of gene expression in peritoneal cavity. In an intraperitoneal xenograft model with human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3, the CaPO-nanoneedle/minicircle DNA system expressed BsAb_EPH resulted in significant retardation of cancer growth and extension of mouse life-span with limited toxicity. And this system can be made as off-the-shelf and easy-to-use products. Therefore, CaPO-nanoneedle based non-viral gene delivery technology will have great potential in clinical application.

Finding the ideal polyethylenimine-plasmid DNA system for co-delivery of payloads in cancer therapy

Researchers still hold for the development of a safety and advanced delivery system able of efficient therapeutic action. The co-delivery of different payloads is part of this strategy and has already demonstrated to be a valuable tool against the most severe diseases. In the pursuit of an "ideal" drug/gene co-delivery vector for cancer therapy, we present a complete comparison study of different morphology and molecular weight polyethylenimine (PEI)/p53 encoding plasmid DNA (pDNA) polyplexes. Besides pDNA, also methotrexate (MTX) has been loaded into PEI/pDNA nanoparticles. The polyplexes have been characterized in terms of morphology, size, surface charges, loading/encapsulation efficiencies and toxicity. Although the nature of PEI can influence these properties, they deeply vary with the polymer nitrogen to pDNA phosphate (N/P) ratio. The transfection of HeLa cells mediated by PEI/pDNA/MTX vectors leads to both the release of MTX and the p53 protein expression. Modelling of MTX release kinetics brings valuable information concerning drug delivery mechanism. Moreover, the success of transfection is dependent on the nature of PEI and, mainly, on the N/P ratio used in the formulation of polyplexes. This work represents a great contribution for the design and development of innovative PEI based carriers for the most challenging biomedical applications.

The synthesis of amphiphilic polyethyleneimine/calcium phosphate composites for bispecific T-cell engager based immunogene therapy

Bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) are single chain variable fragments, which could connect the surface antigen on cancer cells and CD₃ ligands on T cells, and then engage the T cells for cancer immunotherapy.

Temperature- and Composition-Dependent DNA Condensation by Thermosensitive Block Copolymers

Successful intracellular delivery of genes requires an efficient carrier, as genes by themselves cannot diffuse across cell membranes. Because of the toxicity and immunogenicity of viral vectors, nonviral vectors are gaining tremendous interest in research. In this work, we have investigated the temperature-dependent DNA condensation efficiency of various compositions of a thermosensitive block copolymer viz., poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PNIPA-b-PDMAEMA). Three different copolymer compositions of varying molecular weights were successfully synthesized via the RAFT polymerization technique. Steady-state fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements, agarose gel electrophoresis, and atomic force microscopy techniques were utilized to study the interaction of the copolymers with DNA at temperatures above and below the critical aggregation temperature (CAT). All these experiments revealed that, above the CAT, there was formation of highly stable and tight polymer-DNA complexes (polyplexes). The size of polyplexes was dependent on the temperature up to a certain charge ratio, as determined by the DLS results. The results obtained from temperature-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy, CD, and gel electrophoresis indicated that the DNA molecules were shielded more from aqueous exposure above the CAT because of the formation of relatively more compact complexes. The polyplexes also exhibited changes in the particle morphology below and above the CAT, with particles generated above CAT being more spherical in morphology. These results suggested at the possibility of modulating the complex formation by temperature modification. The present biophysical studies would provide new physical insight into the design of novel gene carriers.

Preparation, characterization, and transfection efficiency of low molecular weight polyethylenimine-based nanoparticles for delivery of the plasmid encoding CD200 gene

Various strategies have been utilized to improve both gene transfer efficiency and cell-induced toxicity of polyethylenimine (PEI), the most extensively investigated cationic polymeric vector. In this study, we sought to enhance transfection efficiency of low molecular weight PEI (LMW PEI) while maintaining its low toxicity by cross-linking LMW PEI via succinic acid linker. These modifications were designed to improve the hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance of the polymer, by enhancing the buffering capacity and maintaining low cytotoxic effects of the final conjugate. Decreased expression of CD200 in the central nervous system has been considered as one of the proposed mechanisms associated with neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis; therefore, we selected plasmid-encoding CD200 gene for transfection using the modified PEI derivatives. Dynamic light scattering experiments demonstrated that the modified PEIs were able to condense plasmid DNA and form polyplexes with a size of approximately 130 nm. The highest level of CD200 expression was achieved at a carrier to plasmid ratio of 8, where the expression level was increased by 1.5 fold in the SH-SY5Y cell line, an in vitro model of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, the results of in vivo imaging of the LMW PEI-based nanoparticles in the mouse model of multiple sclerosis revealed that fluorescently labeled plasmid encoding CD200 was distributed from the injection site to various tissues and organs including lymph nodes, liver, brain, and finally, kidneys. The nanoparticles also showed the ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and enter the periventricular area.

Acid-labile poly(amino alcohol ortho ester) based on low molecular weight polyethyleneimine for gene delivery

A series of acid-labile poly(amino alcohol ortho ester) (POEeis) were synthesized through ring-opening polymerization between diglycidyl ethers with ortho ester bonded and low molecular weight polyethyleneimine by various feed molar ratios. The obtain POEei 1 and POEei 2 exhibited clear kinetic of degradation and condensed plasmid DNA into nanoparticles of suitable sizes (250-300 nm) and positive zeta potentials (+20-30 mV) while protecting DNA from enzymatic digestion. Further, these polymers have uniform distribution of abundant hydroxyl groups, which could improve their water solubility, biocompatibility, and lower protein adsorption. Significantly, ortho ester groups in POEeis main-chains could hydrolyze rapidly at acidic endosomal pH, resulting in intracellular DNA release and diminished material toxicity. MTT assay revealed that all the polymers exhibited much lower cytotoxicity than 25 kDa PEI in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, the transfection efficiency of POEei 1 was higher than 25 kDa PEI in serum-free medium or 10% serum medium.

Engineered polymeric amphiphiles self-assembling into nanostructures and acting as efficient gene and drug carriers

Nonviral gene delivery systems are finding widespread use due to their safety, rapid and economical production, and ease of modification. In this work, series of N-alkyl-substituted linear polyethylenimine (CP) polymers have been synthesized, characterized, and investigated about how degree of substitution (hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance) (i.e. N-alkylation) influenced the transfection efficiency. Mobility shift assay demonstrated efficient binding of plasmid DNA (pDNA). Transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity of CP polymers were assessed in vitro, which revealed that all the formulations exhibited higher transfection activity than linear polyethylenimine (lPEI) and commercial transfection reagents, Lipofectamine and Superfect, with negligible toxicity (MTT assay). In the projected series, one of the formulations, CP-3-pDNA complex, displayed the highest transfection efficiency (∼1.6-12 folds vs. lPEI and commercial transfection reagents) and effectively carried GFP-specific siRNA inside the cells as monitored by measuring the suppression in the gene expression of the target gene. Further, flow cytometry experiments confirmed that CP-3-pDNA complex transfected the highest number of cells. Besides, CP-3 was also evaluated in terms of its capability to entrap hydrophobic drug molecules. The results showed that it efficiently encapsulated an anti-cancer drug, etoposide, and released it in a controlled fashion over a period of time. Altogether, the data support that CP-3 is a promising vector for nucleic acid as well as hydrophobic drug delivery.

Low Molecular Weight Branched PEI Binding to Linear DNA

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is one of the most versatile non-viral vectors used in gene therapy, especially for delivering plasmid DNA to human cells. However, a good understanding of PEI binding to DNA, the fundamental basis for the functioning of PEI as a vector, has been missing in the literature. In this study, PEI (branched, 600 Da) binding to DNA was examined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and a complementary set of analysis tools. We demonstrated that a separation between the binding heat and the condensation heat is needed and that the excluded site model should be used for PEI binding stage in the ITC analysis. The equilibrium constant for PEI binding to DNA was determined to be 2.5×10⁵ M^-1 from the ITC analysis, and as 2.3×10⁵ M^-1 from the QCM analysis. Additionally, we suggested that the 600 Da branched PEI binds to the major groove of DNA and the rearrangement of PEI on DNA may be difficult to occur because of the small dissociation rate. The binding analysis presented here can be employed to improve our understanding of the functioning of PEI and PEI-like non-viral vectors.

Erythrocyte membrane based cationic polymer-mcDNA complexes as an efficient gene delivery system

An erythrocyte membrane based gene delivery system presents high transfection efficiency and negligible cytotoxicity.

Synthesis of Amphiphilic Poly(β-amino ester) for Efficiently Minicircle DNA Delivery in Vivo

Minicircle DNA (mcDNA) is a kind of enhanced nonviral DNA vector with excellent profiles in biosafety and transgene expression. Herein, we reported a novel amphiphilic polymer comprising polyethylenimine(PEI) modified Poly(β-amino ester) PEI-PBAE(C16) for efficient mcDNA delivery in vivo. The synthesized polymer could condense mcDNA into nanoscaled structure and exhibited efficient gene transfection ability without detectable cytotoxicity. Importantly, when injected into mouse intraperitoneally, these PEI-PBAE(C16) nanocomplexes were able to result in high level of trangene expression which lasted at least 72 h. Overall, these results demonstrated the PEI-PBAE(C16) can mediate effective and safe gene delivery in vivo with clinical application potential.

Dual-responsive nanoparticles based on oxidized pullulan and a disulfide-containing poly(β-amino) ester for efficient delivery of genes and chemotherapeutic agents targeting hepatoma

A dual-responsive nanoparticle system was designed for the efficient delivery of genes and chemotherapeutic agents through polymer degradation responding orderly to the tumor intracellular pH and redox state.