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Lenser M, Ngo HG, Sarrafha L, Rajendra Y. Evaluation of two transposases for improving expression of recombinant proteins in Chinese hamster ovary cell stable pools by co-transfection and supertransfection approaches. Biotechnol Prog 2024:e3496. [PMID: 39016635 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Transposons are genetic elements capable of cutting and pasting genes of interest via the action of a transposase and offer many advantages over random or targeted integration of DNA in the creation of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines for recombinant protein expression. Unique transposases have different recognition sites, allowing multiple transposases to be co-transfected together. They also allow for supertransfection (transfection on a previously transfected pool or cell line) with a second transposase to integrate additional copies of the same gene or an additional gene without disruption of the previously integrated DNA which to our knowledge has not been previously described in literature. Two fluorescent proteins, EGFP and tagRFP657, were either co-transfected or supertransfected into CHO cells using two unique transposases and showed high expression efficiency with similar expression levels (measured as mean fluorescence intensity), regardless of whether the genes were co-transfected or supertransfected onto an existing stable pool. Additionally, dual selection of the genes, both in the absence of L-glutamine and the presence of puromycin, led to higher expression levels than single selection alone. These results demonstrate that supertransfection using unique transposases could be a useful strategy for increasing titers of existing cell lines or for overexpressing helper (non-therapeutic) genes to improve expression and/or product quality of existing pools and cell lines, potentially saving significant time and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Lenser
- Bioprocess Development, Technical Operations, Denali Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Hanh Giai Ngo
- Bioprocess Development, Technical Operations, Denali Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lily Sarrafha
- Discovery Biology, Denali Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yashas Rajendra
- Bioprocess Development, Technical Operations, Denali Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
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2
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Radzevičiūtė-Valčiukė E, Gečaitė J, Balevičiūtė A, Szewczyk A, Želvys A, Lekešytė B, Malyško-Ptašinskė V, Mickevičiūtė E, Malakauskaitė P, Kulbacka J, Novickij V. Effects of buffer composition and plasmid toxicity on electroporation-based non-viral gene delivery in mammalian cells using bursts of nanosecond and microsecond pulses. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1430637. [PMID: 39050682 PMCID: PMC11266100 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1430637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene electrotransfer (GET) is non-viral gene delivery technique, also known as electroporation-mediated gene delivery or electrotransfection. GET is a method used to introduce foreign genetic material (such as DNA or RNA) into cells by applying external pulsed electric fields (PEFs) to create temporary pores in the cell membrane. This study was undertaken to examine the impact of buffer composition on the efficiency of GET in mammalian cells Also, we specifically compared the effectiveness of high-frequency nanosecond (ns) pulses with standard microsecond (µs) pulses. For the assessment of cell transfection efficiency and viability, flow cytometric analysis, luminescent assays, and measurements of metabolic activity were conducted. The efficiency of electrotransfection was evaluated using two different proteins encoding plasmids (pEGFP-N1 and Luciferase-pcDNA3). The investigation revealed that the composition of the electroporation buffer significantly influences the efficacy of GET in CHO-K1 cell line. The different susceptibility of cell lines to the electric field and the plasmid cytotoxicity were reported. It was also shown that electroporation with nanosecond duration PEF protocols ensured equivalent or even better transfection efficiency than standard µsPEF. Additionally, we successfully performed long-term transfection of the murine 4T1 cell line using high-frequency nanosecond PEFs and confirmed its' applicability in an in vivo model. The findings from the study can be applied to optimize electrotransfection conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eivina Radzevičiūtė-Valčiukė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jovita Gečaitė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Austėja Balevičiūtė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Anna Szewczyk
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Augustinas Želvys
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Barbora Lekešytė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Eglė Mickevičiūtė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Paulina Malakauskaitė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Julita Kulbacka
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Vitalij Novickij
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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3
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Pordanjani PM, Bolhassani A, Pouriayevali MH, Milani A, Rezaei F. Engineered dendritic cells-derived exosomes harboring HIV-1 Nef mut-Tat fusion protein and heat shock protein 70: A promising HIV-1 safe vaccine candidate. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132236. [PMID: 38768924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Antigen presenting cells (APCs)-derived exosomes are nano-vesicles that can induce antigen-specific T cell responses, and possess therapeutic effects in clinical settings. Moreover, dendritic cells (DCs)-based vaccines have been developed to combat human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in preclinical and clinical trials. We investigated the immunostimulatory effects (B- and T-cells activities) of DCs- and exosomes-based vaccine constructs harboring HIV-1 Nefmut-Tat fusion protein as an antigen candidate and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) as an adjuvant in mice. The modified DCs and engineered exosomes harboring Nefmut-Tat protein or Hsp70 were prepared using lentiviral vectors compared to electroporation, characterized and evaluated by in vitro and in vivo immunological tests. Our data indicated that the engineered exosomes induced high levels of total IgG, IgG2a, IFN-γ, TNF-α and Granzyme B. Moreover, co-injection of exosomes harboring Hsp70 could significantly increase the secretion of antibodies, cytokines and Granzyme B. The highest levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were observed in exosomes harboring Nefmut-Tat combined with exosomes harboring Hsp70 (Exo-Nefmut-Tat + Exo-Hsp70) regimen after single-cycle replicable (SCR) HIV-1 exposure. Generally, Exo-Nefmut-Tat + Exo-Hsp70 regimen can be considered as a promising safe vaccine candidate due to high T-cells (Th1 and CTL) activity and its maintenance against SCR HIV-1 exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azam Bolhassani
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Hassan Pouriayevali
- Department of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (National Reference Laboratory), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Milani
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran; Iranian Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rezaei
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Kim D, Kim SM, Lee J, Kim J, Lee JS. Knockout of the lysosomal membrane protein, LAMP2C, improves transient gene expression in HEK293 cells via increased intracellular plasmid availability. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300017. [PMID: 37953689 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Plasmid-based transfection can be used in many applications such as transient gene expression (TGE)-based therapeutic protein production. These applications preferentially require maximization of intracellular plasmid availability. Here, we applied a lysosome engineering approach to alleviate lysosome-mediated nucleic acid degradation and enhance the TGE in mammalian cells. By knocking out the lysosomal membrane protein LAMP2C, which is known to be the main player in RNautophagy/DNautophagy (RDA), we significantly improved transient fluorescent protein expression in HEK293 cells by improving the retention rate of transfected plasmids; however, this effect was not observed in CHO cells. Additional knockout of a lysosomal membrane transporter and another RDA player, SIDT2, was ineffective, regardless of the presence of LAMP2C. LAMP2C knockout enhanced TGE-based mAb production in HEK293 cells by up to 2.82-fold increase in specific mAb productivity. Taken together, these results demonstrate that HEK293 cells can be engineered to improve the usage of the transfected plasmid via knockout of the lysosomal membrane protein LAMP2C and provide efficient host cells in TGE systems for therapeutic protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwoo Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Mi Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaejin Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Kim
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Seong Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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5
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Bajwa KK, Punetha M, Kumar D, Yadav PS, Long CR, Selokar NL. Electroporation-based CRISPR gene editing in adult buffalo fibroblast cells. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:5055-5066. [PMID: 37870061 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2271030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation is a widely used method for delivering CRISPR components into cells; however, it presents challenges when applied to difficult-to-transfect cells like adult buffalo fibroblasts. In this study, the ITGB2 gene (encoding the CD18 protein), plays vital for cellular adhesion and immune responses, was selected for editing experiments. To optimize electroporation conditions, we investigated parameters such as electric field strength, pulse duration, plasmid DNA amount, cuvette type, and cell type. The best transfection rates were obtained in a 4 mm gap cuvette with a single 20-millisecond pulse of 300 V using a 10 μg of all-in-one CRISPR plasmid for 106 cells in 100 μL of electroporation buffer. Increasing DNA quantity enhanced transfection rates but compromised cell viability. The 4 mm cuvette gap had high transfection rates than the 2 mm gap, and newborn cells exhibited higher transfection rates than adult cells. We achieved transfection rates of 10-12% with a cell viability of 25-30% for adult fibroblast cells. Subsequently, successfully edited the ITGB2 gene with a 30% editing efficiency, confirmed through various analysis methods, including T7E1 assay, TIDE and ICE analysis, and TA cloning. In conclusion, electroporation conditions reported here can edit buffalo gene(s) for various biotechnological research applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamlesh Kumari Bajwa
- Division of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
- Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India
| | - Meeti Punetha
- Division of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
| | - Dharmendra Kumar
- Division of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
| | - Prem Singh Yadav
- Division of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
| | - Chares R Long
- College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Naresh L Selokar
- Division of Animal Physiology and Reproduction, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
- Animal Biotechnology Centre, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India
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Potočnik T, Maček Lebar A, Kos Š, Reberšek M, Pirc E, Serša G, Miklavčič D. Effect of Experimental Electrical and Biological Parameters on Gene Transfer by Electroporation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122700. [PMID: 36559197 PMCID: PMC9786189 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The exact mechanisms of nucleic acid (NA) delivery with gene electrotransfer (GET) are still unknown, which represents a limitation for its broader use. Further, not knowing the effects that different experimental electrical and biological parameters have on GET additionally hinders GET optimization, resulting in the majority of research being performed using a trial-and-error approach. To explore the current state of knowledge, we conducted a systematic literature review of GET papers in in vitro conditions and performed meta-analyses of the reported GET efficiency. For now, there is no universal GET strategy that would be appropriate for all experimental aims. Apart from the availability of the required electroporation device and electrodes, the choice of an optimal GET approach depends on parameters such as the electroporation medium; type and origin of cells; and the size, concentration, promoter, and type of the NA to be transfected. Equally important are appropriate controls and the measurement or evaluation of the output pulses to allow a fair and unbiased evaluation of the experimental results. Since many experimental electrical and biological parameters can affect GET, it is important that all used parameters are adequately reported to enable the comparison of results, as well as potentially faster and more efficient experiment planning and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjaša Potočnik
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Maček Lebar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Kos
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matej Reberšek
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eva Pirc
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Serša
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence:
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7
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Mattern L, Otten K, Miskey C, Fuest M, Izsvák Z, Ivics Z, Walter P, Thumann G, Johnen S. Molecular and Functional Characterization of BDNF-Overexpressing Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Established by Sleeping Beauty Transposon-Mediated Gene Transfer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12982. [PMID: 36361771 PMCID: PMC9656812 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
More and more patients suffer from multifactorial neurodegenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, their pathological mechanisms are still poorly understood, which complicates the development of effective therapies. To improve treatment of multifactorial diseases, cell-based gene therapy can be used to increase the expression of therapeutic factors. To date, there is no approved therapy for dry AMD, including late-stage geographic atrophy. We present a treatment option for dry AMD that transfers the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene into retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells by electroporation using the plasmid-based Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system. ARPE-19 cells and primary human RPE cells were co-transfected with two plasmids encoding the SB100X transposase and the transposon carrying a BDNF transcription cassette. We demonstrated efficient expression and secretion of BDNF in both RPE cell types, which were further increased in ARPE-19 cell cultures exposed to hydrogen peroxide. BDNF-transfected cells exhibited lower apoptosis rates and stimulated neurite outgrowth in human SH-SY5Y cells. This study is an important step in the development of a cell-based BDNF gene therapy that could be applied as an advanced therapy medicinal product to treat dry AMD or other degenerative retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Mattern
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Katrin Otten
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Csaba Miskey
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Matthias Fuest
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Izsvák
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Peter Walter
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Gabriele Thumann
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Johnen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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8
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Shayestehfar M, Farahi S, Kheiri Yeganeh Azar B, Memari A, Baluchnejadmojarad T, Faghihi F. Generating Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Via Low-Dose Polyethylenimine-Mediated Transfection: An Optimized Protocol. DNA Cell Biol 2022; 41:903-916. [PMID: 35984994 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2022.0331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) can be reprogrammed through different strategies to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). However, most of these strategies require high-cost materials and specific equipment not readily accessible in most laboratories. Hence, liposomal and virus-based techniques can replace with polyethylenimine (PEI)-mediated transfection to overcome these challenges. However, few researchers have addressed the PEI's ability to transfect HDFs. This study used PEI reagent to transfer oriP/EBNA1-based vector into HDFs to produce hiPSC lines. We first described conditions allowing the efficient transfection of HDFs with low cytotoxicity and without specific types of equipment and optimized several parameters relevant to the transfection procedure. We then monitored the effect of different N/P ratios on transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy. By the results, we found that transfection efficiency was greatly affected by plasmid DNA concentration, PEI concentration, order of combining reagents, serum presence in polyplexes, and the duration of serum starvations. Moreover, using the optimized condition, we found that the N/P ratio of 3 achieved the highest percentage of HDFs positive for green fluorescent protein plasmid (∼40%) with minimal cell toxicity. We finally generated hiPSCs using the optimized protocol and oriP/EBNA1-based vectors. We confirmed hiPSC formation by characterizing tests: alkaline phosphatase staining, immunocytochemistry assay, real-time PCR analysis, in vitro differentiation into three germ layers, and karyotyping test. In conclusion, our results indicated that 25 kDa branched PEI could efficiently transfect HDFs toward generating hiPSCs via a simple, cost-effective, and optimized condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monir Shayestehfar
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Advanced Technology in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Farahi
- Biotechnology Department, Shahid Beheshti University of medical science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behjat Kheiri Yeganeh Azar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technology in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Memari
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Faezeh Faghihi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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9
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Radzevičiūtė E, Malyško-Ptašinskė V, Novickij J, Novickij V, Girkontaitė I. Transfection by Electroporation of Cancer and Primary Cells Using Nanosecond and Microsecond Electric Fields. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:1239. [PMID: 35745814 PMCID: PMC9230780 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene transfer into primary immune cells as well as into cell lines is essential for scientific and therapeutical applications. One of the methods used for gene transfer is electroporation (EP). EP is a method where a pulsed electric field (PEF) causes a highly transient permeability of the targeted cell membrane. In this work, we present the electrotransfection of CHO-K1, 4T1 cell lines, and primary murine DCs with detectable protein-encoding plasmids in the sub-microsecond range. Microsecond (µs)- and nanosecond (ns)-range pulsed electric field transfection protocols were used. The efficiency of electrotransfection was evaluated using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-encoding plasmids (4.7 kbp; p-EGFP-N1) and plasmids expressing a firefly luciferase and red fluorescent protein (tdTomato) (8.5 kbp; pcDNA3.1(+)/Luc2 = tdT)). It was shown that the used nsPEFs protocol (7 kV/cm × 300 ns × 100, 1 MHz) ensured a better transfection efficiency than µsPEFs (1.2 kV/cm × 100 µs × 8, 1 Hz). Plasmid size and concentration had a strong impact on the cell transfection efficiency too. We also showed that there were no significant differences in transfection efficiency between immature and mature DCs. Finally, the nsPEF protocols were successfully applied for the stable transfection of the CHO-K1 cell line with the linearized pcDNA3.1(+)/Luc2 = tdT plasmid. The results of the study are applicable in gene therapy and DNA vaccination studies for the derivation of optimal electrotransfection conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eivina Radzevičiūtė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology, 08406 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Veronika Malyško-Ptašinskė
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 03227 Vilnius, Lithuania; (V.M.-P.); (J.N.)
| | - Jurij Novickij
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 03227 Vilnius, Lithuania; (V.M.-P.); (J.N.)
| | - Vitalij Novickij
- Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 03227 Vilnius, Lithuania; (V.M.-P.); (J.N.)
| | - Irutė Girkontaitė
- State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Department of Immunology, 08406 Vilnius, Lithuania;
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10
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Sachdev S, Potočnik T, Rems L, Miklavčič D. Revisiting the role of pulsed electric fields in overcoming the barriers to in vivo gene electrotransfer. Bioelectrochemistry 2022; 144:107994. [PMID: 34930678 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapies are revolutionizing medicine by providing a way to cure hitherto incurable diseases. The scientific and technological advances have enabled the first gene therapies to become clinically approved. In addition, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are witnessing record speeds in the development and distribution of gene-based vaccines. For gene therapy to take effect, the therapeutic nucleic acids (RNA or DNA) need to overcome several barriers before they can execute their function of producing a protein or silencing a defective or overexpressing gene. This includes the barriers of the interstitium, the cell membrane, the cytoplasmic barriers and (in case of DNA) the nuclear envelope. Gene electrotransfer (GET), i.e., transfection by means of pulsed electric fields, is a non-viral technique that can overcome these barriers in a safe and effective manner. GET has reached the clinical stage of investigations where it is currently being evaluated for its therapeutic benefits across a wide variety of indications. In this review, we formalize our current understanding of GET from a biophysical perspective and critically discuss the mechanisms by which electric field can aid in overcoming the barriers. We also identify the gaps in knowledge that are hindering optimization of GET in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaurya Sachdev
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tjaša Potočnik
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lea Rems
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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11
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Transcriptional effects of electroporation on Echinococcus multilocularis primary cell culture. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1155-1168. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07427-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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12
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Erel-Akbaba G, Akbaba H. Investigation of the potential therapeutic effect of cationic lipoplex mediated fibroblast growth factor-2 encoding plasmid DNA delivery on wound healing. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 29:329-340. [PMID: 34491567 DOI: 10.1007/s40199-021-00410-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developing an alternative and efficient therapy for wound healing has been an important research topic for pharmaceutical sciences. A straightforward but effective system for delivering fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) encoding plasmid DNA (pFGF-2) for wound healing therapy was aimed to develop in this study. METHODS In order to provide the delivery of pFGF-2, a delivery vector, namely, cationic lipid nanoparticle (cLN) was developed by the melt-emulsification process, complexed with pFGF-2 to form a lipoplex system and further characterized. The pFGF-2 binding and protecting ability of lipoplexes were evaluated. The cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of the lipoplexes, FGF-2 expression levels, and in vitro wound healing ability have been investigated on the L929 fibroblast cell line. RESULTS The obtained lipoplex system has a particle size of 88.53 nm with a low PDI (0.185), and zeta potential values of 27.8 mV with a spherical shape. The ability of cLNs to bind pFGF-2 and protect against nucleases was demonstrated by gel retardation assay. Furthermore, the developed FGF-2 carrying lipoplexes system showed significant transfection and FGF-2 expression ability comparing naked plasmid. Finally, scratch assay revealed that the developed system is able to promote in vitro cell proliferation/migration in 48 h. CONCLUSION Promising results have been achieved with the use of lipoplexes carrying pFGF-2, and this approach could be considered as a potentially applicable concept for the future gene-based wound healing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gülşah Erel-Akbaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, 35620, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Hasan Akbaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, 35100, Izmir, Turkey
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Chong ZX, Yeap SK, Ho WY. Transfection types, methods and strategies: a technical review. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11165. [PMID: 33976969 PMCID: PMC8067914 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfection is a modern and powerful method used to insert foreign nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells. The ability to modify host cells' genetic content enables the broad application of this process in studying normal cellular processes, disease molecular mechanism and gene therapeutic effect. In this review, we summarized and compared the findings from various reported literature on the characteristics, strengths, and limitations of various transfection methods, type of transfected nucleic acids, transfection controls and approaches to assess transfection efficiency. With the vast choices of approaches available, we hope that this review will help researchers, especially those new to the field, in their decision making over the transfection protocol or strategy appropriate for their experimental aims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Xiong Chong
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Swee Keong Yeap
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wan Yong Ho
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
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Potočnik T, Miklavčič D, Maček Lebar A. Gene transfer by electroporation with high frequency bipolar pulses in vitro. Bioelectrochemistry 2021; 140:107803. [PMID: 33975183 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
High-frequency bipolar pulses (HF-BP) have been demonstrated to be efficient for membrane permeabilization and irreversible electroporation. Since membrane permeabilization has been achieved using HF-BP pulses we hypothesized that with these pulses we can also achieve successful gene electrotransfer (GET). Three variations of bursts of 2 µs bipolar pulses with 2 µs interphase delay were applied in HF-BP protocols. We compared transfection efficiency of monopolar micro and millisecond pulses and HF-BP protocols at various plasmid DNA (pDNA) concentrations on CHO - K1 cells. GET efficiency increased with increasing pDNA concentration. Overall GET obtained by HF-BP pulse protocols was comparable to overall GET obtained by longer monopolar pulse protocols. Our results, however, suggest that although we were able to achieve similar percent of transfected cells, the number of pDNA copies that were successfully transferred into cells seemed to be higher when longer monopolar pulses were used. Interestingly, we did not observe any direct correlation between fluorescence intensity of pDNA aggregates formed on cell membrane and transfection efficiency. The results of our study confirmed that we can achieve successful GET with bipolar microsecond i. e. HF-BP pulses, although at the expense of higher pDNA concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjaša Potočnik
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Maček Lebar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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