[Enhanced liposomal transfection through the application of sex steroids in gynecological cancer cells].
OBJECTIVE
Liposomal transfection in gene therapeutic application against gynecological malignoma does not reach satisfying efficacy. A desirable goal would be the specific intensification of transfection in these kind of cells. Steroids have successfully been used in other systems to increase liposomal transfection and hopefully there might be a specific impact of sexual steroids in cells from high sex steroid receptor expressing malignoma, like some mamma- and endometrium cancer.


METHODS
The mamma carcinoma cell line T-47D was transfected with the transfection agent DOTAP and cyclodextrin solubilized steroids and cholesterol were co-applied. The efficiency of transfection was followed by luciferase activity resulting from the transfected reporter gene.


RESULTS
Like cholesterol, which is already established as transfection co-agent, also the steroids progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and hydrocortisone provoked a clear increase in transfection efficiency shown in a dose dependent manner.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate the usefulness of steroids as additives for liposomal transfection procedures in gene therapeutic application. As sexual steroid receptors migrate into the nucleus of a cell after binding its specific ligand a targeted enhancement of transfection is supposable in malignoma overexpressing steroid receptors. There is evidence that plasmid DNA can be co-transported with nuclear proteins into the nucleus.
Köster
F
F
Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität zu Lübeck.
Finas
D
D
Saupp
A
A
Schulz
C
C
Diedrich
K
K
Hauser
C
C
Felberbaum
R
R
D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000235:genetics*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004337:Drug Carriers; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D008081:Liposomes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D008156:Luciferases; C070046:1,2-dioleoyloxy-3-(trimethylammonium)propane