Transfection of mEpo gene to intestinal epithelium in vivo mediated by oral delivery of chitosan-DNA nanoparticles.
OBJECTIVE
To prepare the chitosan-pmEpo nanoparticles and to study their ability for transcellular and paracellular transport across intestinal epithelia by oral administration.


METHODS
ICR mice were fed with recombinant plasmid AAV-tetO-CMV-mEpo (containing mEpo gene) or pCMVbeta(containing LacZ gene), whether it was wrapped by chitosan or no. Its size and shape were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to assess the efficiency of encapsulation and stability against nuclease digestion. Before and after oral treatmant, blood samples were collected by retro-orbital puncture, and hematocrits were used to show the physiological effect of mEpo.


RESULTS
Chitosan was able to successfully wrap the plasmid and to protect it from DNase degradation. Transmission electron microscopy showed that freshly prepared particles were approximately 70-150 nm in size and fairly spherical. Three days after fed the chitosan-pCMVbeta complex was fed, the mice were killed and most of the stomach and 30% of the small intestine were stained. Hematocrit was not modified in naive and 'naked' mEpo-fed mice, a rapid increase of hematocrit was observed during the first 4 days of treatment in chitosan-mEpo-fed animals, reaching 60.9+/-1.2% (P<0.01), and sustained for a week. The second feed (6 days after the first feed) was still able to promote a second hematocrit increase in chitosan-mEpo-fed animals, reaching 65.9+/-1.4% (P<0.01), while the second hematocrit increase did not appear in the 'naked' mEpo-second-fed mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral chitosan-DNA nanoparticles can efficiently deliver genes to enterocytes, and may be used as a useful tool for gene transfer.
Chen
Jing
J
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Yang
Wu-Li
WL
Li
Ge
G
Qian
Ji
J
Xue
Jing-Lun
JL
Fu
Shou-Kuan
SK
Lu
Da-Ru
DR
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D048271:Chitosan; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010316:Particle Size; D010957:Plasmids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
D004921:Erythropoietin; D002686:Chitin; D004247:DNA; D048271:Chitosan; D001616:beta-Galactosidase