title: Galactosylated chitosan/DNA nanoparticles prepared using water-soluble chitosan as a gene carrier.
abstract: Water-soluble chitosan (WSC) was used to increase the stability of chitosan in water and decrease the cytotoxicity induced by acetic acid. Lactobionic acid (LA) bearing galactose group was coupled with WSC for hepatocytes specificity. The composition of galactose in galactosylated chitosan (GC) was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The GC was complexed with plasmid DNA in various GC/DNA (N/P) charge ratios and the resulting complex was characterized by dynamic light scattering, gel retardation, and turbidity to determine the particle sizes, complex formation, and complex stability, respectively. Cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of GC were also studied in cultured HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cell line and HeLa human cervix epithelial carcinoma cells. The complete GC/DNA complex was formed at the charge ratio of 5 and the GC/DNA complex to DNase I resistance was obtained. Particle sizes decreased with increasing charge ratio of GC to DNA and had a minimum value around 120 nm at the charge ratio of 5. And no significant difference in particle sizes from the charge ratio of 5-20 was found. The suspension of GC/DNA complexes exhibited no significant change in turbidity at the charge ratios of 10, indicating the complete shielding of DNA charge. Cytotoxicity study showed that GC prepared by the water-soluble chitosan had no cytotoxic effects on cells. And transfection efficiency into HepG2, which has asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-R), was higher than that into HeLa without ASGP-R.
authors.affiliation: School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hee
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Kyu
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Woon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Nah
authors.forename: Yun Jaie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chong Su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004355:Drug Stability; D005690:Galactose / Q000737:chemistry; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D012995:Solubility; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D014867:Water; D002686:Chitin; D004247:DNA; D048271:Chitosan; D005690:Galactose