title: Visualization through magnetic resonance imaging of DNA internalized following "in vivo" electroporation.
abstract: The ability to visualize plasmid DNA entrapment in muscle cells undergoing an "in vivo" electroporation treatment was investigated on BALB/c mice using a 7-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner using the paramagnetic Gd-DOTA-spd complex as imaging reporter. Gd-DOTA-spd bears a tripositively charged spermidine residue that yields a strong binding affinity toward the negatively charged DNA chain (6.4 kb, K(a) = 2.2 x 10(3) M(-1) for approximately 2500 +/- 500 binding sites). Cellular colocalization of Gd-DOTA-spd and plasmid DNA has been validated by histological analysis of excised treated muscle. In vivo MRI visualization of Gd-DOTA-spd distribution provides an excellent route to access the cellular entrapment of plasmid DNA upon applying an electroporation pulse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry IFM, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 7, Turin 10125, Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta Geninatti
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Crich
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lanzardo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barge
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tei
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aime
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods*; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D008024:Ligands; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004247:DNA; C050823:gadolinium 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetate