title: Assessment of epidermal cell viability by near infrared multi-photon microscopy following ballistic delivery of gold micro-particles.
abstract: The use of gene guns in ballistically delivering DNA vaccine coated gold micro-particles to skin can potentially damage targeted cells, therefore influencing transfection efficiencies. In this paper, we assess cell death in the viable epidermis by non-invasive near infrared two-photon microscopy following micro-particle bombardment of murine skin. We show that the ballistic delivery of micro-particles to the viable epidermis can result in localised cell death. Furthermore, experimental results show the degree of cell death is dependant on the number of micro-particles delivered per unit of tissue surface area. Micro-particles densities of 0.16+/-0.27 (mean+/-S.D.), 1.35+/-0.285 and 2.72+/-0.47 per 1000 microm(2) resulted in percent deaths of 3.96+/-5.22, 45.91+/-10.89, 90.52+/-12.28, respectively. These results suggest that optimization of transfection by genes administered with gene guns is - among other effects - a compromise of micro-particle payload and cell death.
authors.affiliation: The PowderJect Centre for Gene and Drug Delivery Research, University of Oxford, 43 Banbury Rd., Oxford OX2 6PE, UK. paul.raju@eng.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McSloy
authors.forename: Nicholas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.forename: Mark A F
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kendall
mesh_terms: D019470:Biolistics; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006046:Gold