title: An enhanced site-specific transcription efficiency of DNA/polypeptide-vector polyplexes.
abstract: A novel gene delivery system based on the enhanced release of plasmid DNA from polyplexes in response to intracellular proprotein convertase (PC), furin, that cleaves the carboxyl side of Arg-X-Arg/Lys-Arg, was successfully established. Polypeptides that have this recognition sequence were synthesized by the Fmoc solid phase method and evaluated as gene vectors. The fragmented polypeptides were found to lose the abilities to form polyplexes with plasmid DNA. When the Fur-polypeptide/plasmid DNA polyplexes were treated with furin in vitro, their disassembly and the release of plasmid DNA was observed in agarose gel electrophoresis analysis. The Fur-polypeptide showed higher transgene expression in COS-1 cells, while the control polypeptides which do not have the recognition sites did not. These results indicate that the cationic nature of the polypeptides is not sufficient for gene carrier and this intracellular signal-responsive gene transfer system is the useful strategy to enhance the transcription efficiency of the delivered plasmid DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaoka
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D045683:Furin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D004247:DNA; D045683:Furin