title: Ocular nanoparticle toxicity and transfection of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium.
abstract: Chitosan, PCEP (poly{[(cholesteryl oxocarbonylamido ethyl) methyl bis(ethylene) ammonium iodide] ethyl phosphate}), and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were evaluated for the safe delivery of genes in the eye. Rabbits were injected with nanoparticles either intravitreally (IV) or subretinally (SR) and sacrificed 7 days later. Eyes were grossly evaluated for retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities, retinal degeneration, and inflammation. All eyes were cryopreserved and sectioned for analysis of toxicity and expression of either enhanced green or red fluorescent proteins. All of the nanoparticles were able to transfect cells in vitro and in vivo. IV chitosan showed inflammation in 12/13 eyes, whereas IV PCEP and IV MNPs were not inflammatory and did not induce retinal pathology. SR PCEP was nontoxic in the majority of cases but yielded poor transfection, whereas SR MNPs were nontoxic and yielded good transfection. Therefore, we conclude that the best nanoparticle evaluated in vivo was the least toxic nanoparticle tested, the MNP.
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287-9115, USA.
authors.forename: Tarl W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Prow
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bhutto
authors.forename: Sahng Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Rhonda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grebe
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Merges
authors.forename: D Scott
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mennon
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Kam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: Gerard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lutty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048271:Chitosan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D048271:Chitosan