title: Sustained GM-CSF and PEI condensed pDNA presentation increases the level and duration of gene expression in dendritic cells.
abstract: Current techniques to educate dendritic cells (DCs) ex vivo for immunotherapy are plagued by inefficient protocols and DC modifications are often transient and lost upon transplantation. This study investigated the role of sustained presentation of GM-CSF and PEI condensed pDNA (PEI-DNA) on gene transfer and long-term gene expression. Appropriate GM-CSF signaling during DC transfection promoted PEI-DNA uptake, although high cytokine concentrations induced intercellular DNA degradation, indicating the need for controlled presentation. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) scaffolds that continuously stimulated DCs with both GM-CSF and PEI-DNA led to a 20-fold increase in gene expression, and high levels of expression persisted for a period of 10 days, in vitro. These results encourage the exploitation of biomaterials and GM-CSF to develop novel delivery vectors for genetically modified DCs or to genetically program host DCs in situ for vaccination and the treatment of autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Omar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D008156:Luciferases