Optimising ultrasound-mediated gene transfer (sonoporation) in vitro and prolonged expression of a transgene in vivo: potential applications for gene therapy of cancer.
Therapeutic approaches using gene-based medicines promise alternatives or adjuncts to conventional cancer treatment. Because of its non-invasive nature, ultrasound, as a membrane-permeabilising stimulus has the potential to be highly competitive with viral gene delivery and existing non-viral alternatives. In optimising ultrasound-mediated, microbubble-assisted (MB101) gene tranfection in vitro, we demonstrate efficiencies of up to 18% using ultrasound at 1 MHz at a duty cycle of 25% at intensities ranging from 1 to 4 W cm(-2). Using ultrasound-mediated transfection together with an episomal plasmid-based gene expression system, we demonstrate prolonged functional gene expression of luciferase in mouse hind leg muscle and in tumours in vivo.
Li
Ying Suet
YS
School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Derry, BT 52 1SA, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Davidson
Emma
E
Reid
Cherith N
CN
McHale
Anthony P
AP
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D010957:Plasmids; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics