Comparison of the efficiency and toxicity of sonoporation with branched polyethylenimine-mediated gene transfection in various cultured cell lines.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to evaluate transfection efficiency and safety for gene delivery by sonoporation in comparison with cationic polymer gene carrier branched polyethylenimine (BPEI).


METHODS
The cDNA expressing VEGF(165) was cloned under chicken beta-actin promoter. The plasmid DNA was transfected into the CHO, HEK293, and NIH3T3 cells using microbubble-based sonoporation and BPEI (25 kDa) under various conditions. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the expressed protein level. Cytotoxicities of transfection methods were compared by Cell Counting Kit-8.


RESULTS
At 1 MHz intensity, transfection efficiency of sonoporation was enhanced by microbubble concentration with no detrimental effects. By contrast, BPEI exacerbated cell viability, despite its high transgene expression efficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonoporation gene therapy might be the safest technique to be used in actual clinical practice.
Yoon
Chang S
CS
Molecular Therapy Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, South Korea.
Jung
Hye S
HS
Kim
Tae K
TK
Kwon
Min J
MJ
Kim
Mi K
MK
Lee
Minhyung
M
Koh
Kyung S
KS
Rhee
Byung D
BD
Park
Jeong H
JH
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D006224:Cricetinae; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D011094:Polyethyleneimine