Ultrasound-assisted microbubbles gene transfer in tendons for gene therapy.
Our study aimed at evaluating the use of ultrasound-assisted microbubbles gene transfer in mice Achilles tendons. Using a plasmid encoding luciferase gene, it was found that an efficient and stable gene expression for more than two weeks was obtained when tendons were injected with 10 microg of plasmid in the presence of 5x10(5) BR14 microbubbles with the following acoustic parameters: 1 MHz, 200 kPa, 40% duty cycle and 10 min of exposure time. The rate of gene expression was 100-fold higher than that obtained with naked plasmid injected alone without ultrasound or with ultrasound in absence of microbubbles. The long term expression of transgene makes ultrasound-assisted microbubble a suitable method for gene therapy in tendons.
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR 4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France.
Anthony
A
Delalande
Michel-Francis
MF
Bureau
Patrick
P
Midoux
Ayache
A
Bouakaz
Chantal
C
Pichon
D000125:Achilles Tendon; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D045423:Microbubbles; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014162:Transfection; D014465:Ultrasonics
C471302:BR14 contrast agent; D003287:Contrast Media; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D010743:Phospholipids; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly