title: PEI grafted hyperbranched polymers with polyglycerol as a core for gene delivery.
abstract: Hyperbranched polymers, PG6-PEI25k and PG6-PEI800, were synthesized through grafting branched polyethylenimines (PEIs) with molecular weights of 25 kDa and 800 Da to a polyglycerol core (PG6), respectively. The structure of the polymers was characterized by 1H NMR and FTIR. Through agarose gel electrophoresis retardation assay, PG6-PEI25k and PG6-PEI800 were demonstrated to have capability for DNA binding. PG6-PEI/DNA complexes with different weight ratios were characterized by TEM and particle size analysis. The activity of PG6-PEIs to mediate transfection of reporter plasmids pEGFP-C1 and pGL3-Luc was evaluated on 293T and HeLa cell lines. PG6-PEI25k and PG6-PEI800 showed enhanced levels in transgene expression and decreased cytotoxicities as compared with PEI25k and PEI800, respectively. The results indicated potential applications of PG6-PEIs for efficient gene delivery.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, PR China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Si-Xue
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ren-Xi
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Zhuo
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010316:Particle Size; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; C043941:polyglycerol; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D004247:DNA; D005990:Glycerol