title: Hollow microneedle arrays for intradermal drug delivery and DNA electroporation.
abstract: The association of microneedles with electric pulses causing electroporation could result in an efficient and less painful delivery of drugs and DNA into the skin. Hollow conductive microneedles were used for (1) needle-free intradermal injection and (2) electric pulse application in order to achieve electric field in the superficial layers of the skin sufficient for electroporation. Microneedle array was used in combination with a vibratory inserter to disrupt the stratum corneum, thus piercing the skin. Effective injection of proteins into the skin was achieved, resulting in an immune response directed to the model antigen ovalbumin. However, when used both as microneedles to inject and as electrodes to apply the electric pulses, the setup showed several limitations for DNA electrotransfer. This could be due to the distribution of the electric field in the skin as shown by numerical calculations and/or the low dose of DNA injected. Further investigation of these parameters is needed in order to optimize minimally invasive DNA electrotransfer in the skin.
authors.affiliation: Louvain Drug Research Institute, Unité de pharmacie galénique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 73/20, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Liévin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daugimont
authors.forename: Nolwenn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vandermeulen
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavselj
authors.forename: Damijan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miklavcic
authors.forename: Marie-Caroline
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jullien
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cabodevila
authors.forename: Lluis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mir
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Préat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018274:Electroporation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008845:Microinjections / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009339:Needles; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012867:Skin
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D010047:Ovalbumin; D004247:DNA