title: Preparation of galactosylated chitosan/tripolyphosphate nanoparticles and application as a gene carrier for targeting SMMC7721 cells.
abstract: Nanoparticles composed of galactosylated chitosan (GC) and tripolyphosphate (TPP) were prepared and their application as potential gene carriers for targeting SMMC7721 cells was investigated. The results showed that at certain pH (5.5-6.2) of GC solutions, small and stable nanoparticles were obtained at an optimal weight ratio of 5:1 (GC/TPP). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed formation of spherical particles. The optimal pH of cell culture environment for transfection was from 6.4 to 6.7, which was the same pH as the polymer complex formation of GC/TPP solutions. The charge ratio of GC/TPP to DNA (N/P) at 10:1, 20:1 and 30:1 were checked for transfection and under optimized conditions, the GC/TPP-DNA nanoparticles successfully transfected 6.8% of the SMMC7721 cells as represented by overexpression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), which showed a much more higher efficiency when compared to 0.6% of GC/DNA transfection under the same conditions. The presented results indicate that the GC/TPP nanoparticles might be very attractive to be used as a gene delivery carrier for hepatocyte targeting, thus warranting further in vivo or clinical investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-bilio-pancreatology Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ying-long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jing-zhou
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048271:Chitosan / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D004247:DNA; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D011122:Polyphosphates; D004247:DNA; D048271:Chitosan; C005692:triphosphoric acid