title: Hybrid polyethylenimine and polyacrylic acid-bound iron oxide as a magnetoplex for gene delivery.
abstract: Low transfection efficiency is always an issue when cationic polymers are used as a nonviral gene vector in the physiological condition, especially in the presence of proteins. A cationic magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) may be an alternative to solve this problem because a magnetic field can help to attract the MNP and internalize it into cells. The aim of this study was to determine the potency of polyethylenimine (PEI)-decorated MNPs for efficiently complexing and delivering plasmid DNA in vitro with the help of a magnetic field. PEI is associated with poly(acrylic acid)-bound superparamagnetic iron oxide (PAAIO) through electrostatic interactions (PEI-PAAIO). PEI-PAAIO formed stable polyplexes with pDNA in the presence and absence of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and could be used for magnetofection. The effect of a static magnetic field on the cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and transfection efficiency of PEI-PAAIO/pDNA was evaluated with and without 10% FBS. Magnetofection efficacy in HEK 293T cells and U87 cells containing 10% FBS was significantly improved in the presence of an external magnetic field. The amount of internalized iron was quantitatively measured using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer and directly visualized using Prussian blue staining. The internalized pDNA was visualized using a confocal laser scanning microscope.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal & Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shuo-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yu-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Hsing-Yin
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C000499:ferric oxide; C006903:carbopol 940; D011094:Polyethyleneimine