title: Magnetic nanoparticle mediated transfection of neural stem cell suspension cultures is enhanced by applied oscillating magnetic fields.
abstract: Safe genetic modification of neural stem cell (NSC) transplant populations is a key goal for regenerative neurology. We describe a technically simple and safe method to increase transfection in NSCs propagated in the neurosphere (suspension culture) model, using magnetic nanoparticles deployed with applied oscillating magnetic fields ('magnetofection technology'). We show that transfection efficiency was enhanced over two-fold by oscillating magnetic fields (frequency=4 Hz). The protocols had no effect on cell viability, cell number, stem cell marker expression and differentiation profiles of 'magnetofected' cultures, highlighting the safety of the technique. As far as we are aware, this is the first successful application of magnetofection technology to suspension cultures of neural cells. The procedures described offer a means to augment the therapeutic potential of NSCs propagated as neurospheres - a culture model of high clinical translational relevance - by safe genetic manipulation, with further potential for incorporation into 'magneto-multifection' (repeat transfection) protocols.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This team of investigators describe a simple and safe method to increase transfection in neural stem cells using magnetic nanoparticles deployed with oscillating magnetic fields, demonstrating a greater than two-fold transfection efficiency increase by applying low frequency magnetic oscillation.
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Neural Engineering Group, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Chris F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Divya M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles
keywords: 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; CNS; DAPI; EGF; FGF-2; GFAP; GFP; MBP; MNP; Magnetic nanoparticle; NSC; Neural stem cell; Neurosphere; Nonviral; OPC; SEM; Transfection; Tuj-1; basic fibroblast growth factor; central nervous system; epidermal growth factor; glial fibrillary acidic protein; green fluorescent protein; magnetic nanoparticle; myelin basic protein; neural stem cell; neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin.; oligodendrocyte precursor cell; standard error of the mean