title: Cell imaging and DNA delivery in fibroblastic cells by conjugated polyelectrolytes.
abstract: This study concentrates on the potential application of conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) to cell imaging and DNA delivery. Four different types of polyfluorene copolymers, namely, PAHFP-Br, PAEFP-Br, PAHFbT-Br, and PSBFP-Na, which have the same π-conjugated backbone but different side chains, were synthesized. For cytotoxicity testing, L-929 fibroblastic cells were treated with increasing concentrations (0-50 µM) of each CPE and then cell viability was determined by WST-8 assay. Cellular uptake of CPEs into cultured L-929 cells was observed by fluorescence microscopy. To examine DNA delivery by CPEs, the cells were incubated for 1 H with PAHFP-Br/fluorescein (Fl)-labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA-Fl) complex and then visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Cytotoxicity of CPEs was increased in a dose-dependent manner but at lower than 10 µM, PAHFP-Br, PAEFP-Br, and PSBFP-Na did not show any cytotoxic effects on the cells. When added to cell cultures at 1 µM, PAHFP-Br/ssDNA-Fl complex was delivered and then dissociated into PAHFP-Br and ssDNA-Fl within the cells. This result implies that PAHFP-Br can enable cell imaging and DNA delivery into fibroblastic cells. Therefore, it is suggested that PAHFP-Br with various advantages such as low cytotoxicity and high fluorescence efficiency can be extensively used as a potential agent for cell imaging and gene delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Nanoscience and Department of Nanofusion Technology (BK21), College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Cheol
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Boram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Oh Seong
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Tae Gon
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jun Jae
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Han Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D051379:Mice; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005449:Fluorenes; D011108:Polymers; C041509:fluorene; D004247:DNA
keywords: cell imaging; cellular uptake; conjugated polyelectrolytes; cytotoxicity; gene delivery