title: Enhancing DNA delivery into the skin with a motorized microneedle device.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a motorized microneedle device in delivery of DNA into skin for gene expression. A plasmid DNA encoding both luciferase (Luc) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was delivered into rat skin by puncturing the skin with the microneedle device. Puncturing rat skin with a pre-applied DNA solution on the skin showed much higher luciferase gene expression than that with the procedure of puncturing the skin first then applied the DNA solution. The microneedle puncturing method was more efficient than intradermal injection method in generating high gene expression in the skin. There was no significant difference in the skin gene expression when rat skin was punctured with the microneedle device of different microneedle lengths (0.25 mm, 0.5mm or 0.75 mm). On the other hand, there was a significant difference in the skin gene expression between the short (10s) and the long puncturing durations (30 or 60s), with longer puncturing duration showed higher gene expression. Puncturing the skin with longer needles (0.75 mm) caused some skin damage, while puncturing the skin with shorter microneedle length (0.25 mm) caused only minimal skin damage. The EGFP gene expression was observed predominately in the epidermis layer of the skin from the puncturing method in delivery of DNA into the skin. In summary, the motorized microneedle device could have great potential in skin gene delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States. Electronic address: guang.yan@pharmacy.isu.edu.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States.
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States.
authors.forename: Nashid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States.
authors.forename: Shabbir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States.
authors.forename: Henan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009339:Needles; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly
keywords: DNA; Delivery; Microneedle; Puncture; Skin