[Gene transfection of magnetic nanocomposite loading plasmid modified by folic acid targeted to nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the molecular targeting capacity and gene transfection efficiency of magnetic nanocomposite coupling with folic acid (FA) of PEG-PEI (-FA) -Alg-Fe3O4 adsorbing plasmid to folate receptor (FR) positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell.


METHODS
The phagocytosis of magnetic nanocomposite was examined in FR positive NPC HNE-1 and FR negative NPC CNE-2 cells. Prussian blue staining, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and flow cytometry were employed to analyze its gene transfection efficiency by observing the plasmid expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in two cell types. Nude mice with implanted HNE-1 and CNE-2 tumor received a tail vein injection of magnetic nanocomposite. And the phagocytosis of magnetic nanocomposite was observed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), iron staining and TEM.


RESULTS
HNE-1 cell could effectively ingest magnetic nanocomposite, there was a strong intracellular expression of GFP and the gene transfection efficiency was approximately 40.0% ± 3.0%. However, CNE-2 cell had virtually no uptake of magnetic nanocomposite, there was a weak intracellular expression of GFP and the gene transfection efficiency was approximately 4.5% ± 1.5%. The implanted HNE-1 tumor cell could efficiently swallow magnetic nanocomposite, but there was little phagocytosis of magnetic nanocomposite in implanted CNE-2 tumor cell.


CONCLUSIONS
The magnetic nanocomposite coupling with FA of PEG-PEI (-FA) -Alg-Fe3O4 adsorbing plasmid has excellent molecular targeting capacity and higher gene transfection efficiency.
Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
Tao
T
Liu
Dong
D
Ma
Bo
B
Ke
Email: min_qiang_x@hotmail.com.
Minqiang
M
Xie
D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D058972:Folic Acid Transporters / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D053761:Nanocomposites; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids; D014162:Transfection
D058972:Folic Acid Transporters; D005492:Folic Acid