title: Toward Chemical Perfection of Graphene-Based Gene Carrier via Ugi Multicomponent Assembly Process.
abstract: The graphene-based materials with unique, versatile, and tunable properties have brought new opportunities for the leading edge of advanced nanobiotechnology. In this regard, the use of graphene in gene delivery applications is still at early stages. In this study, we successfully designed a new complex of carboxylated-graphene (G-COOH) with ethidium bromide (EtBr) and used it as a nanovector for efficient gene delivery into the AGS cells. G-COOH, with carboxyl functions on its surface, in the presence of EtBr, formaldehyde, and cyclohexylisocyanide were participated in Ugi four component reaction to fabricate a stable amphiphilic graphene-EtBr (AG-EtBr) composite. The coupling reaction was confirmed by further analyses with FT-IR, AFM, UV-vis, Raman, photoluminescence, EDS, and XPS. The AG-EtBr nanocomposite was able to interact with a plasmid DNA (pDNA). This nanocomposite has been applied for transfection of cultured mammalian cells successfully. Moreover, the AG-EtBr composites showed a remarkable decreased cytotoxicity in compared to EtBr. Interestingly, the advantages of AG-EtBr in cell transfection are more dramatic (3-fold higher) than Lipofectamine2000 as a commercial nonviral vector. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which EtBr is used as an intercalating agent along with graphene to serve as a new vehicle for gene delivery application.
authors: Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology , P.O. Box 11155-9161, Tehran, Iran.|Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences , Kermanshah, Iran.|National Research Center for Transgenic Mouse and Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology , P.O. Box 14965-161, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Aram
authors: A
authors: Rezaei
authors: Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology , P.O. Box 11155-9161, Tehran, Iran.|Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology , P.O. Box 14588-89694, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Omid
authors: O
authors: Akhavan
authors: National Research Center for Transgenic Mouse and Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology , P.O. Box 14965-161, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Ehsan
authors: E
authors: Hashemi
authors: National Research Center for Transgenic Mouse and Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology , P.O. Box 14965-161, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Shamsara
mesh_terms: D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D002470:Cell Survival; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D004996:Ethidium / Q000737:chemistry*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007364:Intercalating Agents; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006108:Graphite; D004247:DNA; D004996:Ethidium