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Gantenbein B, Tang S, Guerrero J, Higuita-Castro N, Salazar-Puerta AI, Croft AS, Gazdhar A, Purmessur D. Non-viral Gene Delivery Methods for Bone and Joints. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:598466. [PMID: 33330428 PMCID: PMC7711090 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.598466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral carrier transport efficiency of gene delivery is high, depending on the type of vector. However, viral delivery poses significant safety concerns such as inefficient/unpredictable reprogramming outcomes, genomic integration, as well as unwarranted immune responses and toxicity. Thus, non-viral gene delivery methods are more feasible for translation as these allow safer delivery of genes and can modulate gene expression transiently both in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. Based on current studies, the efficiency of these technologies appears to be more limited, but they are appealing for clinical translation. This review presents a summary of recent advancements in orthopedics, where primarily bone and joints from the musculoskeletal apparatus were targeted. In connective tissues, which are known to have a poor healing capacity, and have a relatively low cell-density, i.e., articular cartilage, bone, and the intervertebral disk (IVD) several approaches have recently been undertaken. We provide a brief overview of the existing technologies, using nano-spheres/engineered vesicles, lipofection, and in vivo electroporation. Here, delivery for microRNA (miRNA), and silencing RNA (siRNA) and DNA plasmids will be discussed. Recent studies will be summarized that aimed to improve regeneration of these tissues, involving the delivery of bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), such as BMP2 for improvement of bone healing. For articular cartilage/osteochondral junction, non-viral methods concentrate on targeted delivery to chondrocytes or MSCs for tissue engineering-based approaches. For the IVD, growth factors such as GDF5 or GDF6 or developmental transcription factors such as Brachyury or FOXF1 seem to be of high clinical interest. However, the most efficient method of gene transfer is still elusive, as several preclinical studies have reported many different non-viral methods and clinical translation of these techniques still needs to be validated. Here we discuss the non-viral methods applied for bone and joint and propose methods that can be promising in clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Gantenbein
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedics and Mechanobiology, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Shirley Tang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Orthopaedics, Spine Research Institute Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Julien Guerrero
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedics and Mechanobiology, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Higuita-Castro
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ana I Salazar-Puerta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Andreas S Croft
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedics and Mechanobiology, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Amiq Gazdhar
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Devina Purmessur
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Orthopaedics, Spine Research Institute Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Sokołowska E, Błachnio-Zabielska AU. A Critical Review of Electroporation as A Plasmid Delivery System in Mouse Skeletal Muscle. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20112776. [PMID: 31174257 PMCID: PMC6600476 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20112776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene delivery to skeletal muscles is a promising strategy for the treatment of both muscular disorders (by silencing or overexpression of specific gene) and systemic secretion of therapeutic proteins. The use of a physical method like electroporation with plate or needle electrodes facilitates long-lasting gene silencing in situ. It has been reported that electroporation enhances the expression of the naked DNA gene in the skeletal muscle up to 100 times and decreases the changeability of the intramuscular expression. Coelectransfer of reporter genes such as green fluorescent protein (GFP), luciferase or beta-galactosidase allows the observation of correctly performed silencing in the muscles. Appropriate selection of plasmid injection volume and concentration, as well as electrotransfer parameters, such as the voltage, the length and the number of electrical pulses do not cause long-term damage to myocytes. In this review, we summarized the electroporation methodology as well as the procedure of electrotransfer to the gastrocnemius, tibialis, soleus and foot muscles and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Sokołowska
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland.
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Abstract
Electroporation has been used extensively to transfer DNA to bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells in culture for the past 30 years. Over this time, numerous advances have been made, from using fields to facilitate cell fusion, delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to cells and tissues, and most importantly, gene and drug delivery in living tissues from rodents to man. Electroporation uses electrical fields to transiently destabilize the membrane allowing the entry of normally impermeable macromolecules into the cytoplasm. Surprisingly, at the appropriate field strengths, the application of these fields to tissues results in little, if any, damage or trauma. Indeed, electroporation has even been used successfully in human trials for gene delivery for the treatment of tumors and for vaccine development. Electroporation can lead to between 100 and 1000-fold increases in gene delivery and expression and can also increase both the distribution of cells taking up and expressing the DNA as well as the absolute amount of gene product per cell (likely due to increased delivery of plasmids into each cell). Effective electroporation depends on electric field parameters, electrode design, the tissues and cells being targeted, and the plasmids that are being transferred themselves. Most importantly, there is no single combination of these variables that leads to greatest efficacy in every situation; optimization is required in every new setting. Electroporation-mediated in vivo gene delivery has proven highly effective in vaccine production, transgene expression, enzyme replacement, and control of a variety of cancers. Almost any tissue can be targeted with electroporation, including muscle, skin, heart, liver, lung, and vasculature. This chapter will provide an overview of the theory of electroporation for the delivery of DNA both in individual cells and in tissues and its application for in vivo gene delivery in a number of animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Young
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - David A Dean
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Ohnaka M, Marui A, Yamahara K, Minakata K, Yamazaki K, Kumagai M, Masumoto H, Tanaka S, Ikeda T, Sakata R. Effect of microRNA-145 to prevent vein graft disease in rabbits by regulation of smooth muscle cell phenotype. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2014; 148:676-82.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2013.11.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Revised: 10/27/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Li X, Kong M, Dong A, Qian J, Jiang D. Polymer-based delivering of shRNA to rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells suppressed the expression of IGF-1R in vitro and in vivo. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2014; 46:141-8. [PMID: 24374775 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Restenosis is one of clinical limitations for vein graft in coronary bypass graft. It has been proved that signal pathway IGF-1 and its receptor (IGF-1R) activated by hemodynamic mechanical stretch are responsible for the vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation in vein graft neointima formation. Unfortunately, there is no routinely successful method to resolve this problem. Gene delivering to vein graft possesses great therapeutic potential to prevent neointima formation. Polymer is one kind of nanoparticles, which can activate the process of endocytosis of cells. In this study, we evaluated the transfection efficiency and therapeutic potential of polymer-based transfection of plasmids expressing GFP and shRNAs targeting IGF-1R (pGFPshIGF-1Rs) to smooth muscle cells and rabbit external jugular vein graft. Results showed that polymer-based transfection provided high efficiency of transgene expression in smooth muscle cells in vitro. In vitro, IGF-1R-specific shRNA transfected by polymer inhibited IGF-1R protein expression by 52 ± 3.6%, when compared with mock transfected cells. In vivo delivering efficiency of pGFPshIGF-1R plasmid into the rabbit external jugular vein graft was significantly high in the polymer-based transfection group, when compared with negative control group. In vivo, polymer-based transfection IGF-1R-specific shRNA efficiently inhibited the expression of IGF-1R protein by 77 ± 3.6%, 65.6 ± 4.9%, and 76.7 ± 4.3% at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, when compared with negative control group. Our findings indicated that polymer-based transfection may be a promising technique that allows the targeting of gene therapy for vein graft restenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuebiao Li
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China
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Wells DJ. Electroporation and ultrasound enhanced non-viral gene delivery in vitro and in vivo. Cell Biol Toxicol 2009; 26:21-8. [PMID: 19949971 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-009-9144-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2009] [Accepted: 11/11/2009] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Non-viral vectors are less efficient than the use of viral vectors for delivery of genetic material to cells in vitro and especially in vivo. However, viral vectors involve the use of foreign proteins that can stimulate both the innate and acquired immune response. In contrast, plasmid DNA can be delivered without carrier proteins and is non-immunogenic. Plasmid gene delivery can be enhanced by the use of physical methods that aid the passage of the plasmid through the cell membrane. Electroporation and microbubble-enhanced ultrasound are two of the most effective physical delivery methods and these can be applied to a range of different cell types in vitro and a broad range of tissues in vivo. Both techniques also have the advantage that, unlike viral vectors, they can be used to target specific tissues with systemic delivery. Although electroporation is often the more efficient of the two, microbubble-enhanced ultrasound causes less damage and is less invasive. This review provides an introduction to the methodology and summarises the range of cells and tissues that have been genetically modified using these techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic J Wells
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Imperial College London, UK.
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Abstract
Delivery of DNA into skin is an attractive method, because skin is the most accessible somatic tissue for gene transfer and can be monitored conveniently. Skin is especially suitable for immunization using plasmid-DNA-based vaccines; however, a low level of transfection is the major limitation to the use of DNA-based therapeutics. Several chemical and physical methods are being investigated to improve the transfection of target cells with plasmid DNA. Electroporation is a physical method of gene transfer by applying electric pulses to the target cells. Most of the electroporation studies involve insertion of electrode needles into the tissues. In this chapter, we discuss that the DNA delivery into skin can be greatly enhanced by topical electroporation of the DNA injection site in rabbits using a tweezer electrode. Furthermore, the immune responses following a DNA vaccine delivery by using electroporation have been explored. Electroporation shows great potential for enhancing the DNA delivery into the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babu M Medi
- DelSite Biotechnologies, Inc., Irving, TX, USA
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Csiszar A, Smith K, Labinskyy N, Orosz Z, Rivera A, Ungvari Z. Resveratrol attenuates TNF-alpha-induced activation of coronary arterial endothelial cells: role of NF-kappaB inhibition. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2006; 291:H1694-9. [PMID: 16973825 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00340.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that Mediterranean diets rich in resveratrol are associated with reduced risk of coronary artery disease. However, the mechanisms by which resveratrol exerts its cardioprotective effects are not completely understood. Because TNF-alpha-induced endothelial activation and vascular inflammation play a critical role in vascular aging and atherogenesis, we evaluated whether resveratrol inhibits TNF-alpha-induced signal transduction in human coronary arterial endothelial cells (HCAECs). We found that TNF-alpha significantly increased adhesiveness of the monocytic THP-1 cells to HCAECs, an effect that could be inhibited by pretreatment with resveratrol and the NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Previously, we found that TNF-alpha activates NAD(P)H oxidases, and our recent data showed that TNF-alpha-induced endothelial activation was prevented by the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor apocynin or catalase plus SOD. Resveratrol also inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced monocyte adhesiveness. Using a reporter gene assay, we found that, in HCAECs, TNF-alpha significantly increased NF-kappaB activity, which could be inhibited by resveratrol (>50% inhibition at 10(-6) mol/l) and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Resveratrol also inhibited TNF-alpha-induced, NF-kappaB-driven luciferase expression in rat aortas electroporated with the reporter gene construct. In TNF-alpha-treated HCAECs, resveratrol (in the submicromolar range) significantly attenuated expression of NF-kappaB-dependent inflammatory markers inducible nitric oxide synthase, IL-6, bone morphogenetic protein-2, ICAM-1, and VCAM. Thus resveratrol at nutritionally relevant concentrations inhibits TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation and inflammatory gene expression and attenuates monocyte adhesiveness to HCAECs. We propose that these anti-inflammatory actions of resveratrol are responsible, at least in part, for its cardioprotective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Csiszar
- Dept. of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
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Gazdhar A, Bilici M, Pierog J, Ayuni EL, Gugger M, Wetterwald A, Cecchini M, Schmid RA. In vivo electroporation and ubiquitin promoter--a protocol for sustained gene expression in the lung. J Gene Med 2006; 8:910-8. [PMID: 16685743 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene therapy applications require safe and efficient methods for gene transfer. Present methods are restricted by low efficiency and short duration of transgene expression. In vivo electroporation, a physical method of gene transfer, has evolved as an efficient method in recent years. We present a protocol involving electroporation combined with a long-acting promoter system for gene transfer to the lung. METHODS The study was designed to evaluate electroporation-mediated gene transfer to the lung and to analyze a promoter system that allows prolonged transgene expression. A volume of 250 microl of purified plasmid DNA suspended in water was instilled into the left lung of anesthetized rats, followed by left thoracotomy and electroporation of the exposed left lung. Plasmids pCiKlux and pUblux expressing luciferase under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter/enhancer (CMV-IEPE) or human polyubiquitin c (Ubc) promoter were used. Electroporation conditions were optimized with four pulses (200 V/cm, 20 ms at 1 Hz) using flat plate electrodes. The animals were sacrificed at different time points up to day 40, after gene transfer. Gene expression was detected and quantified by bioluminescent reporter imaging (BLI) and relative light units per milligram of protein (RLU/mg) was measured by luminometer for p.Pyralis luciferase and immunohistochemistry, using an anti-luciferase antibody. RESULTS Gene expression with the CMV-IEPE promoter was highest 24 h after gene transfer (2932+/-249.4 relative light units (RLU)/mg of total lung protein) and returned to baseline by day 3 (382+/-318 RLU/mg of total lung protein); at day 5 no expression was detected, whereas gene expression under the Ubc promoter was detected up to day 40 (1989+/-710 RLU/mg of total lung protein) with a peak at day 20 (2821+/-2092 RLU/mg of total lung protein). Arterial blood gas (PaO2), histological assessment and cytokine measurements showed no significant toxicity neither at day 1 nor at day 40. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence that in vivo electroporation is a safe and effective tool for non-viral gene delivery to the lungs. If this method is used in combination with a long-acting promoter system, sustained transgene expression can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amiq Gazdhar
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Miyahara T, Koyama H, Miyata T, Shigematsu H, Inoue JI, Takato T, Nagawa H. Inflammatory responses involving tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 contribute to in-stent lesion formation in a stent implantation model of rabbit carotid artery. J Vasc Surg 2006; 43:592-600. [PMID: 16520179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2005.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2005] [Accepted: 11/04/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Inflammatory responses are considered to represent a unique property after stent implantation, and we previously demonstrated that inflammatory signaling involving tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) contributes to neointimal formation in a balloon injury model of rabbit carotid artery. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of TRAF6 in in-stent lesion formation after stent implantation in the rabbit carotid artery. METHODS Rabbit carotid arteries were injured with a 2F Fogarty catheter, and 28 days later, the same arteries were implanted with a 3-mm-diameter Palmaz-Schatz stent. A dominant negative (DN) form of TRAF6 (pME-FLAG-T6deltaRZ5) was then transferred using a plasmid-based electroporation method. Its effects were evaluated compared with the findings in arteries treated with control plasmid (pME-FLAG). RESULTS Immunostaining with anti-FLAG tag antibody showed that an expression plasmid vector containing the DN-TRAF6 sequence was successfully transferred to the arterial intima and media. Morphometric analyses revealed that the increase of intimal area in in-stent lesions was significantly inhibited by DN-TRAF6 14 days after stent implantation (DN-TRAF6 group, 3.01 +/- 0.25 x 10(5) microm2 vs control group, 4.25 +/- 0.23 x 10(5) microm2, P < .01), and the cell density was increased compared with that in the control group. In the DN-TRAF6 plasmid-treated vessels, cell replication was prevented in both the intima and media, and fewer leukocytes adhered to the luminal surface. Moreover, DN-TRAF6 suppressed macrophage infiltration, activation of proteases, and proteoglycan accumulation in the in-stent intima. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that TRAF6 plays an important role in cell replication, inflammatory cell infiltration, protease activity, and extracellular matrix accumulation that contributes to in-stent lesion development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Miyahara
- Department of Vascular Regeneration, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
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Tavakoli R, Gazdhar A, Pierog J, Bogdanova A, Gugger M, Pringle IA, Gill DR, Hyde SC, Genoni M, Schmid RA. Electroporation-mediated interleukin-10 overexpression in skeletal muscle reduces acute rejection in rat cardiac allografts. J Gene Med 2006; 8:242-8. [PMID: 16389627 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Human interleukin 10 (hIL-10) may reduce acute rejection after organ transplantation. Our previous data shows that electroporation-mediated transfer of plasmid DNA to peripheral muscle enhances gene transduction dramatically. This study was designed to investigate the effect of electroporation-mediated overexpression of hIL-10 on acute rejection of cardiac allografts in the rat. METHODS The study was designed to evaluate the effect of hIL-10 gene transfer on (a) early rejection pattern and (b) graft survival. Gene transfer was achieved by intramuscular (i.m.) injection into the tibialis anterior muscle of Fischer (F344) male recipients followed by electroporation 24 h prior to transplantation. Heterotopic cardiac transplantation was performed from male Brown Norway rat to F344. Four groups were studied (n = 6). Treated animals in groups B1 and B2 received 2.5 microg of pCIK hIL-10 and control animals in groups A1 and A2 distilled water. Graft function was assessed by daily palpation. Animals from group A1 were sacrificed at the cessation of the heart beat of the graft and those in group B1 were sacrificed at day 7; blood was taken for ELISA measurement of hIL-10 and tissue for myeloperoxidase (MPO) measurement and histological assessment. To evaluate graft survival, groups A2 and B2 were sacrificed at cessation of the heart beat of the graft. RESULTS Histological examination revealed severe rejection (IIIB-IV) in group A1 in contrast to low to moderate rejection (IA-IIIA) in group B1 (p = 0.02). MPO activity was significantly lower in group B1 compared to group A1 (18 +/- 7 vs. 32 +/- 14 mU/mg protein, p = 0.05). Serum hIL-10 levels were 46 +/- 13 pg/ml in group B1 vs. 0 pg/ml in group A1. At day 7 all heart allografts in the treated groups B1 and B2 were beating, whereas they stopped beating at 5 +/- 2 days in groups A1 and A2 vs. 14 +/- 2 days in group B2 (p = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS Electroporation-mediated intramuscular overexpression of hIL-10 reduces acute rejection and improves survival of heterotopic heart allografts in rats. This study demonstrates that peripheral overexpression of specific genes in skeletal muscle may reduce acute rejection after whole organ transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Tavakoli
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Triemli Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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Khoury M, Bigey P, Louis-Plence P, Noel D, Rhinn H, Scherman D, Jorgensen C, Apparailly F. A comparative study on intra-articular versus systemic gene electrotransfer in experimental arthritis. J Gene Med 2006; 8:1027-36. [PMID: 16733831 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electric pulse mediated gene transfer has been applied successfully in vivo for increasing naked DNA administration in various tissues. To achieve non-viral gene transfer into arthritic joint tissue, we investigated the use of electrotransfer (ET). Because anti-inflammatory cytokine strategies have proven efficient in experimental models of arthritis, we compared the therapeutic efficiency of local versus systemic delivery of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) using in vivo ET. METHODS A plasmid vector expressing IL-10 was transferred into DBA/1 mouse knee joints by ET with 12 pulses of variable duration and voltage. The kinetics of transgene expression were analyzed by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sera and knees. Optimal conditions were then used to deliver increasing amounts of IL-10 plasmid intra-articularly (i.a.) in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model. The therapeutic efficiency was compared with the potency of intra-muscular (i.m.) ET. RESULTS Following i.a. ET, local IL-10 secretion peaked on day 7 and dropped 2 weeks after. A second ET produced the same kinetics without enhancing gene transfer efficiency, while transgene was still detected in injected muscles 4 weeks after ET. Only the i.m. ET of 25 microg of IL-10 significantly inhibited all the clinical and biological features of arthritis. The i.a. ET only showed mild improvement of arthritis when 100 microg of IL-10 plasmid were electrotransfered weekly from day 18 following arthritis induction. CONCLUSIONS The present results suggest that gene transfer into arthritic joints by ET is an effective means to deliver anti-inflammatory cytokines. However, short duration of transgene expression impedes a significant effect for the treatment of arthritis, making i.m. ET more potent than i.a. ET for clinical benefit in CIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Khoury
- Inserm, U 475, F-34000 Montpellier, France
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Yamaoka T, Yonemitsu Y, Komori K, Baba H, Matsumoto T, Onohara T, Maehara Y. Ex vivo electroporation as a potent new strategy for nonviral gene transfer into autologous vein grafts. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2005; 289:H1865-72. [PMID: 16219811 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00353.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gene transfer to vein grafts has therapeutic potential to prevent late graft failure; however, certain issues, including efficacy and safety, have hindered the clinical application of this treatment modality. Here, we report the successful and efficient gene transfer of plasmid DNA via ex vivo electroporation into veins as well as into vein grafts. Two approaches were used: one involved transluminal in situ gene transfer using a T-shaped electrode (the “Lu” method), and the other was an adventitial ex vivo approach using an electroporation cuvette followed by vein grafting (the “Ad” method). The Lu method was carried out at 10 V, with optimal gene transfer efficiency in the in situ jugular veins of rabbits, and transgene expression was observed primarily in endothelial cells. However, when these veins were grafted into the arterial circulation, no luciferase activity was detected; this effect was probably due to the elimination of the gene-transferred cells as a result of endothelial denudation. In contrast, optimal and satisfactory gene transfer was obtained with the vein grafts subjected to the Ad method at 30 V, and transgene expression was seen primarily in adventitial fibroblasts. Gene transfer of endothelial nitric oxide synthase cDNA to the vein graft via the Ad method successfully limited the extent of intimal hyperplasia, even under hyperlipidemic conditions, at 4 wk after grafting. We thus propose that the Ad method via ex vivo electroporation may provide a novel, safe, and clinically available technique for nonviral gene transfer to sufficiently prevent late graft failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terutoshi Yamaoka
- Dept. of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka, Japan
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Satkauskas S, André F, Bureau MF, Scherman D, Miklavcic D, Mir LM. Electrophoretic Component of Electric Pulses Determines the Efficacy of In Vivo DNA Electrotransfer. Hum Gene Ther 2005; 16:1194-201. [PMID: 16218780 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2005.16.1194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient DNA electrotransfer can be achieved with combinations of short high-voltage (HV) and long low voltage (LV) pulses that cover two effects of the pulses, namely, target cell electropermeabilization and DNA electrophoresis within the tissue. Because HV and LV can be delivered with a lag up to 3000 sec between them, we considered that it was possible to analyze separately the respective importance of the two types of effects of the electric fields on DNA electrotransfer efficiency. The tibialis cranialis muscles of C57BL/6 mice were injected with plasmid DNA encoding luciferase or green fluorescent protein and then exposed to various combinations of HV and LV pulses. DNA electrotransfer efficacy was determined by measuring luciferase activity in the treated muscles. We found that for effective DNA electrotransfer into skeletal muscles the HV pulse is prerequisite; however, its number and duration do not significantly affect electrotransfer efficacy. DNA electrotransfer efficacy is dependent mainly on the parameters of the LV pulse(s). We report that different LV number, LV individual duration, and LV strength can be used, provided the total duration and field strength result in convenient electrophoretic transport of DNA toward and/or across a permeabilized membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saulius Satkauskas
- Vectorology and Gene Transfer, UMR 8121 CNRS, Institute Gustave Roussy, F-94805 Villejuif, France
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Satkauskas S, Andre F, Bureau MF, Scherman D, Miklavcic D, Mir LM. Electrophoretic Component of Electric Pulses Determines the Efficacy of In Vivo DNA Electrotransfer. Hum Gene Ther 2005. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2005.16.ft-128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Seidler RW, Allgäuer S, Ailinger S, Sterner A, Dev N, Rabussay D, Doods H, Lenter MC. In Vivo Human MCP-1 Transfection in Porcine Arteries by Intravascular Electroporation. Pharm Res 2005; 22:1685-91. [PMID: 16180126 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-005-6334-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2005] [Accepted: 06/06/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to develop a nonviral gene transfer method for therapeutic delivery of the human monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in patients with peripheral artery disease, using local catheter-mediated electrotransfer of naked plasmid DNA into arteries. METHODS Arterial walls of the A. profunda femoris of pigs were transfected either with a human MCP-1 or with a firefly luciferase-encoding DNA construct. The efficacy of electrotransfer of DNA was analyzed after 2 days by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or luciferase activity measurements. To optimize MCP-1 gene transfer conditions, a voltage range of 60-150 V was applied as a train of six square pulses of 20 ms each at 1 Hz and was combined with a dose of 150 microg DNA. Subsequently, the optimized voltage was used to test a dose range of 80-300 microg DNA. RESULTS The voltage optimum for arterial transfection was observed at 80 volts. Using this setting, the dose application of 300 microg MCP-1 plasmid DNA (the maximal dose tested) demonstrated the highest MCP-1 expression signal. The electric pulses and the transfer and expression of human MCP-1 per se did not induce endogenous porcine MCP-1 expression in treated arteries. Interestingly, angioplastic predilation of the artery before gene transfer, which had originally been postulated to enhance transfection by improving access of the plasmid to subendothelial cell layers, resulted in an attenuated transfection efficacy. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrates that transluminal catheter-based electroporation provides an efficient technology for nonviral intravascular gene transfer by just applying unformulated DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randolph W Seidler
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, Connecticut, 06877, USA
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Medi BM, Hoselton S, Marepalli RB, Singh J. Skin targeted DNA vaccine delivery using electroporation in rabbits. I: efficacy. Int J Pharm 2005; 294:53-63. [PMID: 15814230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2004.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2004] [Revised: 12/13/2004] [Accepted: 12/13/2004] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Genetic immunization through skin is highly desirable as skin has plenty of antigen presenting cells (APCs) and is easily accessible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of electroporation pulse amplitude, pulse length and number of pulses on cutaneous plasmid DNA vaccine delivery and immune responses, following intradermal injection in vivo in rabbits. Expression of the delivered plasmid was studied using a reporter plasmid, coding for beta-galactosidase. The efficiency of DNA vaccine delivery was investigated using a DNA vaccine against Hepatitis B, coding for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Serum samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed for humoral and cellular immunity, respectively, following immunization. The expression of transgene in the skin was transient and reached its peak in 2 days post-delivery with 200 and 300 V pulses. The expression levels with 200 and 300 V pulses were 48- and 129-fold higher, respectively, compared with the passive on day 2. In situ histochemical staining of skin with X-gal demonstrated the localized expression of beta-galactosidase with electroporation pulses of 200 and 300 V. Electroporation mediated cutaneous DNA vaccine delivery significantly enhanced both humoral and cellular immune responses (p<0.05) to Hepatitis B compared to passive delivery. The present study demonstrates the enhanced DNA vaccine delivery to skin and immune responses by topical electroporation. Hence, electroporation mediated cutaneous DNA vaccine delivery could be developed as a potential alternative for DNA vaccine delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babu M Medi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
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Dean DA. Nonviral gene transfer to skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle in living animals. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2005; 289:C233-45. [PMID: 16002623 PMCID: PMC4152902 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00613.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The study of muscle physiology has undergone many changes over the past 25 years and has moved from purely physiological studies to those intimately intertwined with molecular and cell biological questions. To ask these questions, it is necessary to be able to transfer genetic reagents to cells both in culture and, ultimately, in living animals. Over the past 10 years, a number of different chemical and physical approaches have been developed to transfect living skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle systems with varying success and efficiency. This review provides a survey of these methods and describes some more recent developments in the field of in vivo gene transfer to these various muscle types. Both gene delivery for overexpression of desired gene products and delivery of nucleic acids for downregulation of specific genes and their products are discussed to aid the physiologist, cell biologist, and molecular biologist in their studies on whole animal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Univ., 240 E. Huron Ave., McGaw 2336, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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Mir LM, Moller PH, André F, Gehl J. Electric pulse-mediated gene delivery to various animal tissues. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2005; 54:83-114. [PMID: 16096009 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2660(05)54005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation designates the use of electric pulses to transiently permeabilize the cell membrane. It has been shown that DNA can be transferred to cells through a combined effect of electric pulses causing (1) permeabilization of the cell membrane and (2) an electrophoretic effect on DNA, leading the polyanionic molecule to move toward or across the destabilized membrane. This process is now referred to as DNA electrotransfer or electro gene transfer (EGT). Several studies have shown that EGT can be highly efficient, with low variability both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the area transfected is restricted by the placement of the electrodes, and is thus highly controllable. This has led to an increasing use of the technology to transfer reporter or therapeutic genes to various tissues, as evidenced from the large amount of data accumulated on this new approach for non-viral gene therapy, termed electrogenetherapy (EGT as well). By transfecting cells with a long lifetime, such as muscle fibers, a very long-term expression of genes can be obtained. A great variety of tissues have been transfected successfully, from muscle as the most extensively used, to both soft (e.g., spleen) and hard tissue (e.g., cartilage). It has been shown that therapeutic levels of systemically circulating proteins can be obtained, opening possibilities for using EGT therapeutically. This chapter describes the various aspects of in vivo gene delivery by means of electric pulses, from important issues in methodology to updated results concerning the electrotransfer of reporter and therapeutic genes to different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lluis M Mir
- Laboratory of Vectorology and Gene Transfer, UMR 8121 CNRS Institut Gustave-Roussy, F-94805 Villejuif Cédex, France
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Hoshina K, Koyama H, Miyata T, Shigematsu H, Takato T, Dalman RL, Nagawa H. Aortic wall cell proliferation via basic fibroblast growth factor gene transfer limits progression of experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm. J Vasc Surg 2004; 40:512-8. [PMID: 15337882 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2004.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our previous study demonstrated that high flow conditions stimulated cell proliferation in the aortic wall in a rat model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and we speculated that there is a possible relation between medial cell density and aortic wall integrity. In the present study we delivered the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene to the aortic wall of a rat AAA model and evaluated the effects of growth factor-enhanced smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation on aneurysm progression. METHODS AAA was induced in rats by means of infusion of porcine pancreatic elastase. Immediately after elastase infusion the abdominal aorta was filled with an expression plasmid vector containing the bFGF gene (bFGF group) or LacZ gene (control group); then gene transfer to the aortic wall was carried out with an in vivo electroporation method. The animals were killed 7 days after treatment, and the aneurysm was measured. The numbers of SMCs, macrophages, and endothelial cells were counted with immunostaining, and cell replication was evaluated with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining. RESULTS Aneurysm diameter in the bFGF group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (4.6 +/- 0.3 mm vs 6.5 +/- 1.4 mm; P <.01). The numbers of medial SMCs and BrdU-incorporated cells in the bFGF group were significantly greater than those in the control group (SMC, 101 +/- 34 per high-power field [hpf] vs 80 +/- 31/hpf; P <.05, BrdU, 107 +/- 63/hpf vs 50 +/- 33/hpf; P <.05), whereas no difference was detected in the numbers of macrophages and endothelial cells between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS Delivery of bFGF to the aortic wall induced significant enhancement of medial SMC proliferation, without an increase in inflammatory infiltration, then successfully limited aneurysm enlargement. These findings suggest that increased medial cellularity inhibits aneurysm formation, which possibly offers a clue for developing a new strategy for treatment of AAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuyuki Hoshina
- Division of Vascular Regeneration, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
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22
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Abstract
Naked plasmid DNA can be used to introduce genetic material into a variety of cell types in vivo. However, such gene transfer and expression is generally very low compared with that achieved with viral vectors and so is unsuitable for clinical therapeutic application in most cases. This difference in efficiency has been substantially reduced by the introduction of in vivo electroporation to enhance plasmid delivery to a wide range of tissues including muscle, skin, liver, lung, artery, kidney, retina, cornea, spinal cord, brain, synovium, and tumors. The precise mechanism of in vivo electroporation is uncertain, but appears to involve both electropore formation and an electrophoretic movement of the plasmid DNA. Skeletal muscle is a favored target tissue for three reasons: there is a pressing need to develop effective therapies for muscular dystrophies; skeletal muscle can act as an effective platform for the long-term secretion of therapeutic proteins for systemic distribution; and introduction of DNA vaccines into skeletal muscle promotes strong humoral and cellular immune responses. All of these applications are significantly improved by the application of in vivo electroporation. Importantly, the increased efficiency of plasmid delivery following electroporation is seen in larger species as well as rodents, in contrast to the decreasing efficiencies with increasing body size for simple intramuscular injection of naked plasmid DNA. As this electroporation-enhanced non-viral gene delivery system works well in larger species and avoids the vector-specific immune responses associated with recombinant viruses, the prospects for clinical application are promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M McMahon
- Gene Targeting Unit, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Division of Neuroscience and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
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Abstract
Electroporation has proven to be a highly effective technique for the in vivo delivery of genes to a number of solid tissues. In most of the reported methods, DNA is injected into the target tissue and electrodes are placed directly on or in the tissue for application of the electric field. While this works well for solid tissues, there are many tissues and organs that are not amenable to such an approach. In this review I will focus on the development of electroporation protocols for two such tissues: the vasculature and the lung. Several methods for in vivo electroporation of the vasculature have been developed in recent years that deliver DNA to vessel segments from either the inside or outside of the vessel. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed, as are the applications for which they have been used. In more recent work, our laboratory has developed a novel method to deliver genes to the rodent lung that results in high level, uniform, gene expression throughout all cell types of the lung. Most importantly, this technique is safe, and causes no inflammatory response or alterations in normal physiology of the organs. Taken together, these studies demonstrate the utility of electroporation for gene transfer to non injectible tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
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Stacey M, Stickley J, Fox P, Statler V, Schoenbach K, Beebe SJ, Buescher S. Differential effects in cells exposed to ultra-short, high intensity electric fields: cell survival, DNA damage, and cell cycle analysis. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2003; 542:65-75. [PMID: 14644355 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2003.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
High power, nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) effects have been focused on bacterial decontamination, but the impact on mammalian cells is now being revealed. During nsPEF applications, electrical pulses of 10, 60 or 300 ns durations were applied to cells using electric field amplitudes as high as 300 kV/cm. Because of the ultra-short pulse durations, the energy transferred to cells is negligible, and only non-thermal effects are observed. We investigated the genotoxicity of nsPEF on adherent and non-adherent cell lines including 10 human lines and one mouse cell line with different origin and growth characteristics. We present data examining the effects of nsPEF exposure on cell survival assessed by clonogenic formation or live cell count; DNA damage determined by the comet assay and chromosome aberrations; and cell cycle parameters by measuring the mitotic indices of exposed cells. Using each of these indicators, we observed differential effects among cell types with non-adherent cells being more sensitive to the genotoxic effects of nsPEF exposures than adherent cells. Non-adherent cultures showed a rapid decrease in cell viability (90%), induction of DNA damage, and a decrease in the number of cells reaching mitosis after one 60 ns pulse with an electric field intensity of 60 kV/cm. These effects were not observed in cells grown as adherent cultures, with the exception of the mouse 3T3 cell line, which showed survival characteristics similar to non-adherent cultures. These data suggest that nsPEF genotoxicity may be cell type specific, and therefore have potential applications in the selective removal of one cell type from another, for example, in diseased states.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Stacey
- Center for Pediatric Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 855, W Brambleton Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510, USA.
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Nunamaker EA, Zhang HY, Shirasawa Y, Benoit JN, Dean DA. Electroporation-mediated delivery of catalytic oligodeoxynucleotides for manipulation of vascular gene expression. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2003; 285:H2240-7. [PMID: 12881213 PMCID: PMC4400177 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00350.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The development of inexpensive and effective approaches to transiently decrease gene expression in vivo would be useful for the study of physiological processes in living animals. DNAzymes are a novel class of DNA oligonucleotides that can catalytically cleave target mRNAs and thereby reduce protein production. However, current methods for their delivery in vivo are limited and inefficient. In this study, we show that electroporation can be used to deliver DNAzymes to the intact mesenteric vasculature of rats. With the use of PKC-epsilon as a target, a set of wild-type and mutant control DNAzymes was designed and shown to reduce both PKC-epsilon mRNA and protein levels in cultured smooth muscle cells in a specific manner. The wild-type DNAzyme reduced PKC-epsilon protein levels by 70% at 24 h in two different cell lines without decreasing the levels of the five other PKC isoforms tested. When delivered to the intact vasculature using electroporation, the DNAzyme reduced PKC-epsilon protein levels by >60% without affecting these other PKC isoforms. Electroporation was required for oligonucleotide transfer and was able to deliver the DNAzymes to multiple cell layers in the vessel wall. Protein levels were reduced maximally by 24 h postelectroporation and returned to normal by 48 h. These results suggest that electroporation can be used to deliver DNAzymes and other DNA oligonucleotides to the vasculature in vivo and can decrease gene expression for a window of time that can be used for experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Nunamaker
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Tarry 14-707, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Dean DA, Machado-Aranda D, Blair-Parks K, Yeldandi AV, Young JL. Electroporation as a method for high-level nonviral gene transfer to the lung. Gene Ther 2003; 10:1608-15. [PMID: 12907953 PMCID: PMC5576138 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
To increase the levels of pulmonary gene transfer by nonviral vectors, we have adopted electroporation protocols for use in the lung. A volume of 100-200 microl of purified plasmid DNA suspended in saline was instilled into the lungs of anesthetized mice. Plasmids expressed luciferase, or beta-galactosidase under control of the CMV immediate-early promoter and enhancer. Immediately following delivery, a series of eight square wave electric pulses of 10 ms duration each at an optimal field strength of 200 V/cm were administered to the animals using 10 mm Tweezertrodes (Genetronics, San Diego, CA, USA). The electrodes were placed on either side of the chest, which had been wetted with 70% ethanol. The animals recovered and survived with no apparent trauma until the experiments were terminated at the desired times, between 1 and 7 days post-treatment. Gene expression was detected by 1 day postelectroporation and peaked between 2 and 5 days. By 7 days, expression was back to baseline. By contrast, essentially no gene expression was detected in the absence of electric pulses. Using a beta-galactosidase-expressing plasmid, the distribution of gene expression appeared to be concentrated in the periphery of the lung, but was also present throughout the parenchyma. The primary cell types expressing gene product include alveolar type I and type II epithelial cells. No inflammation or lung injury was detected histologically or by cytokine measurements in lungs at either 1 or 24 h following electroporation treatment. These results provide evidence that electroporation is a safe and effective means for introducing naked DNA into the lung and form the basis for future studies on targeted pulmonary gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Young JL, Benoit JN, Dean DA. Effect of a DNA nuclear targeting sequence on gene transfer and expression of plasmids in the intact vasculature. Gene Ther 2003; 10:1465-70. [PMID: 12900761 PMCID: PMC4150867 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although the use of nonviral vectors for gene therapy offers distinct advantages including the lack of significant inflammatory and immune responses, the levels of expression in vivo remain much lower than those obtained with their viral counterparts. One reason for such low expression is that unlike many viruses, plasmids have not evolved mechanisms to target to the nucleus of the nondividing cell. In the absence of mitosis, plasmids are imported into the nucleus in a sequence-specific manner, and we have shown in cultured cells by transfection and microinjection experiments that the SV40 enhancer mediates plasmid nuclear import in all cell types tested (Dean et al., 1999, Exp Cell Res 253: 713-722). To test the effect of this import sequence on gene transfer in the intact animal, we have recently developed an electroporation method for DNA delivery to the intact mesenteric vasculature of the rat. Plasmids expressing luciferase or GFP from the CMV immediate-early promoter/enhancer and either containing or lacking the SV40 enhancer downstream of the reporter gene were transferred to the vasculature by electroporation. When transfected into actively dividing populations of smooth muscle or epithelial cells, the plasmids gave similar levels of expression. By contrast, the presence of the SV40 sequence greatly enhanced gene expression of both reporters in the target tissue. At 2 days post-transfer, plasmids with the SV40 sequence gave 10-fold higher levels of luciferase expression, and at 3 days the difference was over 40-fold. The presence of the SV40 sequence did not simply increase the rate of nuclear import and expression, since expression from the SV40-lacking plasmid did not increase beyond that seen at day 2, the time of maximum expression for either plasmid. In situ hybridization experiments confirmed that the increased gene transfer and expression was indeed due to increased nuclear localization of the delivered SV40 sequence-containing plasmid. Based on these findings, the ability to target DNA to the nucleus can increase gene transfer in vivo and inclusion of the SV40 sequence into plasmids will enhance nonviral gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Young
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL
| | - Joseph N. Benoit
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
| | - David A. Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL
- Corresponding author Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Tarry 14-707, Chicago, IL 60611, tel: (312) 503-3121, fax: (312) 908-4650,
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Abstract
In vivo electrotransfer is a physical technique for gene delivery in various mammalian tissues, which involves the injection of plasmid DNA into a target tissue and administration of an electric field. Its ease of performance, as well as recent understanding of its mechanism and applications to different mammalian tissues such as skeletal muscle, liver, brain and tumors, makes it a powerful technique. It could be used in gene therapy and as a laboratory tool to study gene functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Bigey
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bioorganique et de Biotechnologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7001 ENSCP/CNRS/Aventis, CRVA-Aventis, Batiment Monod, Laboratory 3C05, 13 quai Jules Guesde, 94403 Vitry-sur-Seine cedex, France
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Young JL, Dean DA. Nonviral gene transfer strategies for the vasculature. Microcirculation 2002; 9:35-49. [PMID: 11896558 PMCID: PMC4403639 DOI: 10.1038/sj/mn/7800120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2001] [Accepted: 10/11/2001] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Major attention has been focused on the development of gene therapy approaches for the treatment of vascular diseases. In this review, we focus on an alternative use of gene therapy: the use of genetic means to study vascular cell biology and physiology. Both viral and nonviral gene transfer strategies have limitations, but because of the overwhelming inflammatory responses associated with the use of viral vectors, nonviral gene transfer methods are likely to be used more abundantly for future applications in the vasculature. Researchers have made great strides in the advancement of gene delivery to the vasculature in vivo. However, the efficiency of gene transfer seen with most nonviral approaches has been exceedingly low. We discuss how to circumvent and take advantage of a number of the barriers that limit efficient gene delivery to the vasculature to achieve high-level gene expression in appropriate cell types within the vessel wall. With such levels of expression, gene transfer offers the ability to alter pathways at the molecular level by genetically modulating the activity of a gene product, thus obviating the need to rely on pharmacological agents and their foreseen and unforeseen side effects. This genetic ability to alter distinct gene products within a signaling or biosynthetic pathway or to alter structural interactions within and between cells is extremely useful and technologically possible today. Hopefully, with the availability of these tools, new advances in cardiovascular physiology will emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Young
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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