Prospects of Anionic Nanolipoplexes Prepared by the Heating Method in Nanotherapy

Keywords:
anionic nanolipoplex, gene transfer, nanotherapy

Abstract:
Nanotherapy have the advantages of precise targeting the drug to the required site inside the body and application of a much lower dose of the traditional therapies, thus improving therapeutic efficiency and reducing side effects. The major drawbacks in the clinical utilisation of nanolipoplexes in nanotherapy are the safety and efficiency concerns along with their high manufacture costs. Here we report the use of anionic nanolipoplexes composed of physiological components and prepared by the heating method for plasmid DNA delivery into mammalian cells in vitro. The nanolipoplexes were found to be completely non-toxic, possess long term stability and able to protect DNA from degradation by DNase I. Efficient delivery of plasmid DNA and subsequent β-galactosidase expression was achieved using the anionic nanolipoplexes. Transfection efficiency increased with lipid:DNA ratio up to 7:1 (w/w), where transfection efficiency was 12-fold higher than in untreated cells. Further increase in lipid ratio decreased transfection. Microscopic observations using AFM and TEM revealed 3-4 semi-fused vesicles. Efficient and completely safe DNA transfection using anionic nanolipoplexes prepared by the heating method makes them an ideal system to be explored for genetic drug delivery.

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Nanotech 2006 Conference Program Abstract