Spatial Control of Gene Expression by Nanocarriers Using Heparin Masking and Ultrasound-Targeted Microbubble Destruction.

ABSTRACT: We developed a method to spatially control gene expression following nonviral delivery of DNA. This method includes surface-modifying DNA nanocarriers with heparin to inhibit passive gene transfer in both the target and the off-target tissues and using ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) to selectively activate heparin-inhibited gene transfer at the target site. We observed that the engraftment of heparin onto the surface of cationic liposomes reduced off-target gene expression in the liver, a major site of nanoplex accumulation, by more than 700-fold compared to the nonheparinized PEGylated liposomes. We further observed that tumor-directed UTMD increased gene transfer with heparin-modified nanoplexes by more than 10-fold. This method augmented tumor-to-liver selectivity of

SUBMITTER: Chertok B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5240524 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature