Nonviral vector-based delivery of genetic information into cells to manipulate their protein expression is of great interest for applications in regenerative medicine and the treatment of genetic diseases. Nanoparticles are a type of nonviral delivery vehicle that can be employed; however their contact with cells is, too a large extent, a diffusion limited process. Using magnetic forces to pull magnetic nanoparticles towards target cells is an established technique to overcome this. However, this can have the drawback that the nanoparticles form overly tight complexes with DNA, which can inhibit gene release. Stimuli-responsive polymer vectors can be used to tune DNA unpacking, by adapting to microenvironmental changes such as temperature, pH, light and redox.
In this hot paper, scientists from Tianjin University describe the preparation of magnetic/thermoresponsive nonviral vectors in the form of monodispersed magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The authors investigate the physicochemical properties of the MNP-polymer brushes/DNA nanocomplexes and the in vitro gene transfection of the MNPs-polymer brushes under a magnetic field with variable temperature conditions. Co-application of magnetic field and temperature stimuli was shown to enhance gene transfection efficiencies.
Combining magnetic field/temperature dual stimuli to significantly enhance gene transfection of nonviral vectors
J. Mater. Chem. B , 2013,1, 43-51. DOI: 10.1039/c2tb00203e (free to read for a short time)
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