Fluorescence is one of the molecular spectroscopic properties that is enhanced by placing the molecule on the rough surface of a coinage metal. The surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) can be directly observed in steady-state fluorescence experiments. The observations are the results of a delicate balance between the enhanced emission and the quenching due to energy transfer to nonradiative surface plasmons. In the present report, SiO2-coated silver films were fabricated at varying dielectric thickness. The surface of the films was analyzed with the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). AFM confirms the surface roughness and XPS analysis indicates that the SiO2 coverage was successful. SEF and SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) were observed on active 6, 10, and 14 nm silver films coated with SiO2. Similar results were obtained with a 6 nm silver film coated with 6 nm SiO. The SEF work was carried out on fluorescent molecules with different quantum yield, and the typical enhancement factor obtained for the fluorescent signal was approximately 10. Both the SiO2 and SiO overlayers provide stable surfaces with well-defined hydrophilic properties. Such stable constructions have applicability towards the advancement of SERS and SEF as routine analytical techniques in bio- and chemical sensors.

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RNA interference is a promising therapeutic strategy for treatment of diseases, in particular, cancer. Despite a huge number of targets identified for different cancer types, there are no effective delivery strategies available so far. Polymeric delivery vehicles are often based on large macromolecules. Such approaches often lead to accumulation of toxicity and narrow therapeutic windows. In the current paper, an alternative approach is presented. Low molecular weight oligoethylenimine (OEI) 800 Da was hydrophobically modified through the Michael addition of different alkyl acrylates. An optimal structure containing ten hexyl acrylate residues per one OEI chain (OEI-HA-10) was found to be a promising candidate for siRNA delivery. Hydrophobic modification stabilized the siRNA polyplex structure, increased the colloidal stability of the nanoparticles, and provided lytic properties to OEI required for crossing cellular membranes in the delivery process. In addition, the acrylate ester bond enables fast degradation of OEI-HA-10 into far less toxic components. Further improvement of biological properties of the OEI-HA-10 polyplexes by different formulation strategies was demonstrated. In particular, a remarkable increase of biocompatibility without loss of efficiency could be achieved by coformulation of OEI-HA-10 with lauryl acrylate modified OEI-LA-5.

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The polymer, OEI-HD, based on beta-propionamide-cross-linked oligoethylenimine and its chemical transferrin conjugate were evaluated for siRNA delivery into murine Neuro2A neuroblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. An 80% silencing of luciferase expression in neuroblastoma cells, stably transfected with a luciferase gene, was obtained using standard OEI-HD polyplexes or transferrin-conjugated shielded OEI-HD polyplexes. The Ras-related nuclear protein Ran was selected as a therapeutically relevant target protein. Systemic delivery of transferrin-conjugated OEI-HD/RAN siRNA formulations (three intravenous applications at 3 days interval) resulted in >80% reduced Ran protein expression, apoptosis, and a reduced tumor growth in Neuro2A tumors of treated mice. The treatment was not associated with signs of acute toxicity or significant changes in weight, hematology parameters, or liver enzymes (AST, ALT, or AP) of mice. All our results demonstrate that OEI-HD/siRNA formulations can knockdown genes in tumor cells in vitro and in vivo in mice in the absence of unspecific toxicity.

The combination of drugs with devices, where locally delivered drugs elute from the device, has demonstrated distinct advantages over therapies involving systemic or local drugs and devices administered separately. Drug-eluting stents are most notable. Ink jet technology offers unique advantages for the coating of very small medical devices with drugs and drug-coating combinations, especially in cases where the active pharmaceutical agent is very expensive to produce and wastage is to be minimized. For medical devices such as drug-containing stents, the advantages of ink-jet technology result from the controllable and reproducible nature of the droplets in the jet stream and the ability to direct the stream to exact locations on the device surfaces. Programmed target deliveries of 100 microg drug, a typical dose for a small stent, into cuvettes gave a standard deviation (SD) of dose of 0.6 microg. Jetting on coated, uncut stent tubes exhibited 100% capture efficiency with a 1.8 microg SD for a 137 microg dose. In preliminary studies, continuous jetting on stents can yield efficiencies up to 91% and coefficients of variation as low as 2%. These results indicate that ink-jet technology may provide significant improvement in drug loading efficiency over conventional coating methods.

Polypyrrole-based colloids with differing surface chemistries were compared with respect to the specific activity of immobilized antibody. Monoclonal antibody to the alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was modified by incorporation of cystamine into the Fc-carbohydrate, followed by reduction with dithiothreitol resulting in the generation of 4.5 free thiols per IgG. The reduced IgG was added to clean, unmodified and surface-modified polypyrrole colloids. Functionalized colloids included carboxylate-modified polypyrrole, poly[pyrrole-co-1-(2-carboxyethyl) pyrrole]-silica composite, and amine forms of the carboxylated colloids. The amine-functionalized colloids were subsequently treated with sulfosuccinimidyl 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate to provide thiol-reactive maleimide surface groups. Following the conjugation of IgG to the colloids, bound and soluble antibody activity was quantitated using a sequentially competitive immunoassay for hCG, based on an automated commercial hCG kit. The results indicated that all forms of polypyrrole retained the equivalence of between 12 and 33 micrograms of IgG activity/mg of colloidal solids, relative to the unmodified soluble IgG.

This study describes the synthesis and characterization of five conjugates of poly(ethylene glycol) modified polyethylenimine (PEG-PEIs) coupled in two different synthesis routes to a nonpeptidic pentacyclic RDG-mimetic for integrin receptor-targeted gene delivery. Synthesis of this panel of different conjugates allowed for systematic analysis of structure-activity relationships. Conjugates were therefore characterized regarding molecular composition, DNA condensation, size, and zeta potential of self-assembled polyplexes. In vitro characterization included investigation of blood compatibility, binding affinity to receptor-positive and receptor-negative cells measured by flow cytometry, cellular uptake quantified by scintillation counting, and efficiency and specificity of transfection assayed by reporter gene expression. In a first synthetic approach, low molecular weight PEI (LMW-PEI) was PEGylated using a heterobifunctional PEG linker and coupling of the RGD-mimetic was achieved at the distal end of PEG chains. In a second synthesis route, the RGD-mimetic was directly coupled to AB-block-copolymers of PEI (25 kDa) and PEG (30 kDa). Interactions of RGD-PEG-LMW-PEI conjugates with DNA were strongly impaired, whereas PEG-PEI-RGD conjugates were more promising candidates due to their physicochemical properties and higher receptor specificity. The binding, uptake, and transfection efficiency in receptor-positive cells was strongly increased upon conjugation of the RGD-mimetic to AB-block-copolymers of PEG-PEI and depended on the degree of peptide substitution. The conjugates of PEG-PEI AB-block-copolymers with low ligand density of the RGD-mimetic appear to be promising candidates for in vivo cancer gene therapy.