Novel Biodegradable Polymers as Gene Carriers

Abstract

This study investigated two new biodegradable polymers as gene controlled-released coatings for gene transfer. Poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PELA) and poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(lactic acid)-co-poly(glycolic acid) random copolymer (PELGA) were synthesized and used as microspheres matrices with encapsulated plasmid pCH110. The plasmid loading efficiency, cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency and in vitro degradation and release profiles of microsphere complexes were evaluated in details. The biodegradable polymers showed high DNA loading efficiency and low cytotoxicity as gene controlled-released coatings, and the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) contents of polymer matrices influenced the diameter, loading efficiency and transfection efficiency of plasmid DNA within the microspheres. The average diameters of PELA and PELGA microspheres were between 0.5 and 1.5 microm, and the plasmid loading efficiency was 62 and 73% for PELA and PELGA microspheres with 10% PEG content, respectively. In vitro testing showed a gradual release profile of DNA from polymeric matrices. The polymers/DNA microspheres had high transfection efficiency and early gene expression and maintenance of gene expression level for up to 96 h, although transfection efficiency were slightly lower than that of liposome in the initial 24 h. The biodegradable polymeric materials possess potential superiority as gene carriers.

Facile Stem Cell Delivery to Bone Grafts Enabled by Smart Shape Recovery and Stiffening of Degradable Synthetic Periosteal Membranes

“…Timely degradation/resorption of synthetic scaffolds is desired to minimize long-term interference to tissue integration in scaffold-guided tissue regeneration. Incorporation of glycolide can be utilized to tune degradation rates of PLA [36][37][38] , with the most expedited degradation achieved at ~1:1 / lactic-to-glycolic unit ratio in the resulting PLGA copolymers. [37] Here we show that after 12-week incubation in PBS (pH 7.4) at 37 o C, PELGA(2/1) and PELGA(8/1) lost 60 wt% and 35 wt% mass, respectively (Fig.…”

LbL multilayer capsules: recent progress and future outlook for their use in life sciences

“…1,5 In addition the development of sensitive, specific and stable sensors, which allow for real-time measurements of physiological levels of important molecular species directly in the site of disease, is highly desirable. 6,7 For these purposes, a wide variety of carriers based on different methods of preparation have been developed ranging from nano-materials (such as carbon nanotubes, 8,9 nanoparticles, [10][11][12][13] and nanocomposites 14 ) to biomaterials (such as dendrimers, 15 liposomes, 16,17 block co-polymer micelles, 18 biodegradable polymers 19 ). These materials show some attractive properties such as small size (1 to 100 nm), chemically tailorable physical properties, tunable shape and structural robustness.…”

Preparation and characterization of interferon‐loaded magnetic biodegradable microspheres

“…Then the morphology, size and size distribution, magnetic properties, and protein EE of the microspheres were characterized. Also the antiviral activity of interferon encapsulated by PLA and PLGA matrix was evaluated by the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) cytopathicity inhibition assay 16, 17…”