Preparation of a water soluble aminated β‐1,3‐D‐glucan for gene carrier: The in vitro study of the anti‐inflammatory activity and transfection efficiency

Abstract

β‐1,3‐D‐glucan has been reported to have a series of bioactivities including antitumor, antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative effects; however, its insolubility in neutral aqueous solution significantly restricts the potential application in biological and medicine fields. Herein, a water‐soluble aminated β‐1,3‐D‐glucan (AG) was synthesized and the anti‐inflammatory effect, cytotoxicity and plasmid DNA (pDNA) binding capacity of AG, serum stability, the particle sizes and zeta potentials of AG/pDNA nanocomposites, and the transfection efficiency and mechanism of action were studied. AG shows no obvious cytotoxicity within the range of working concentration (1–64 μg/ml) and it exerts potent anti‐inflammatory effect independent on Dectin‐1 and TLR2. AG/pDNA nanocomposites prepared by electrostatic interaction possess an appropriate particle size ranged from 192.8 to 118.4 nm and zeta potentials ranged from 20.880 to 27.16 mV with the N/P ratios from 5 to 100. AG/pDNA nanocomposites at the N/P ratios of 10 and 20 were able to show superior transfection efficiencies in RAW 264.7 cells as a result of their suitable particle size, zeta potential, anti‐inflammatory effect, and the specific interaction with pattern recognition receptors (Dectin‐1 and TLR2). These results indicate that AG is a potential candidate for DNA delivery system due to its potent anti‐inflammatory effect and high transfection efficiency.