Influence of the Modulation of the Protein Corona on Gene Expression Using Polyethylenimine (PEI) Polyplexes as Delivery Vehicle. Issue 13 (4th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Dingcheng; Yan, Huijie; Zhou, Zhuxian; Tang, Jianbin; Liu, Xiangrui; Hartmann, Raimo; Parak, Wolfgang J.; Shen, Youqing; Feliu, Neus
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 10:Issue 13(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-06-04
• Subjects: protein corona -- gene delivery -- single cell tracking; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: The protein corona can significantly modulate the physicochemical properties and gene delivery of polyethylenimine (PEI)/DNA complexes (polyplexes). The effects of the protein corona on the transfection have been well studied in terms of averaged gene expression in a whole cell population. Such evaluation methods give excellent and reliable statistics, but they in general provide the final transfection efficiency without reflecting the dynamic process of gene expression. In this regard the influence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the gene expression of PEI polyplexes also on a single cell level via live imaging is analyzed. The results reveal that although the BSA corona causes difference in the overall gene expression and mRNA transcription, the gene expression behavior on the level of individual cell is similar, including the mitosis‐dependent expression, distributions of onset time, expression pattern in two daughter cells, and expression kinetics in successfully transfected cells. Comparison of single cell and ensemble data on whole cell cultures indicate that the protein corona does not alter the transfection process after nuclear entry, including cell division, polyplex dissociation, and protein expression. Its influence on other steps of in vitro gene delivery before nuclear entry shall render the difference in the overall transfection. Abstract : Single cell tracking is applied to investigate the influence of BSA on the gene expression of PEI polyplexes. Despite the difference in the overall transfection efficiency, gene expression with/without BSA behaves similarly on a single cell level. The effects of BSA on other gene delivery steps before nuclear entry thus would be responsible for the difference in the overall transfection.