Article Title
Ultra-small graphene oxide functionalized with polyethylenimine (PEI) for very efficient gene delivery in cell and zebrafish embryos
Authors
Xiang Zhou, Biophysical Structural Chemistry, Cell Observatory, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, 2333 CC, the Netherlands
State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Organic Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
Fabrice Laroche, The Institute of Biology Leiden, Gorlaeus Laboratoria, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Centre for Carbohydrate Recognition and Signalling (CARB), 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Gerda E. M. Lamers, The Institute of Biology Leiden, Gorlaeus Laboratoria, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands
Vincenzo Torraca, The Institute of Biology Leiden, Gorlaeus Laboratoria, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands
Patrick Voskamp, Biophysical Structural Chemistry, Cell Observatory, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, 2333 CC, the Netherlands
Tao Lu, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Organic Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
Fuqiang Chu, School of pharmaceutical engineering and life science, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
Herman P. Spaink, The Institute of Biology Leiden, Gorlaeus Laboratoria, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, the Netherlands
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Centre for Carbohydrate Recognition and Signalling (CARB), 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Jan Pieter Abrahams, Biophysical Structural Chemistry, Cell Observatory, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, 2333 CC, the Netherlands
Zunfeng Liu, Biophysical Structural Chemistry, Cell Observatory, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, 2333 CC, the Netherlands
School of pharmaceutical engineering and life science, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
Biomedical Research Center, Jiangnan Graphene Research Institute, Changzhou 213100, China
Keywords
Gene delivery, graphene, DNA, Gene expression, zebrafish
Abstract
Efficient DNA delivery is essential for introducing new genes into living cells. However, effective virus-based systems carry risks and efficient synthetic systems that are non-toxic remain to be discovered. The bottle-neck in synthetic systems is cytotoxicity, caused by the high concentration of DNA-condensing compounds required for efficient uptake of DNA. Here we report a polyethyleneimine (PEI) grafted ultra-small graphene oxide (PEIg- USGO) for transfection. By removing the free PEI and ensuring a high PEI density on small sized graphene, we obtained very high transfection efficiencies combined with very low cytotoxicity. Plasmid DNA could be transfected into mammalian cell lines with up to 95% efficiency and 90% viability. Transfection in zebrafish embryos was 90%, with high viability, compared to efficiencies of 30% or lower for established transfection technologies. This result suggests a novel approach to the design of synthetic gene delivery vehicles for research and therapy.
Graphical Abstract
Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Xiang Zhou,Fabrice Laroche,Gerda E. M. Lamers,Vincenzo Torraca,Patrick Voskamp,Tao Lu,Fuqiang Chu,Herman P. Spaink,Jan Pieter Abrahams,Zunfeng Liu, Ultra-small graphene oxide functionalized with polyethylenimine (PEI) for very efficient gene delivery in cell and zebrafish embryos. NanoRes.2012, 5(10): 703–709
