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Inorganic nanoparticles for transfection of mammalian cells and removal of viruses from aqueous solutions
Author(s) -
Link Nils,
Brunner Tobias J.,
Dreesen Imke A.J.,
Stark Wendelin J.,
Fussenegger Martin
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.21525
Subject(s) - transfection , nucleic acid , nanoparticle , chemistry , aqueous solution , recombinant dna , biophysics , dna , combinatorial chemistry , nanotechnology , biochemistry , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , gene
Owing to their small size, synthetic nanoparticles show unprecedented biophysical and biochemical properties which may foster novel advances in life‐science research. Using flame‐spray synthesis technology we have produced non‐coated aluminum‐, calcium‐, cerium‐, and zirconium‐derived inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles which not only exhibit high affinity for nucleic acids, but can sequester such compounds from aqueous solution. This non‐covalent DNA‐binding capacity was successfully used to transiently transfect a variety of mammalian cells including human, reaching transfection efficiencies which compared favorably with classic calcium phosphate precipitation (CaP) procedures and lipofection. In this straightforward protocol, transfection was enabled by simply mixing nanoparticles with DNA in solution prior to addition to the target cell population. Transiently transfected cells showed higher production levels of the human secreted glycoprotein SEAP compared to isogenic populations transfected with established technologies. Inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles also showed a high binding capacity to human‐pathogenic viruses including adenovirus, adeno‐associated virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and were able to clear these pathogens from aqueous solutions. The DNA transfection and viral clearance capacities of inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles may provide cost‐effective biopharmaceutical manufacturing and water treatment in developing countries. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;98: 1083–1093. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.