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Bioreducible polyspermine as less toxic and efficient gene carrier
Author(s) -
Park Hongsuk,
Nichols Joseph W.,
Kang Han Chang,
Bae You Han
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.3269
Subject(s) - polyethylenimine , transfection , spermine , gene delivery , nucleic acid , cytotoxicity , polymer , polyamine , intracellular , biophysics , biology , gene , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , nanotechnology , in vitro , enzyme , composite material
Bioreducible polymers have attracted intense attention as a gene carrier due to their low cell toxicity compared to other polymer‐based gene delivery counterparts. We have synthesized low‐molecular‐weight spermine‐originated bioreducible polyspermines (BPSs) to serve as a plasmid DNA (pDNA) carrier complex with low cytotoxicity and high transfection efficiency. Spermine is biogenic and ubiquitous and is of benefit to nucleic acid delivery in many respects. We found that the BPSs formed nano‐sized, positively charged complexes with pDNA. In addition, they showed a high buffering capacity from the polyamine‐based proton sponge effect which facilitates endosomal escape. With degradable characteristics in thiol‐rich (intracellular) environments, BPSs exhibited significantly improved cell viability and suitable transfection efficiency across several cell lines in comparison to linear and branched polyethylenimine, the current gold standards of non‐viral gene carriers. BPSs appear to be promising polymers for use as effective pDNA carriers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.