Duplex of Polyamidoamine Dendrimer/Custom-Designed Nuclear-Localization Sequence Peptide for Enhanced Gene Delivery

Background: Dendrimers are an attractive alternative to viral vectors due to the low cost of production, larger genetic insert-carrying capacity, and added control over immune- and genotoxic complications through versatile functionalization. However, their transfection rates pale in comparison to their viral counterparts, resulting in widespread research efforts in the attempt to improve transfection efficiency. Materials and Methods: In this work, we designed a synthetic diblock nuclear-localization sequence peptide (NLS) (VKRKKKP) and complexed it with polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer G4 to form a duplex for gene delivery. We conducted transmission electron microscopy, gel mobility shift assay, and intracellular trafficking studies. We also assessed its transfection efficiency for the delivery of a green fluorescent protein-encoding plasmid (pGFP) to NIH3T3 cells. Results: PAMAM dendrimer G4, NLS, and plasmid DNA can form a stable three-part polyplex and gain enhanced entry into the nucleus. We found transfection efficiency, in large part, depends on the ratio of G4:NLS:plasmid. The triplex prepared at the ratio of 1:60:1 for G4:NLS:pGFP has been shown to be more significantly efficient in transfecting cells than the control group (G4/pGFP, 0.5:1). Conclusions: This new diblock NLS peptide can facilely complex with dendrimers to improve dendrimer-based gene transfection. It can also complex with other polycationic polymers to produce more potent nonviral duplex gene delivery vehicles.