PEGylation significantly affects cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of non-viral gene delivery particles

In vitro studies of non-viral gene delivery vectors are typically not performed at physiological conditions, and thus may not provide meaningful results for in vivo investigations. We determine if polycation-plasmid DNA complexes (polyplexes) exploited for in vitro studies behave similarly to variants more applicable to in vivo use by examining their cellular uptake and trafficking. Branched polyethylenimine (25 kDa) or a linear beta-cyclodextrin-containing polymer are each used to formulate polyplexes, which can be PEGylated (PEG: poly(ethylene glycol)) to create particles stable in physiological salt concentrations. Particle size, cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, and reporter gene expression are reported for polyplexes and for their PEGylated variants. PEGylation confers salt stability to particles but produced a reduction in luciferase expression. Examination of in vitro particle internalization by transmission electron microscopy shows unmodified polyplexes entering cells as large aggregates while PEGylated particles remain small and discrete, both outside and within cells. Unmodified and PEGylated particles enter cells through the endocytic pathway and accumulate in a perinuclear region. Immunolabeling reveals unpackaged exogenous DNA in the cytoplasm and nuclei. It appears all particle types traffic towards the nucleus within vesicles and undergo degradation in vesicles and/or cytoplasm, and eventually some exogenous DNA enters the nucleus, where it is transcribed. In comparing polyplexes and their PEGylated variants, significant differences in particle morphology, cellular uptake, and resultant expression suggest that in vitro studies should be conducted with particles prepared for physiological conditions if the results are to be relevant to in vivo performance.