Successful transfection of hepatoma cells after encapsulation of plasmid DNA into negatively charged liposomes

The application of conventional cationic liposomes/DNA complexes in gene transfer was hampered due to their large size, instability, and limited transfection site in vivo. In this report, we described a dialysis-based method and produced small, stable, and negatively charged DNA-containing liposomes composed of low content of cationic lipid and high content of fusogenic lipid. The liposomes were relatively spherical with a condensed core inside, and exhibited small size with narrow particle size distribution. The encapsulation efficiency of the liposomes was 42.53 +/- 2.29%. They were stable and showed enough protective ability to plasmid DNA from degradation after incubation with different amounts of DNase. Twenty-fold higher transfection efficiency for the liposomes was achieved when compared with that of naked plasmid DNA and no toxicities to hepatocellular carcinoma cells were observed. Our results indicate that the negatively charged DNA-containing liposomes can facilitate gene transfer in cultured cells, and may alleviate the drawbacks of the conventional cationic liposomes/DNA complexes for gene delivery in vivo.     

阳离子脂质体介导基因转染肿瘤细胞

使用基因转运载体运载肿瘤细胞进行转染是基因治疗的关键环节之一。Lipo-fectamine2000和DOTAP作为商品转染试剂,具有较高的转染效率。为了进一步发掘其作为基因转运载体的应用潜力,该文研究了Lipofectamine2000和DOTAP的粒径、Zeta电位及形态,并分别与绿色荧光蛋白基因（pGFP—N2）、荧光素酶基因（pGL3）结合,形成脂质体／DNA复合物,通过载入人喉癌细胞（Hep-2）和人肺癌细胞（NCI—H460）,考察了其转染效率和细胞毒性。结果表明,脂质体Lipofectamine2000与DOTAP都能有效压缩DNA,形成复合物。Lipofectamine2000与DOTAP井目比,转染效率高,与DNA最佳转染比例范围为2：1～4：1。毒性实验显示,在N／P大于3／l时,Lipofectamine2000与DOTAP对癌细胞具有一定的细胞毒性。细胞种类对脂质体的转染效率有很大影响,Lipo—fectamine2000对Hep－2细胞的转染效率比NcI—H460高。     

Cationic Liposomes Containing Disulfide Bonds in Delivery of Plasmid DNA

Abstract

Cationic liposomes are non-viral gene transfer vectors for in vitro and in vivo experiments. In the present studies, we investigated whether a disulfide linkage in a cationic lipid was reducible by cell lysate resulting in the release of plasmid DNA and enhanced gene transfection. We also investigated if the differences in transgene production were from differences in total amount of cellular associated plasmid DNA. We systematically compared the gene transfection of disulfide bond containing-cationic lipid, 1', 2'-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3'-succinyl-2-hydroxyethyl disulfide ornithine conjugate (DOGSDSO), its non-disulfide-containing analog, 1', 2'-dioleyl-sn-glycero-3'-succinyl-1, 6-hexanediol ornithine conjugate (DOGSHDO), 1, 2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP). Two transgene reporter systems (i.e., luciferase and green fluorescent protein (GFP)) were used to address transgene transgene expression and transgene efficiency. Experiments with the luciferase expression plasmid resulted in transgene activity up to 11 times greater transgene production for the disulfide containing lipid in at least two different cell lines, COS 1 and CHO cells. When transgene expression was determined by GFP activity, DOGSDSO liposomes were four times greater than the non-disulfide lipid or positive control (DOTAP) liposomes. By quantifying nucleic acid uptake by flow cytometry it was also demonstrated that increase expression was not solely from an increase in cellular plasmid DNA accumulation. These results demonstrate that cationic lipids containing a disulfide linkage are a promising method for gene transfer.     

新型非病毒三元复合DNA载体的研究

基因治疗是未来临床医学最具潜力的治疗方式,目前阻碍临床基因治疗发展的主要因素是缺乏安全和高效的基因载体,因此研究理想的非病毒转基因载体具有重要的意义.构建了由质粒DNA(D)-抗DNA抗体(A)-阳离子脂质体(C)组成的三元复合纳米基因载体(DAC),研究表明,三组分在磷酸缓冲液中可通过分子组装形成复合纳米胶束,DAC在细胞培养中表现出显著高效的基因表达,DAC在血管平滑肌细胞中的基因转染效率比不含抗DNA抗体的二元组合(DC)高4倍,比不含阳离子脂质体的二元组合(DA)约高11倍.激光共聚焦荧光显微观察证明,DAC细胞摄取量和DNA进入细胞核的量均明显高于对照组,而DC二元组合(不含抗DNA抗体)的DNA很少进入细胞核,细胞在DAC存在下生长正常.未发现细胞毒性.研究结果提示,DAC的作用机理主要是三元复合胶束中DNA的装载量比二元载体大得多,抗DNA抗体与阳离子脂质体的协同作用明显有利于DNA被细胞摄取和胞吞,从而提高了基因的转染和表达.     

Efficient Encapsulation of Plasmid DNA in Anionic Liposomes by a Freeze/Thaw-Extrusion Procedure

Abstract

In this study we investigated whether intact plasmid DNA can be efficiently encapsulated in anionic liposomes prepared by freeze/thaw and extrusion techniques. There is controversy about this method of DNA encapsulation, especially as to whether DNA remains intact and retains its biological activity during extrusion. A solution containing supercoiled plasmid pCMVβ (7164 base pairs) was added to dry lipid films, and after freezing and thawing, the suspension was extruded through a filter with 0.2 μm pores. About 20% of the DNA became encapsulated, as evidenced by protection from degradation by endonuclease added externally. Plasmid isolated from the liposomes was structurally intact, and had essentially the same transfection activity as untreated DNA. These results show that plasmid DNA can be reliably and efficiently encapsulated in anionic liposomes by freeze/thaw and extrusion.     

Calculations of DNA Condensation Caused by Ligand Adsorption

A method for calculating the curves of DNA transition from linear to condensed state upon binding of condensing ligands has been developed. The character of the transition and ligand concentration necessary for condensation have been shown to be governed by the length of DNA molecule, energy and stoichiometry parameters of the DNA–ligand complex (equilibrium constant between linear and condensed form in the absence of ligands, constants for ligand binding to linear and condensed forms, the number of base pairs covered by one ligand, etc.). The results of the calculations indicate that a slight difference in the free energies of these DNA states (less than 6 cal/mol(bp) for a DNA of 500 bp) is sufficient for the existence of a stable linear state in the absence of ligands (in free DNA) and the formation of stable condensed state upon complexation.     

Condensation of nonstochiometric DNA/polycation complexes by divalent cations

This study found that divalent cations induced the further condensation of partially condensed DNA within nonstochiometric polycation complexes. The addition of a few mmol of a divalent cation such as calcium reduced by half the inflection point at which DNA became fully condensed by poly-L-lysine (PLL) and a variety of other polycations. The effect on DNA condensation was initially observed using a new method, which is based on the concentration-dependent self-quenching of fluorescent moieties (e.g., rhodamine) covalently linked to the DNA backbone at relatively high densities. Additional analyses, which employed ultracentrifugation, dynamic light scattering, agarose gel electrophoresis, and atomic force microscopy, confirmed the effect of divalent cations. These results provide an additional accounting of the process by which divalent cations induce greater chromatin compaction that is based on the representation of chromatin fibers as a nonstoichiometric polyelectrolyte complex. They also offer a new approach to assemble nonviral vectors for gene therapy.     

The Structure of DNA within Cationic Lipid/DNA Complexes

The structure of DNA within CLDCs used for gene delivery is controversial. Previous studies using CD have been interpreted to indicate that the DNA is converted from normal B to C form in complexes. This investigation reexamines this interpretation using CD of model complexes, FTIR as well as Raman spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to address this issue. CD spectra of supercoiled plasmid DNA undergo a significant loss of rotational strength in the signal near 275 nm upon interaction with either the cationic lipid dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide or 1,2-dioleoyltrimethylammonium propane. This loss of rotational strength is shown, however, by both FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to occur within the parameters of the B-type conformation. Contributions of absorption flattening and differential scattering to the CD spectra of complexes are unable to account for the observed spectra. Model studies of the CD of complexes prepared from synthetic oligonucleotides of varying length suggest that significant reductions in rotational strength can occur within short stretches of DNA. Furthermore, some alteration in the hydrogen bonding of bases within CLDCs is indicated in the FTIR and Raman spectroscopy results. In addition, alterations in base stacking interactions as well as hydrogen bonding are suggested by molecular dynamics simulations. A global interpretation of all of the data suggests the DNA component of CLDCs remains in a variant B form in which base/base interactions are perturbed.     

改善大分子质粒DNA重组效率的新方法

采用两次连接法对一个质粒载体为7.65 kb,插入子为1.47 kb的片段进行重组连接,使连接效率大大提高.此方法对于大分子的质粒DNA重组是非常有效的.     

脂质过氧化引起的DNA损伤研究进展

脂质过氧化可以引起各种碱基损伤、DNA链断裂和各种荧光产物生成,并对DNA分子鸟嘌呤碱基具有选择性损伤.过渡金属离子可以明显加深脂质过氧化对DNA的损伤程度.多种抗氧化剂、活性氧自由基清除剂对脂质过氧化引起的DNA损伤有一定程度的保护作用.具有致突、致癌作用的8－羟基鸟嘌呤已经观察到．脂质过氧化的致突变、致癌变作用机制引起了人们的极大兴趣．     

Method to Improve DNA Condensation Efficiency by Alkali Treatment

The improvement of DNA's bioactivities by altering their structure is meaningful for their biological applications, ranging from DNA condensation study to gene therapeutic research. In this study, we treated the plasmid DNA with alkali and investigated the structure and the condensation efficiency of the alkali-treated DNA. We noticed that the alkali treatment could significantly increase the DNA condensation efficiency with spermidine and polyethylenimine (PEI). In addition, due to the improved interactions between the alkali-treated DNA and PEI, gene transfection experiments could be performed in the presence of less PEI. This research can contribute to the creation of a universal method to enhance the interaction between DNA and gene delivery vectors by alkali treatment, and should have significant potential in the field of gene therapy.     

Cell-Specific Targeting of Lipid-Based Carriers for ODN and DNA

It is well recognized that there is an urgent need for non-toxic systemically applicable vectors for biologically active nucleotides to fully exploit the current potential of molecular medicine in gene therapy. Cell-specific targeting of non-viral lipid-based carriers for ODN and DNA is a prerequisite to attain the concentration of nucleic acids required for therapeutic efficacy in the target tissue. In this review we will address the most promising approaches to selective targeting of liposomal nucleic acid carriers in vivo. In addition, the routes of entry and intracellular processing of these carrier systems are discussed as well as physiological factors potentially interfering with the biological and/or therapeutic activity of their nucleotide pay-load.     

Gene Expression in Tilapia Following Oral Delivery of Chitosan-Encapsulated Plasmid DNA Incorporated into Fish Feeds

DNA delivery into fish is important for transient gene expression, (e.g., DNA vaccination). Previous studies have generally focused on intramuscular injection of DNA vaccines into fish. However, this method is obviously impractical and laborious for injecting large numbers of fishes. This study reports oral delivery of a construct expressing the β-galactosidase reporter gene into fish by encapsulating the DNA in chitosan and incorporating it into fish feeds. We found that β-galactosidase expression could be observed in the stomachs, spleens, and gills of fishes fed with flakes containing the chitosan-DNA complex. These results suggest that DNA vaccines and other constructs can be easily and cheaply delivered into fishes orally by use of carriers and incorporation into fish feeds.     

碳离子束辐照对质粒DNA的损伤效应

为了证明DNA双链断裂(DSB)片段分布与DNA序列有关的假设,采用32keV／μm的^12C^6 离子和45ke V／μm的^13C^6 离子分别辐照pUCl8质粒,结合限制性内切酶处理,进行琼脂糖凝胶电泳,分析DNA断裂和片段分布。结果表明,除了由一个DSB导致的线性DNA带外,还出现了一条新的、小分子量线性DNA带;限制性内切酶处理后,有另一条线性DNA带产生。证明重离子辐照诱导的DSB是非随机分布的,DNA分子上存在对电离辐射相对敏感的位点。     

氧化硅包裹的磁性纳米粒子纯化质粒DNA

质粒的分离纯化在分子生物学实际工作中占有重要地位.本文采用氧化硅包裹的磁性纳米粒子,平均粒径为20 nm左右,在外加磁场的作用下,从细胞粗提掖中快速分离质粒DNA.用这种方法成功地从大肠杆菌DH5α浓缩和纯化得到了pUC19质粒,该质粒具有生物活性,可直接用于限制性酶切和细胞转化等分子生物学下游操作.     

质粒DNA抗原芯片检测抗双链DNA抗体的初步研究

目的:建立以质粒DNA作为抗原的检测血清中抗双链DNA(dsDNA)抗体的芯片方法,并与酶联免疫吸附实验比较,初步探讨用芯片法检测抗dsDNA抗体的临床价值。方法:将原核表达载体质粒pcDNAⅡ用质粒DNA快速抽提试剂盒提取纯化DNA后按1∶2稀释,用点样仪点在经3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(APES)修饰的玻片上,温孵后用含有1%小牛血清白蛋白和2.5%蔗糖的PBST封闭,以Cy3标记的人IgG为二抗,建立检测dsDNA抗体的芯片方法,并与德国欧蒙公司生产的抗双链DNA检测ELISA试剂盒做比较,对包括58例系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)、25例干燥综合征(SS)、10例皮肌炎(DM)和7例类风湿关节炎(RA)在内的病人和60例健康人对照进行了抗dsDNA的对比检测。结果:对阳性标本的检测,与现用常规检测方法ELISA相比,芯片检测抗dsDNA的灵敏度为91.3%,特异度为90.7%,阳性预测值为89.3%,阴性预测值为92.5%;对健康对照的检测,2种方法均为阴性,符合率为100%。结论:与ELISA相比,用质粒DNA作为抗原建立的芯片方法的灵敏度和特异度较高,为今后建立同时检测多个自身抗体的芯片奠定了基础。     

质粒拯救法克隆细菌基因组大片段

[目的]细菌基因组大片段尤其是基因簇的克隆与操作,是细菌基因功能分析的一个难点.基因组测序工作的不断完成和序列信息的大量积累,为细菌基因组:DNA的操作提供了方便.本文报道了利用细菌的全基因组信息和质粒拯救法的原理建立的一种克隆细菌基因组大片段的方法.[方法]首先,根据基因组序列信息,在待克隆片段的一侧扩增一段DNA,并将其克隆到自杀载体上构建打靶质粒,然后,将打靶质粒整合到细菌的基因组中构建重组菌,提取重组菌的基因组DNA,酶切,自连,转化,将自杀质粒与待克隆的目的片段一起拯救出来.最后,根据需要将拯救的DNA片段亚克隆到新的载体中.[结果]我们利用该方法克隆了布鲁氏菌中长度为11kb的virB操纵子,并构建了互补质粒.将该质粒导入到virB的突变株中后使virB操纵子的转录活性得到了恢复,表明该策略切实可行.[结论]这种重组克隆策略给我们提供了一种新的对细菌基因组大片段进行操作的方法.     

Lipid Dependent Cardio- Haemodynamic Tolerability of Liposomes in Rats

Abstract

Rationale and Objectives:

The use of contrast-carrying liposomes in diagnostic applications (1) or of haemoglobin liposomes in blood replacement therapy (2) requires infusion of large lipid doses. Saturated lipids like HSPC are often used in these formulations to render the liposomes more stable (3). Previous studies have indicated that intravenous injection of such liposome preparations can result in significant haemodynamic changes in rats (14). The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate cardio- and haemodynamic effects of liposomes prepared from saturated and unsaturated phosphatidylcholine alone or in combination with other lipid components.

Methods;

Liposomes made from SPC, HSPC, DSPC, DSPC/CH, DSPC/DSPG, DSPC/CH/DSPG were infused in anaesthetized rats (total lipid dose: 300 mg lipid/kg BW) and cardio-heamodynamic parameters were measured.

Results:

DSPC-liposomes significantly reduced blood pressure (BP) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) by -53.7 % and -45.7 % of prevalue, respectively. Similar results were obtained for HSPC-liposomes. Marked ECG-changes were recorded for both formulations. SPC-liposomes caused a transient and moderate reduction of BP and TPR (-17.0 % and -22.3 %, respectively). Short-lasting ECG changes were also observed. The addition of cholesterol or DSPG to DSPC liposomes reduced cardiac and haemodynamic side effects in rats.

Conclusion;

The lipid composition of liposomes is of major importance for the incidence of cardiovascular side effects in rats. Liposomes composed of pure saturated phosphatidylcholine cause significant changes which can be diminished by the addition of other lipid components like cholesterol.     

植物线粒体DNA质料研究进展

本文列出了已发现的高等植物中的线粒体ＤＮＡ质粒,按分子形状分为线粒体环状ＤＮＡ质粒和线粒体线状ＤＮＡ质粒,环状线粒体ＤＮＡ质粒的特征是分子较小,序列中有正向／反向重复序列,ＯＲＦ一般较小。线状线粒体ＤＮＡ质粒的特征是分子较大,末端有重复序列,５’端与蛋白质共价结合,有较长的ＯＲＦ。还分别介绍了它们的复制机制、转录和起源。质粒间及质粒及核基因组、线粒体基因组、叶绿体基因组的同源性也作了介绍。最后,综