Large-pore mesoporous silica nanospheres as vehicles for delivering TRAF3-shRNA plasmids to Kupffer cells

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2016, Vol.469 (8), p.196-202
• Main Authors: Zhang, Junyong, Shipeng Guo, Wenfeng Zhang, Dechao Niu, Jianping Gong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biodegradation; cytoplasm; cytotoxicity; DNA transfection; Engineered nanomaterials; flow cytometry; genes; GFP; IHC; Inherent macrophages of liver; KCs; Kupffer cells; liver; LPMSNs; LPS; messenger RNA; nanospheres; plasmids; porous media; Q-PCR; silica; TEM; TLR4; TRAF3; transfection; transmission electron microscopy; tumor necrosis factors
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104

The currently available techniques for transferring exogenous genes into macrophages, especially the targeted import of exogenous genes into Kupffer cells (KCs) in vivo, are inefficient and achieve only low targeting. Novel Large-Pore Mesoporous Silica Nanospheres (LPMSNs) may be a promising gene transfection agent for KCs because of their superior biodegradation and hypotoxic characteristics, as well as their ability to retain the biological function of KCs and the high loading-rate of exogenous plasmid. LPMSNs were able to completely adsorb shRNA-TRAF3 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-3) plasmid at a mass ratio as low as 30:1, and exhibited a low cytotoxicity for KCs. LPMSNs were detected in KC cytoplasm in vitro, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that they were present only in KCs in liver tissue in vivo. The max KC transfection efficiency with LPMSNs was 34.8± 0.07%, as evaluated using flow cytometry, and the protein and mRNA levels of TRAF3 were significantly inhibited (P