TY - JOUR A1 - Weiss, S. I. A1 - Sieverling, N. A1 - Niclasen, M. A1 - Maucksch, Ch. A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Möhwald, H. A1 - Reinhardt, D. A1 - Rosenecker, J. A1 - Rudolph, C. T1 - Uronic acids functionalized polyethyleneimine (PEI)-polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-graft-copolymers as novel synthetic gene carriers T2 - Biomaterials N2 - In this study, we investigated galacturonic (GalAc)- and mannuronic (ManAc) acids as novel targeting ligands for receptor-mediated gene delivery. GalAc and ManAc were coupled to either polyethyleneimine (PEI) or PEI–polyethyleneglycol (PEG). Furthermore, lactobionic acid (LacAc), which comprises a GalAc-related carbohydrate ring, was coupled to each of the polymers through its open-chain gluconic acid moiety. The molar mass distributions of the polymers were characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation and size exclusion chromatography. PEI-conjugate–pDNA complexes were transfected into HepG2-, HeLa-, and 16HBE14o--cells. Gene expression mediated by GalAc- and LacAc-functionalized PEI-conjugates was lower than for PEI. In contrast, gene expression mediated by ManAc-functionalized PEI-conjugates was up to three orders of magnitude higher than for the other tested PEI-conjugates, in particular for negatively charged gene vectors at low N/P ratios, independent of the cell line. Pre-incubation of cells with an excess of ManAc before transfection significantly inhibited transfection rates only for ManAc-functionalized PEI-conjugates. Coupling of methyl-α-D-mannuronic acid to PEI resulted in significantly lower transfection rates than for ManAc-PEI based complexes. Together with fluorescence microscopy images of fluorescein-labelled ManAc-functionalized dextrans and FACS analyses of cells, these results demonstrate that receptor-mediated endocytosis of ManAc–PEI-conjugate–pDNA complexes via ManAc-specific receptors was involved in gene transfer. In conclusion, ManAc-modification of PEI-polymers represents a novel strategy for receptor-mediated gene delivery which could be promising for in vivo application. PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford KW - Gene therapy KW - Gene transfer KW - Polyethylene oxide KW - Nanoparticle PY - 2006 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/11678 AN - OPUS4-11678 SN - 0142-9612 VL - 27 IS - 10 SP - 2302 EP - 2312 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany