pH-Triggered Sheddable Shielding System for Polycationic Gene Carriers

• Main Authors: Jialiang Xia, Huayu Tian, Jie Chen, Lin Lin, Zhaopei Guo, Bing Han, Hongyan Yang, Zongcai Feng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-04-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: gene delivery; shielding system; pH-sensitive
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/8/4/141

For improving the therapeutic efficiency of tumors and decreasing undesirable side effects, ternary complexes were developed by coating pH-sensitive PEG-b-PLL-g-succinylsulfathiazole (hereafter abbreviated as PPSD) with DNA/PEI polyplexes via electrostatic interaction. PPSD can efficiently shield the surface charge of DNA/PEI. The gene transfection efficiency of ternary complexes was lower than that of DNA/PEI at pH 7.4; however, it recovered to the same level as that of DNA/PEI at pH 6.0, attributed to the pH-triggered release of DNA/PEI from ternary complexes. Cell uptake results also exhibited the same trend as transfection at different pH values. The suitable ability for pH-triggered shielding/deshielding estimated that PPSD demonstrates potential as a shielding system for use in in vivo gene delivery.