Journal
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 9, Issue 5, Pages 4425-4432Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b11536
Keywords
gene delivery; peptide; nanofibers; transfection; self-indicating
Funding
- Chinese Natural Science Foundation Key Project [31430031]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [31371014]
- State High-Tech Development Plan [2012AA020804, SS2014AA020708]
- National Distinguished Young Scholars grant [31225009]
- Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences [XDA09030301]
- external cooperation program of BIC, Chinese Academy of Sciences [121D11KYSB20130006]
- U.S. NIH/NIMHD [G12MD007597]
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High-efficiency gene transfer and suitably low cytotoxicity are the main goals of gene transfection systems based on nonviral vectors. In addition, it is desirable to track the gene transfer process in order to observe and explain the mechanism. Herein, inspired by viral structures that are optimized for gene delivery, we designed a small-molecule gene vector (TR4) with aggregation-induced emission properties by capping a peptide containing four arginine residues with tetraphenylethene (TPE) and a lipophilic tail. This novel vector can self-assemble with plasmid DNA to form nanofibers in solution with low cytotoxicity, high stability, and high transfection efficiency. pDNA@TR4 complexes were able to transfect a variety of different cell lines, including stem cells. The self-assembly process induces bright fluorescence from TPE, which makes the nanofibers visible by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). This allows us for the tracking of the gene delivery process.
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