Non-small-cell lung cancer homing peptide-labeled dendrimers selectively transfect lung cancer cells

Aim: Lung cancer gene therapies require reagents to selectively transfect lung tumors after systemic administration. Materials & methods: We created a reagent called NSCLC-NP by attaching a peptide with binding affinity for lung cancer to polyamidoamine dendrimers. The positively charged dendrimers electrostatically bind negatively charged nucleic acids, inhibit endogenous nucleases and transfect cells targeted by the attached peptide. Results:In vitro, NSCLC-NP complexed to DNA plasmids bound and transfected three human lung cancer cell lines producing protein expression of the plasmid's gene. In vivo, systemically administered NSCLC-NP selectively transfected lung cancer cells growing in RAG1KO mice. Conclusion: The capability of NSCLC-NP to selectively transfect lung cancer allows its future use as a vehicle to implement human lung cancer gene therapy strategies.