Enhanced cellular uptake and gene delivery of glioblastoma with deferoxamine-coated nanoparticle/plasmid DNA/branched polyethylenimine composites

Ternary composite nanomaterials based on deferoxamine-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (8-10 nm), circular plasmid DNA (similar to 4 kb) with fluorescent/luminescent reporter group, and branched polyethylenimine (25 kDa, PDI = 2.5) were prepared and compared in terms of their efficiencies in transfecting brain tumor cells at low concentration.