Efficiency of cellular delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acid by electroporation depends on charge and electroporation geometry

TY - JOUR

T1 - Efficiency of cellular delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acid by electroporation depends on charge and electroporation geometry

AU - Joergensen, Mette

AU - Agerholm-Larsen, Birgit

AU - Nielsen, Peter E

AU - Gehl, Julie

PY - 2011/2/1

Y1 - 2011/2/1

N2 - Electroporation is potentially a very powerful technique for both in vitro cellular and in vivo drug delivery, particularly relating to oligonucleotides and their analogs for genetic therapy. Using a sensitive and quantitative HeLa cell luciferase RNA interference mRNA splice correction assay with a functional luciferase readout, we demonstrate that parameters such as peptide nucleic acid (PNA) charge and the method of electroporation have dramatic influence on the efficiency of productive delivery. In a suspended cell electroporation system (cuvettes), a positively charged PNA (+8) was most efficiently transferred, whereas charge neutral PNA was more effective in a microtiter plate electrotransfer system for monolayer cells. Surprisingly, a negatively charged (-23) PNA did not show appreciable activity in either system. Findings from the functional assay were corroborated by pulse parameter variations, polymerase chain reaction, and confocal microscopy. In conclusion, we have found that the charge of PNA and electroporation system combination greatly influences the transfer efficiency, thereby illustrating the complexity of the electroporation mechanism.

AB - Electroporation is potentially a very powerful technique for both in vitro cellular and in vivo drug delivery, particularly relating to oligonucleotides and their analogs for genetic therapy. Using a sensitive and quantitative HeLa cell luciferase RNA interference mRNA splice correction assay with a functional luciferase readout, we demonstrate that parameters such as peptide nucleic acid (PNA) charge and the method of electroporation have dramatic influence on the efficiency of productive delivery. In a suspended cell electroporation system (cuvettes), a positively charged PNA (+8) was most efficiently transferred, whereas charge neutral PNA was more effective in a microtiter plate electrotransfer system for monolayer cells. Surprisingly, a negatively charged (-23) PNA did not show appreciable activity in either system. Findings from the functional assay were corroborated by pulse parameter variations, polymerase chain reaction, and confocal microscopy. In conclusion, we have found that the charge of PNA and electroporation system combination greatly influences the transfer efficiency, thereby illustrating the complexity of the electroporation mechanism.

U2 - 10.1089/oli.2010.0266

DO - 10.1089/oli.2010.0266

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21235293

SN - 1545-4576

VL - 21

SP - 29

EP - 37

JO - Oligonucleotides

JF - Oligonucleotides

IS - 1

ER -