Intratracheal gene transfer of adrenomedullin using polyplex nanomicelles attenuates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats

Mol Ther. 2009 Jul;17(7):1180-6. doi: 10.1038/mt.2009.63. Epub 2009 Mar 31.

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disease characterized by progressive PAH and right ventricular failure. Despite recent advances in therapeutic approaches using prostanoids, endothelin antagonists, and so on, PAH remains a challenging condition. To develop a novel therapeutic approach, we have established a nonviral gene delivery system of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based block catiomers, which form a polyplex nanomicelle with a nanoscaled core-shell structure in the presence of DNA. The polyplex nanomicelle from PEG-b-poly{N-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]aspartamide} (PEG-b-P[Asp(DET)]), having ethylenediamine units at the side chain, showed ~100-fold increase in luciferase transgene expression activity in mouse lung via intratracheal administration with a minimal toxicity compared with the polyplex from linear poly(ethylenimine) (LPEI). The transfection activity was highest on day 3 after administration and remained detectable until day 14. PEG-b-P[Asp(DET)] polyplex nanomicelles were formulated with a therapeutic plasmid bearing the human adrenomedullin (AM) gene and intratracheally administered to rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. The right ventricular pressure significantly decreased 3 days after administration as confirmed by a notable increase of pulmonary human AM mRNA levels. Intratracheal administration of PEG-b-P[Asp-(DET)] polyplex nanomicelles showed remarkable therapeutic efficacy with PAH animal models without compromising biocompatibility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenomedullin / genetics
  • Adrenomedullin / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Genetic Therapy / methods
  • Hemodynamics / drug effects
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / chemically induced*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / therapy*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Micelles*
  • Monocrotaline / pharmacology*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Micelles
  • Polymers
  • Adrenomedullin
  • Monocrotaline