Synthesis and characterization of a novel organosilane-functionalized chitosan nanocarrier as an efficient gene delivery system: Expression of green fluorescent protein

Abstract

Semi-essential arginine amino acid was selected to synthesis an organosilane linker for modifying chitosan biopolymer. The novel organosilane linker which was chemically synthesized by reaction of arginine with 3‑chloropropyl trimethoxy silane, covalently bonded to the chitosan amino group. The chemical structure of resulting nanocarrier was characterized by ¹H NMR, wide-X-ray diffraction, TEM, FESEM and EDX. A maximum retardation capacity of the nanocarrier to the plox plasmid was obtained 3 at physiological pH (7.4). The mean of cell viability and cytotoxicity of the nanocarrier was determined 85% by MTT assay. In addition, the gene transfection of the nanocarrier was obtained top of 20% gene expression. The studies have shown very good DNase 1 enzyme protection of plasmid by the nanocarrier.

Keywords: Arginine; Chitosan; Gene delivery; Nanocarrier; Organosilane; Transfection.