Effect of peptides and their introduction methods on target gene transfer of gene vector based on disulfide-containing polyethyleneimine

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of different peptides as well as their introduction methods on target gene transfer of gene vectors based on disulfide-containing polyethyleneimine (SS-PEI), a series of peptides including N(3)-GRGDSF, GRGDSF, and EEEEEEEEGRGDSF (E(8)GRGDSF) were prepared. N(3)-GRGDSF was conjugated to SS-PEI by click chemistry and SS-PEI-GRGDSF was obtained. GRGDSF was non-covalently introduced into SS-PEI/DNA mainly through hydrogen bonding to obtain SS-PEI/DNA/GRGDSF complexes, whereas E(8)GRGDSF was further non-covalently introduced to SS-PEI/DNA through electrostatic force to obtain SS-PEI/DNA/E(8)GRGDSF complexes. Transfection efficiency of all complexes with peptides was lower than that of SS-PEI/DNA in COS-7 cells due to the fact that nonspecific endocytosis was prohibited after peptide introduction. Whereas in HeLa cells, transfection activity of SS-PEI-GRGDSF/DNA and SS-PEI/DNA/E(8)GRGDSF at certain w/w ratios was higher than that of SS-PEI/DNA. But the transfection efficiency of SS-PEI/DNA/E(8)GRGDSF at peptide/DNA w/w ratios higher than 30 dropped due to targeted binding interactions between surplus E(8)GRGDSF and the integrins in HeLa cells, which would prohibit specific endocytosis of E(8)GRGDSF in complexes. Transfection activity of SS-PEI/DNA/GRGDSF was lower than or comparable to that of SS-PEI/DNA because of loose complexes constructed by hydrogen bonding between GRGDSF and SS-PEI/DNA.