Work

Tracking the intracellular path of poly(ethylenimine)/DNA complexes for gene delivery

Year: 1999

Type: article

Abstract: Poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) is one of a number of polycations that has been used successfully to transfer genes into living cells. Although PEI shows promise in the field of gene therapy, to date no rigorous proof of mechanism has been published regarding the fate of PEI/DNA administered for transfection. Here we show, by using fluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy, the paths of PEI/DNA complexes from endocytosis to gene expression. We found that complexes attach to cell surfaces and migrate into clumps that are endocytosed. The endocytotic vesicles grow in number and size and are occasionally seen to lyse. Most interesting is the fact that endocytosed PEI, whether administered with or without DNA, undergoes nuclear localization in the form of ordered structures.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.96.9.5177

Authors: W. T. Godbey, Kenneth K. Wu, Antonios G. Mikos

Institutions: Rice University, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Language: English

Topic: RNA Interference and Gene Delivery

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2092447252

FWCI: 7.757

Cites: 16

Cited by: 820

Related to: 10