Application of ultrasonic gas-filled liposomes in enhancing transfer for breast cancer-related antisense oligonucleotides: an experimental study

J Liposome Res. 2008;18(4):341-51. doi: 10.1080/03639040802509868.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the application of ultrasonic gas-filled liposomes in enhancing transfer for breast cancer-related antisense oligonucleotides in vitro. An antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) sequence, HA2741, modified with luciferase reporter plasmid, was used in evaluating the enhancing effect of gas-filled liposomes for gene transfer in breast cancer cells. Some important factors on HA 2741 transfection efficiency, such as wave intensity, ultrasound duration, gas-filled liposome concentration, and HA2741 concentration, were tested, respectively. Transfection efficiency was detected by fluorescence microscopy. Cell viability was verified by propidium iodide assay. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry were used to detect the inhibitory effect of HA2741 on HER-2 expression. All the four factors (wave intensity, ultrasound duration, gas-filled liposome concentration, and HA2741 concentration) showed a positive effect on AS-ODN transfection efficiency. However, these factors had a negative effect on cell viability. Considering all the factors investigated, the maximum transfection efficiency with minimum cell viability achieved under 2% gas-filled liposome mixed with 80 nmol/L HA2741 for 30-second ultrasound exposure at -3.0 dB wave intensity, which gave an overall transfection efficiency exceeding 90% and a cell viability near 90%. Under controlled conditions, ultrasound-mediated AS-ODN transfer, enhanced by gas-filled liposomes, may represent an effective, safe avenue for cancer-related gene delivery.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Humans
  • Liposomes / chemistry*
  • Microbubbles*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / genetics
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / metabolism*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Ultrasonics*

Substances

  • Liposomes
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • Receptor, ErbB-2