Chitosan/TPP Nanoparticles as a Gene Delivery Agent For Tumor Suppressant P53

Abstract

In the last decade, non-viral polymeric vectors have become more attractive than their viral counterparts due to their nontoxicity and good biocompatibility. However, one of the major drawbacks is the low transfection efficiency when compared to viruses. In this work, a naturally cationic polysaccharide, chitosan, was cross-linked with negatively charged tripolyphosphate (TPP) to synthesize chitosan/TPP nanoparticles (CNPs) for delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA). Particle size and zeta potential were characterized for CNPs with chitosan-TPP mass ratios of 4:1 and 6:1 (w/w) using benchtop dynamic light scattering. And both potentiometric titration method and FTIR spectrometer were applied to measure the degree of deacetylation of chitosan. Release kinetics of a model protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) showed a steady release that reached 7% after 6 days. Besides that, we also assessed the in vitro transfection efficiency of the CNP- pDNA system using fluorescence microscopy, as well as the effect of tumor suppressant p53. Later the release kinetics and encapsulation efficiency of plasmid DNA bound to the CNPs will be investigated. Additionally, we will try to improve the gene transfection efficiency in both MC3T3-E1 and osteosarcoma cells by applying Sonicator 740 therapeutic ultrasound.