Radiology, Vol 208, 65-71, Copyright © 1998 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

MR imaging of gene delivery to the central nervous system with an artificial vector

G de Marco, A Bogdanov, E Marecos, A Moore, M Simonova and R Weissleder
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129, USA.

PURPOSE: To determine whether gene delivery by means of a synthetic no viral DNA delivery system that is capable of gene transfer can be mapped with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The DNA delivery system consisted of aminated (poly-L-lysine-conjugated) dextran chains anchored together with a central superparamagnetic core. Three different types of constructs were synthesized that differed in their amino content and, thus, DNA-loading capacity. The model plasmid consisted of complementary DNA encoding for humanized green fluorescent protein. Constructs were tested in cell culture and in vivo in a rat model. RESULTS: All three constructs were capable of transfecting human cells in culture with transfection efficiencies ranging from 0.3% to 4.1%, which is similar to that of diethylaminoethyl-dextran. MR imaging experiments showed that DNA constructs induced signal intensity changes that co-localized with phosphorus-33-labeled plasmid distribution at autoradiography. After injection of the constructs into the corpus callosum of rats, weak green fluorescent protein expression of neuronal and glial cells could be detected at immunohistologic examination. CONCLUSION: Dextran-based nonviral DNA delivery systems are capable of transfecting cells and can be visualized with MR imaging.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. H. Liu, Y. R. Kim, J. Q. Ren, F. Eichler, B. R. Rosen, and P. K. Liu Imaging Cerebral Gene Transcripts in Live Animals J. Neurosci., January 17, 2007; 27(3): 713 - 722. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Paturneau-Jouas, E. Parzy, G. Vidal, P. G. Carlier, C. Wary, J.-T. Vilquin, E. de Kerviler, K. Schwartz, and A. Leroy-Willig Electrotransfer at MR Imaging: Tool for Optimization of Gene Transfer Protocols--Feasibility Study in Mice Radiology, September 1, 2003; 228(3): 768 - 775. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Alfke, H. Stoppler, F. Nocken, J. T. Heverhagen, B. Kleb, F. Czubayko, and K. J. Klose In Vitro MR Imaging of Regulated Gene Expression Radiology, August 1, 2003; 228(2): 488 - 492. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Nichol and E. E. Kim Molecular Imaging and Gene Therapy J. Nucl. Med., September 1, 2001; 42(9): 1368 - 1374. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Walter, E. R. Barton, and H. L. Sweeney Noninvasive measurement of gene expression in skeletal muscle PNAS, May 9, 2000; 97(10): 5151 - 5155. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Weissleder Molecular Imaging: Exploring the Next Frontier Radiology, September 1, 1999; 212(3): 609 - 614. [Full Text]