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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Changing the Direction and Orientation of Electric Field During Electric Pulses Application Improves Plasmid Gene Transfer in vitro
Published on: September 12, 2011
DNA electrotransfer: its principles and an updated review of its therapeutic applications
1Laboratory of Vectorology and Gene Transfer, UMR 8121 CNRS - Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif Cedex, France.
Abstract:
The use of electric pulses to transfect all types of cells is well known and regularly used in vitro for bacteria and eukaryotic cells transformation. Electric pulses can also be delivered in vivo either transcutaneously or with electrodes in direct contact with the tissues. After injection of naked DNA in a tissue, appropriate local electric pulses can result in a very high expression of the transferred genes. This manuscript describes the evolution in the concepts and the various optimization steps that have led to the use of combinations of pulses that fit with the known roles of the electric pulses in DNA electrotransfer, namely cell electropermeabilization and DNA electrophoresis. A summary of the main applications published until now is also reported, restricted to the in vivo preclinical trials using therapeutic genes.

