Nanoscale cell adhesion ligand presentation regulates nonviral gene delivery and expression

It is hypothesized that the nanoscale organization of cell adhesion ligands in a synthetic ECM regulates nonviral gene delivery. This hypothesis was examined with pre-osteoblasts cultured on substrates which present varied density and spacing of synthetic adhesion ligands. The levels of gene transfer and expression were increased with the density of adhesion ligands, but decreased with the spacing of ligands, due to changes in the cell growth rate. This study provides a material-based control point on the nanometer scale for nonviral gene based therapies.