Efficient transfection of endothelial cells by a double-pulse electroporation method

Primary endothelial cells are largely recognized as hard-to-transfect cells. We have been using a double-pulse electroporation technique to efficiently insert genetic material into human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Previously, this technique has been successfully used on hard-to-transfect monocytic cells. Using a conventional electroporation device, we have tested this protocol on HUVECs and compared it with conventional transfection techniques. The average transfection efficiency was up to 68% as measured by the ability of the cells to efficiently express the red fluorophore of the tdTomato gene. Similar results were obtained in human aortic endothelial cells and human microvascular endothelial cells. This technique does not require any particular expensive device, specific medium, or reagent, and the results we obtained so far exceed those of any other previous protocol. This is therefore an affordable and efficient transfection technique that opens new avenues in vascular endothelial research.