Secure splenic delivery of plasmid DNA and its application to DNA vaccine

In this experiment, we developed a novel safe and effective gene delivery vector coated with γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA-coated complexes). The γ-PGA-coated complex was composed of chiseled spherical nano-particles with anionic charges. The plasmid DNA/polyethyleneimine complex (non-coated complex) showed high transgene efficiency in the spleen and lung after intravenous administration in mice, with high liver toxicity and lethality. On the other hand, γ-PGA-coated complex selectively showed high transgene efficiency in the spleen without such toxicity. Furthermore, the γ-PGA-coated complex highly accumulated and showed high gene expression in the marginal zone of the spleen. Those results strongly indicated that γ-PGA-coated complex was suitable as a DNA vaccine vector. We therefore applied γ-PGA-coated complex to melanoma DNA vaccine, pUb-M. The γ-PGA-coated complex containing pUb-M significantly inhibited the growth and metastasis of a melanoma cell line, B16-F10 cells. In conclusion, we developed a splenic gene vector, γ-PGA-coated complex, as a novel technology for clinical vaccination.