Biomimetic cell membrane-coated DNA nanoparticles for gene delivery to glioblastoma

Gene therapy has been introduced as an alternative to radiation and chemical therapy for glioblastoma. Biomimetic nanoparticles coated with cell membranes (CM) have advantages such as high biocompatibility and prolong half-life. To apply CM coated nanoparticles to gene delivery, the polyethylenimine (PEI25k)/plasmid DNA (pDNA) complexes were coated with CM from C6 rat glioblastoma cells. With the CM covering, the PEI25k/pDNA complexes formed stable nanoparticles with negative surface charge. The PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles had high colloidal stability and could be stored for approximately 20 days without aggregation. The transfection efficiency of the PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles was higher than that of the PEI25k/pDNA complex in serum-containing medium. This suggests that serum does not interfere with transfection efficiency of the nanoparticles. Moreover, the PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles had lower toxicity than the PEI25k/DNA complex in vitro and in vivo. The PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles prepared with CMs of different types of cells were transfected into cells. The results showed that the PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles with the C6 CM had the highest transfection efficiency to C6 cells, suggesting the homotypic targeting effect. The therapeutic effects of the nanoparticles were evaluated in intracranial C6 transplanted glioblastoma animal models. The PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles were prepared with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase plasmid (pHSVtk) and injected into the tumor locally. The results showed that the PEI25k/pHSVtk/CM nanoparticles induced higher HSVtk expression compared with the PEI25k/pHSVtk complex. Furthermore, tumor size was reduced more efficiently by the PEI25k/pHSVtk/CM nanoparticles than by the PEI25k/pHSVtk complex. Overall results indicate that PEI25k/pDNA/CM nanoparticles are suitable for pDNA delivery to glioblastoma.