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PEG Gels Significantly Improve the Storage Stability of Nucleic Acid Preparations
Pengfei Cui1, Luping Ma1, Pengju Jiang1
1School of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
Gels (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 22, 2022
Summary
This study introduces polyethylene glycol (PEG) gelation to stabilize nucleic acid preparations, enhancing their therapeutic potential. PEG gelation preserves transfection activity by preventing particle aggregation, offering a simple and effective solution for gene therapy drug development.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Gene Therapy
Background:
- Nucleic acid preparations are valuable therapeutics but suffer from poor stability due to their complex macromolecular nature.
- Existing methods to enhance stability are often costly and operationally challenging.
- Maintaining the integrity and activity of nucleic acid drugs is crucial for effective gene therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a hydrophilic excipient for gelating nucleic acid preparations.
- To evaluate the impact of PEG gelation on the stability and transfection efficiency of nucleic acid preparations.
- To develop a simple, cost-effective, and biocompatible method for improving nucleic acid drug stability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized polyethylene glycol (PEG) to induce gelation of nucleic acid preparations, including PEI25K-based and liposome-based formulations.
- Assessed the stability of PEG-gelated and non-gelated nucleic acid preparations after storage at 4 °C for 3 days.
- Measured transfection activity and employed fluorescence experiments to investigate the mechanism of stability enhancement, focusing on particle aggregation.
Main Results:
- PEG gelation significantly enhanced the stability of both PEI25K-based and liposome-based nucleic acid preparations.
- Non-PEG gelated preparations lost nearly all transfection activity after 3 days at 4 °C, while PEGylated preparations retained high efficiency.
- Fluorescence studies indicated that PEG gelation inhibited particle aggregation, thereby preserving the integrity and function of the nucleic acid preparations.
Conclusions:
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) gelation is a simple, effective, and biocompatible method for improving the stability of nucleic acid preparations.
- This approach successfully maintains the transfection efficiency of nucleic acid drugs by preventing particle aggregation.
- The findings suggest that PEG gelation holds significant promise for advancing the development of stable and effective gene therapy drugs.
