Lectin conjugate-directed gene transfer to airway epithelial cells

Many cell surface receptors contain covalently linked carbohydrates recognizable by lectins. This study examined the feasibility of using lectins as gene delivery vectors. Polylysine (PL) and histone (His) conjugates of concanavalin A (Con A), Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA), Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), were employed to deliver pCMVlacZ to human airway epithelial cells (CFT1). As compared to the control (= 1.0), the beta-galactosidase activities expressed in CFT1 cells transfected with lectin-PL/His-DNA containing 5 micrograms/ml conjugate and 10 micrograms/ml DNA were: Con A-His, 7.7; SNA-His, 3.5; Con A-PL, 2.4; WGA-PL/His, 1.3; others, 1.0. The efficiency of gene transfer directed by Con A-His was dose dependent between 2.5 and 10 micrograms/ml of the conjugate. The maximal beta-galactosidase activity expressed relative to the control was 42 obtained using 10 micrograms/ml conjugate. These results demonstrate that lectin-PL/His conjugates can be used as vectors to transfer genes to airway epithelial cells.