Transfer of Gene to Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Using Magnetite Cationic Liposomes
- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Japan;
- 2 School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan;
- 3 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyusyu University, Fukuoka, Japan, Japan
- Correspondence to: Shu Kachi, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumacho, Showaku, Nagoya, 4668550, Japan; kachishu-ngy{at}umin.net
- Received 12 March 2009
- Accepted 19 October 2009
- Published Online First 2 December 2009
Abstract
Aim: We present a new method called magnetolipofection which can transfect cells in a specific area of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by magnetic force as a nonviral gene transfection..
Methods: ARPE-19, a human RPE cell line, were cultured with a mixture of cationic lipid, plasmid DNAs and magnetite nanoparticles. A sheet of ARPE-19 cells was transfected in the vertical direction by placing a magnet under the center of the culture plate. Horizontal gene tranfection was also performed.
Results: When magnetolipofection was performed in the vertical direction, significantly larger number of GFP-positive cells was observed where the magnet was placed than in the peripheral area, and the number was equivalent to that transfected with Lipofectamine2000. In the horizontal direction, significantly larger number of GFP-positive cells was also observed, but there was almost no gene transfer detected using Lipofectamine2000.
Conclusion: The area of gene transfection can be controlled by the placement of a magnet in the area selected to be transfected in vitro by magnetolipofection. This method can be used to transfect RPE cells in selected areas which should be helpful for experimental and clinical applications.
