Ultrasound technology to improve transfection of human cells

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Nucleic acid delivery to human cells (so called transfection) is a widely practiced in biomedical research industry and clinical therapy. Human cells are especially resistant to delivery of nucleic acids due to active mechanisms to resist the intake of foreign genetic material. Chemical methods have been the preferred approach to nucleic acid delivery to human cells over viral means of delivery, since they are safe and do not cause integration of nucleic acids into the host cell genome. In chemical delivery methods, nucleic acids are combined with lipidic or polymeric agents in buffers and packaged into particles at the nanoscale so that the nucleic acids are readily internalized upon exposure of the cells. While such nanoparticles were shown to be generally effective in cell lines, the delivery efficiency of the nanoparticles to primary human cells is very low. In order to enhance the delivery efficiency, one may be able to utilize ultrasound, which open up transient pores in the cell membrane and allow passage of molecules into the cells. This project is intended to explore this approach, in which the nucleic acids are first condensed into nanoparticles for cell uptake and then ultrasound is used in order to facilitate the cellular entry of the nanoparticles. Such an approach is expected to enhance the transfection rates in human cells and enable marketing of ultrasound devices for improved transfection of human cells in biomedical research industry. ****