Endocytic pathways involved in the uptake of TAT-LHRH modified chitosan/DNA nanoparticles by HepG2 cells / 国际生物医学工程杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo explore the endocytic pathway of TAT-LHRH modified chitosan/DNA nanoparticle (TLCDN) that exhibits high transfection efficiency and targeting to HepG2.MethodsPlasmid DNA was labeled with fluorescein,and the resulting fluorescent DNA was complexed with chitosan or TAT-LHRH modified chitosan to form chitosan/DNA nanoparticle (CDN) and TLCDN by the complex coacervation method.Internalization of TLCDN or CDN by HepG2 cells were measured in the presence of three kinds of inhibitors of endocytic pathway,Chlorpromazine,Filipin or Dynasore,using High-Content Analyzer to collect and analyze the data.ResultsChlorpromazine led to more decreased uptake of CDN than that of TLCDN,although not statistically significant.Filipin demonstrated significant inhibitory effect on the uptake of TLCDN while promoted the uptake of CDN.Dynasore resulted in a similar decrease in the uptake of both nanoprticles.ConclusionIt was demonstrated that CDN was taken up by HepG2 cells mainly through the clathrin-dependent endocytic pathway and TLCDN was more likely to be internalized by HepG2 cells through the caveolin-mediated endocytic pathway although the clathrin-dependent endocytic pathway was also involved.