Wheat germ cell-free translation system as a tool for in vitro selection of functional proteins.

We have demonstrated that mRNA, ribosome and resulting protein form complexes (ternary complexes) in wheat germ cell-free translation system and these complexes are stable for at least several hours. The protein folds into a proper conformation capable of specific binding with the inhibitor of its enzymatic activity. The removal of the stop codon from mRNA does not affect translation and mRNA-ribosome-protein complex stability. We have used these results to develop a method of isolation of mouse dihydrofolate reductase (mDHFR) encoding mRNA from native pool of mouse liver mRNA. The native pool of mouse liver mRNA was translated in vitro in a wheat germ cell-free translation system (WG-CFS), and enzyme-specific ternary complexes were affinity selected on a methotrexate-BSA coated 96-well microtiter plate (methotrexate, MTX, is an inhibitor of DHFR enzymatic activity). Bounded ternary complexes were eluted by MTX treatment. mRNA from eluates was amplified by template-switch RT-PCR and products of RT-PCR analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The cDNA was amplified by one-step reverse transcription-PCR and used for transcription, followed by translation and determination of the DHFR enzymatic activity in translation mixtures. This method is suitable for direct cDNA cloning from mRNA or cDNA libraries and for investigation of protein-protein interactions.

Altered organ accumulation of oligonucleotides using polyethyleneimine grafted with poly(ethylene oxide) or pluronic as carriers.

Passive targeting provides a simple strategy based on natural properties of the carriers to deliver DNA molecules to desired compartments. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a potent non-viral system that has been known to deliver efficiently both plasmids and oligonucleotides (ODNs) in vitro. However, in vivo systemic administration of DNA/PEI complexes has encountered significant difficulties because these complexes are toxic and have low biodistribution in target tissues. This study evaluates PEI grafted with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO(8K)-g-PEI(2K)) and PEI grafted with non-ionic amphiphilic block copolymer, Pluronic P85 (P85-g-PEI(2K)) as carriers for systemic delivery of ODNs. Following i.v. injection an antisense ODN formulated with PEO(8K)-g-PEI(2K) accumulated mainly in kidneys, while the same ODN formulated with P85-g-PEI(2K) was found almost exclusively in the liver. Furthermore, in the case of the animals injected with the P85-g-PEI(2K)-based complexes most of the ODN was found in hepatocytes, while only a minor portion of ODN was found in the lymphocyte/monocyte populations. The results of this study suggest that formulating ODN with PEO(8K)-g-PEI(2K) and P85-g-PEI(2K) carriers allows targeting of the ODN to the liver or kidneys, respectively. The variation in the tissue distribution of ODN observed with the two carriers is probably due to the different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of the polyether chains grafted to PEI in these molecules. Therefore, polyether-grafted PEI carriers provide a simple way to enhance ODN accumulation in a desired compartment without the need of a specific targeting moiety.