Polyion complex micelles as vectors in gene therapy--pharmacokinetics and in vivo gene transfer.

To establish non-viral gene delivery systems for intravenous administration, complexes of DNA and block copolymer consisting of poly-L-lysine and poly(ethylene glycol) were tested in in vivo turnover studies. The polyion complex micelles have self-assembling core-shell structures, yielding spherical nano-particles with small absolute values of zeta-potential. Southern blot analysis showed that supercoiled DNA was observed for 30 min and open circular or linear DNA was seen for 3 h after intravenous administration of PIC micelles having the charge ratios of 1:4 and PLL length of 48 mer. The PIC micelles with shorter PLL length showed lower stability in the blood stream suggesting that DNA is able to persist as an intact molecule in the blood stream using this system. Though having no ligands, PIC micelles with charge ratios of 1:2 and 1:4 transfected efficiently into HepG2 cells. Preincubation with free copolymer inhibited expression of the reporter gene, suggesting that adsorption of block copolymer to the cell surface blocked the interaction site of the PIC micelles. When the PIC micelles were injected via supramesenteric vein, expression of the gene was observed only in the liver and was sustained for 3 days. It was suggested that this gene delivery system is intrinsically efficient.

Comparative study of the sugar chains of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidases purified from human hepatocellular carcinoma and from human liver.

The sugar chains of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidases, purified from human hepatoma and from normal human liver, were released quantitatively as oligosaccharides by hydrazinolysis. Comparative study of their structures revealed that the following structural alterations are induced by hepatocyte carcinogenesis: 1) high mannose type sugar chains are detected in the hepatoma enzyme but not in the normal liver enzyme; 2) abnormal biantennary sugar chains containing C-2,4 outer chain branches newly appeared; 3) the total amounts of tri- and tetraantennary sugar chains containing C-2,6 outer chain branches increased up to three times.

Comparison of drug-metabolizing activities in the livers of carcinogen-sensitive parent rats and carcinogen-resistant descendants.

Donryu strain albino rats were maintained on a diet containing 0.06% 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) for nine successive generations. Some rats in the fourth to eighth generations showed marked resistance to the carcinogenic action of 3'-Me-DAB. In the liver where we found tumors, their size and number are smaller than in the corresponding original strain of rats fed on a diet containing 3'-Me-DAB. No significant differences were found in the total cytochrome P-450 contents or epoxide hydrolase activities of the livers of the resistant variant and the original strain, but the benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity which is mainly attributed to cytochrome P-448 and glutathione S-transferase activity of the resistant variant were lower. The inductions of hepatic cytochrome P-488 and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase on administration of polychlorinated biphenyls or 3-methylcholanthrene were also lower in the resistant rats. In the mutagenicity test on Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 the liver 9000 X g supernatant fraction from 3'-Me-DAB-resistant F7 rats did not fully induce the mutagenicities of 3'-Me-DAB and several other carcinogens. Thus the resistance of F7 rats to the chemical carcinogen may be related to the lower activities of some drug-metabolizing enzymes and the poor inducibility of cytochrome P-448 in their liver, although selection of resistant rats should be continued for further generations before coming to a definite conclusion on biochemical basis of apparent resistance to 3'-Me-DAB.