Eusébio Dalinda, Almeida Ana Margarida, Alves Joel Marques, Maia Cláudio Jorge, Queiroz João António, Sousa Fani, Sousa Ângela
CICS-UBI-Health Science Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.
Nucleic Acid Ther. 2021 Feb;31(1):82-91. doi: 10.1089/nat.2020.0904. Epub 2020 Nov 26.
Minicircle DNA (mcDNA) has been suggested as a vanguard technology for gene therapy, consisting of a nonviral DNA vector devoid of prokaryotic sequences. Unlike conventional plasmid DNA (pDNA), this small vector is able to sustain high expression rates throughout time. Thus, this work describes the construction, production, and purification of mcDNA- and its precursor parental plasmid (PP)- for a comparative study of both DNA vectors in the growth suppression of human papillomavirus (HPV)-18-infected cervical cancer cells. First, live cell imaging and fluorescence microscopy studies allowed to understand that mcDNA- vector was able to enter cell nuclei more rapidly than PP- vector, leading to a transfection efficiency of 68% against 34%, respectively. Then, transcripts and protein expression assessment revealed that both vectors were able to induce transcription and the target protein expression. However, the mcDNA- vector performance stood out, by demonstrating higher expression levels (91.65 ± 2.82 U/mL vs. 74.75 ± 4.44 U/mL). After assuring the safety of both vectors by viability studies, such potential was confirmed by proliferation and apoptosis assays. These studies confirmed the mcDNA- vector function toward cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HPV-18-infected cervical cancer cells. Altogether, these results suggest that the mcDNA vector has a more promising and efficient role as a DNA vector than conventional pDNA, opening new investigation lines for cervical cancer treatment in the future.
微小环DNA(mcDNA)已被认为是基因治疗的先锋技术,它由不含原核序列的非病毒DNA载体组成。与传统质粒DNA(pDNA)不同,这种小载体能够在整个时间段内维持高表达率。因此,这项工作描述了mcDNA及其前体亲本质粒(PP)的构建、生产和纯化,用于对这两种DNA载体在人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)-18感染的宫颈癌细胞生长抑制中的比较研究。首先,活细胞成像和荧光显微镜研究表明,mcDNA载体比PP载体能够更快地进入细胞核,转染效率分别为68%和34%。然后,转录本和蛋白质表达评估显示,两种载体都能够诱导转录和靶蛋白表达。然而,mcDNA载体表现突出,其表达水平更高(91.65±2.82 U/mL对74.75±4.44 U/mL)。通过活力研究确保两种载体的安全性后,增殖和凋亡测定证实了这种潜力。这些研究证实了mcDNA载体在HPV-18感染的宫颈癌细胞中对细胞周期停滞和凋亡的作用。总之,这些结果表明,mcDNA载体作为一种DNA载体比传统pDNA具有更有前景和高效的作用,为未来宫颈癌治疗开辟了新的研究方向。
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