Enhancement of Magnetic Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Transfer to Astrocytes by ‘Magnetofection‘: Effects of Static and Oscillating Fields

Abstract

AIMS: To assess the feasibility of using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to transfect astrocytes derived for transplantation and determine if transfection efficacy can be enhanced by static and oscillating magnetic fields. METHODS: Astrocytes were transfected using MNPs functionalized with a plasmid encoding a reporter protein. Transfection efficacies were compared following application of static fields and a novel, oscillating array system at a range of frequencies. The transplantation potential of transfected cells was tested in organotypic cerebellar slice cultures. RESULTS: Rat astrocytes can be efficiently transfected using MNPs with applied static/oscillating fields; the latter effect is frequency dependent. Transfected astrocytes could survive and differentiate following introduction into 3D neural tissue arrays. CONCLUSION: MNP vectors can safely and effectively transfect rodent astrocytes and could form the basis of a 'multifunctional nanoplatform' for neural cell transplantation.