Issue 21, 2021

Regulation of gene transfection by cell size, shape and elongation on micropatterned surfaces

Abstract

Gene transfection has been widely studied due to its potential applications in tissue repair and gene therapy. Many studies have focused on designing gene carriers and developing novel transfection techniques. However, the influence of cell size, shape and elongation on gene transfection has rarely been investigated. In this study, poly(vinyl alcohol)-micropatterned surfaces were prepared to precisely manipulate the size, shape and elongation of mesenchymal stem cells, and the influences of these factors on gene transfection were investigated. Cell size showed a significant influence on gene transfection. Elongation could affect the gene transfection of large cells but not small cells. Cells with a large spreading area and high aspect ratio showed high transfection with exogenous plasmid DNA. In particular, the transfection efficiency was the highest in micropatterned cells with a spreading area of 5024 μm2 and an aspect ratio of 8 : 1. In contrast, cell shape had no significant influence on gene transfection. The different influences of cell size, shape and elongation were correlated with their respective impacts on cytoskeletal structures, cellular nanoparticle uptake and DNA synthesis. Cells with a large size and elongated morphology showed well-organized actin filaments with a high cellular modulus, therefore promoting cellular nanoparticle uptake and DNA synthesis. Cells with different shapes showed similarities in actin filament organization, cellular modulus, uptake capacity and DNA synthesis. The results suggest the importance of cell size and elongation in exogenous gene transfection and should provide useful information for gene transfection and gene therapy.

Graphical abstract: Regulation of gene transfection by cell size, shape and elongation on micropatterned surfaces

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 апр. 2021
Accepted
01 мај 2021
First published
04 мај 2021

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2021,9, 4329-4339

Regulation of gene transfection by cell size, shape and elongation on micropatterned surfaces

Y. Wang, Y. Yang, T. Yoshitomi, N. Kawazoe, Y. Yang and G. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2021, 9, 4329 DOI: 10.1039/D1TB00815C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements