Polyethylenimine/DNA complexes shielded by transferrin target gene expression to tumors after systemic application

Systemic application of positively charged polycation/DNA complexes has been shown to result in predominant gene expression in the lungs. Targeting gene expression to other sites, eg distant tumors, is hampered by nonspecific interactions largely due to the positive surface charge of transfection complexes. In the present study we show that the positive surface charge of PEI (25 kDa branched or 22 kDa linear)/DNA complexes can be efficiently shielded by covalently incorporating transferrin at sufficiently high densities in the complex, resulting in a dramatic decrease in nonspecific interactions, eg with erythrocytes, and decreased gene expression in the lung. Systemic application of transferrin-shielded PEI/DNA complexes into A/J mice bearing subcutaneously growing Neuro2a tumors via the tail vein resulted in preferential (100- to 500-fold higher) luciferase reporter gene expression in distant tumors as compared with the major organs including the lungs. Tumor targeting is also demonstrated by DNA uptake and beta-galactosidase gene expression in tumor cells. Assessing DNA distribution following systemic application significant amounts of DNA were found in the liver and tumor. However, in the liver, DNA was mainly taken up by Kupffer cells and degraded without significant transgene expression. In the tumor, DNA was associated mainly with tumor cells and frequently found near structures which resemble primitive blood vessels.