Cryoconserved shielded and EGF receptor targeted DNA polyplexes: cellular mechanisms

Recently, cryoconservable polyethylene glycol (PEG)-shielded and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted polyplexes (EGF+ polyplexes) were engineered in our laboratory for tumor-directed transfer and expression of DNA. Here, we further analyzed specificity and kinetics of EGFR-mediated cellular uptake of these polyplexes. Similar to our previous results, EGF+ polyplexes significantly enhanced the transfection efficiency as compared to polyplexes without EGF (EGF− polyplexes) in HUH-7 hepatoma cells and Renca-EGFR renal carcinoma cells. EGF+ polyplexes rapidly associated with the cells within 30 min of exposure, and binding of EGF+ polyplexes to the cells after 4 h was significantly higher than that of EGF− polyplexes. In the presence of free EGF, both cell association and transfection efficiency of EGF+ polyplexes were markedly reduced indicating that these effects were primarily mediated via ligand receptor interaction. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the cell-associated EGF+ polyplexes aggregated to micrometer sized clusters, resembling typical clustering of receptors upon ligand binding. In conclusion, EGFR-targeting enhances transfection efficiency due to accelerated and increased cell association followed by aggregation of the bound EGF+ polyplexes.