CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The association of viral vector-based gene delivery with nanotechnology offers the possibility to develop more efficient gene therapy strategies for a number of applications and pathologies. The magnetic field-assisted system combines Magnetic Drug Targeting (MDT) and Magnetofection, both based on the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP). The goal of MDT is to concentrate magnetically responsive therapeutic complexes in target areas of the body by means of external magnetic fields. Magnetofection is a methodology based on the association of MNP with nonviral or viral vectors in order to optimize gene delivery in the presence of a magnetic field. Development of reliable techniques for manipulation of gene expression in mature skeletal muscle fibers is critical for understanding molecular mechanisms involved in both physiology and pathophysiology. Although skeletal muscle cells can be transfected in vivo by either direct injection of naked plasmids, cationic lipids and neutral polymers or, in a better approach, by electroporation none of these techniques has the potential displayed by viral vectors infection specially regarding undifferentiated C2C12 cells (myoblasts). However, differentiated myotubes are refractory to standard protocols for gene transfer in vitro and the use of viral vectors offers low efficiency. The aim of the present study was to determine whether magnetofection could provide an efficient alternative for gene delivery into mature C2C12 cells. The myoblasts culture was induced to differentiate and after 5 days the multinucleated myotubes were infected using Magneto-adenoviral vectors administrated with a magnetic field applicator. Screening for eficiency was performed using a fluorescent reporter protein (GFP) incorporated to the viral vector. Therefore, the present in vitro study validates the use of MNP- adenoviral vectors complexes assisted by magnetic field as a highly efficient approach for gene transfer into mature skeletal muscle.