Highly compacted DNA nanoparticles with low MW PEG coatings: In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo evaluation

Highly compacted DNA nanoparticles, composed of single molecules of plasmid DNA compacted with block copolymers of poly-l-lysine and 10 kDa polyethylene glycol (CK ₃₀PEG _10k), mediate effective gene delivery to the brain, eyes and lungs in vivo. Nevertheless, we found that CK ₃₀PEG _10k DNA nanoparticles are immobilized by mucoadhesive interactions in sputum that lines the lung airways of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), which would presumably preclude the efficient delivery of cargo DNA to the underlying epithelium. We previously found that nanoparticles can rapidly penetrate human mucus secretions if they are densely coated with low MW PEG (2-5 kDa), whereas nanoparticles with 10 kDa PEG coatings were immobilized. We thus sought to reduce mucoadhesion of DNA nanoparticles by producing CK ₃₀PEG DNA nanoparticles with low MW PEG coatings. We examined the morphology, colloidal stability, nuclease resistance, diffusion in human sputum and in vivo gene transfer of CK ₃₀PEG DNA nanoparticles prepared using various PEG MWs. CK ₃₀PEG _10k and CK ₃₀PEG _5k formulations did not aggregate in saline, provided partial protection against DNase I digestion and exhibited the highest gene transfer to lung airways following inhalation in BALB/c mice. However, all DNA nanoparticle formulations were immobilized in freshly expectorated human CF sputum, likely due to inadequate PEG surface coverage.