Development of Adipocyte Targeted Gene Delivery System

Abstract

In the last two decades adipocyte has got much attention due to the high prevalence of obesity. Adipocytes are the main fat reservoir in our body and play a vital role on the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and obesity induced metabolic syndrome. Adipocytes, specially differentiated mature adipocytes are considered as one of the hard to transfect cell lines. Currently there is no adipocyte targeted non viral gene delivery carrier available. Non viral gene delivery carriers are considered as safer than viral vectors. Among the nonviral vectors, Protein transduction domains (PTDs) like arginine rich peptide, TAT are well known PTD for gene delivery. Here we have showed an adipocyte targeted gene delivery system by adding a nona arginine peptide to an adipocyte targeting sequence (ATS). The carrier was designed as C-ATS-9R-C. This carrier was able to condense plasmid DNA very efficiently, bind with and internalize into adipocyte cells in vitro and able to home in adipose tissue in vivo in a highly selective manner. It showed better transfection and gene expression efficiency compare to PEI and Lipofectamin. Therefore, this carrier can be used to deliver therapeutic gene or siRNA to treat obesity and obesity induced metabolic syndrome.