The effect of the nonionic block copolymer pluronic P85 on gene expression in mouse muscle and antigen-presenting cells

• Published in: Biomaterials Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 1232 - 1245
• Main Authors: Gaymalov, Zagit Z, Yang, Zhihui, Pisarev, Vladimir M, Alakhov, Valery Yu, Kabanov, Alexander V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2009
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Animals; Antigen-Presenting Cells - drug effects; Antigen-Presenting Cells - metabolism; Biomarkers - metabolism; Copolymer; Dentistry; DNA - administration & dosage; DNA - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Green Fluorescent Proteins - metabolism; Injections, Intramuscular; Leukocyte; Luciferases - metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Muscles - drug effects; Muscles - metabolism; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Organ Specificity - drug effects; Plasmids - administration & dosage; Plasmids - pharmacology; Pluronics; Poloxamer - administration & dosage; Poloxamer - chemistry; Poloxamer - pharmacology; Signal Transduction - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - cytology; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Time Factors; Pluronics; Copolymer; Gene expression; Leukocyte
• ISSN: 0142-9612; 1878-5905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.10.064

Abstract DNA vaccines can be greatly improved by polymer agents that simultaneously increase transgene expression and activate immunity. We describe here Pluronic P85 (P85), a triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) EO26 –PO40 –EO26 . Using a mouse model we demonstrate that co-administration of a bacterial plasmid DNA with P85 in a skeletal muscle greatly increases gene expression in the injection site and distant organs, especially the draining lymph nodes and spleen. The reporter expression colocalizes with the specific markers of myocytes and keratinocytes in the muscle, as well as dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in the muscle, lymph nodes and spleen. Furthermore, DNA/P85 and P85 alone increase the systemic expansion of CD11c+ (DC), and local expansion of CD11c+ , CD14+ (macrophages) and CD49b+ (natural killer) cell populations. DNA/P85 (but not P85) also increases maturation of local DC (CD11c + CD86+ , CD11c + CD80+ , and CD11c + CD40+ ). We suggest that DNA/P85 promotes the activation and recruitment of the antigen-presenting cells, which further incorporate, express and carry the transgene to the immune system organs.