No 4, Vol. 5, 2004 
 

GENERATION OF MAGNETIC RETROVIRAL VECTORS WITH MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES

Ming-Fong Tai1,2, Kai-Ming Chi3, K.-H. William Lau4, David J. Baylink4 and Shin-Tai Chen4

1 Department of Electronic Engineer, Wu-Feng Institute of Technology, Ming-Hsiung, Taiwan
2 Department of Physics, Chung Cheng University, 160 San-Hsing, Ming-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan
3 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chung Cheng University, 160 San-Hsing, Ming-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan
4 Department of Medicine and Biochemistry, Loma Linda University, and
Musculoskeletal Diseases Center, Loma Linda VA Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92357, USA

Abstract

We have successfully synthesized iron and gamma ferric oxide magnetic nanoparticles with particle sizes of 4+0.8 nm through a high-yield chemical thermal reflux method. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was used to enhance biologically compatibility and monodispersion of nanoparticles. The PEI coated magnetic nanoparticles have sizes between 100 to 200 nm. More importantly, we formed magnetic retroviral vectors through combining Moloney leukemia virus based retroviral vectors with the particles. An external magnetic field can bring the magnetic retroviral vectors to the targeted cells and significantly raised the gene transduction efficiency. We present physical properties and biological activities of magnetic nanoparticles associated with retroviral vectors.

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