Delivery of nucleic acids to ex vivo porcine airways using electrospray

Aim of the Study: Nucleic acid-based therapies have the potential to provide clinically meaningful benefit across a wide spectrum of lung disease. However, in vivo delivery remains a challenge. Here we examined the feasibility of using electrospray to deliver nucleic acids to both porcine tracheal tissue sections and whole lung ex vivo. Materials and Methods: The effect of electrospray solution, emitter gauge, flow rate and voltage on plasmid DNA integrity was examined by analyzing supercoiled:open circle structure ratio by gel electrophoresis. Optimal parameters were used to deliver luciferase DNA and mRNA and siRNA-FITC to tracheal tissue sections. Luciferase mRNA was delivered to whole porcine lungs ex vivo using a catheter and bronchoscope system. Luciferase activity and fluorescence were analyzed by luminometry and microscopy respectively. Results: The incidence of DNA plasmid nicking was greatest in a low salt solution without ethanol compared with 1% and 20% ethanol with salt. From a range of emitters tested, a 32 gauge emitter produced the best supercoiled:open circle structure ratio, likely because less voltage was required to produce a stable electrospray with this emitter. Lower flow rates also showed a trend towards reduced DNA nicking. GFP DNA electrosprayed at 5 kV and 6 kV resulted in lower levels of GFP expression in A549 lung cells following lipofection compared with 3 kV and 4 kV. Optimised parameters of 20% ethanol solution, 32 gauge emitter, low flow rates and voltages of 3–5 kV, nucleic acid molecules were successful for delivery of luciferase DNA and mRNA as well as siRNA-FITC to porcine tracheal tissue sections and for delivery of luciferase mRNA to whole porcine lungs via bronchoscope. Conclusions: We report ex vivo delivery of nucleic acids to porcine lung tissue via electrospray and bronchoscopic electrospray delivery of nucleic acid to an ex vivo porcine lung model