Ultrasound-Mediated Gene Transfection: a Comparison between Cells Irradiated in Suspension and Attachment Status

Sonoporation, in the presence of microbubbles, is a promising nonviral gene transfection method. Although the mechanism is not yet fully understood, shock waves emitted by cavitation bubbles have been known to play an important role in creating pores on cell membranes. This work investigates the gene transfection efficiency and influencing parameters of cells in two different statuses: attachment and suspension based on the fact that cells in suspension have more bubbles surrounding them and that shock wave has distinct effects on hit objects whether the object is attached to a rigid wall or not. Fibroblast cells (NIH3T3), both in attachment and suspension, and green fluorescent protein (GFP) plasmid were exposed to variations in acoustic pressure (0.6-1.2 MPa) and 10% duty cycle at fixed settings of 2 MHz central frequency, 5 kHz pulse repetition frequency and 1 minute insonation time, in the presence of 10% v/v microbubbles (Sonazoid, a commercialized product of ultrasound contrast agent). The transfection efficiency and cell viability are compared for two statuses and a distribution map of GFP transfected cells as well as viable cells over the well bottom is given for attachment status. The results show that cells irradiated in suspension status has higher transfection ratio as well as viability than those irradiated in attachment status with the same intensity and that the transfected cells of attachment status experiment are highly concentrated near the center of the well.