OBJECTIVETo investigate the transfection efficiency and the optimal conditions of delivering latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) gene to dendritic cells (DCs) by ultrasound exposure combined with contrast agent.

METHODSHuman DCs were cultured in vivo and transfected with the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-C3-LMP1 under varying conditions including ultrasound intensities, exposure time and microbubble contrast agent concentration. The transfection efficiency was assessed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry, and the cell viability by trypan blue exclusion test.

RESULTSAn exposure time of 60 s at MI 1.0 with a microbubble contrast agent concentration of 20% resulted in the optimal effect of delivering the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-C3-LMP1 into the DCs, with a transfection efficiency of (14.37∓2.12)%. Over 90% of the transfected cells were viable after the transfection.

CONCLUSIONMicrobubble contrast agent combined with ultrasound exposure can enhance the delivery of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-C3-LMP1 into the DCs.