Advances in Engineering Advances in Engineering features breaking research judged by Advances in Engineering advisory team to be of key importance in the Engineering field. Papers are selected from over 10,000 published each week from most peer reviewed journals.
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Volume 332, April 2013, Pages 163-171.
Ch. Dahmani, O. Mykhaylyk, Fl. Helling, St. Götz, Th. Weyh, H.-G. Herzog, Ch. Plank
Institute of Energy Conversion Technology, Technische Universitat Munchen, Munich, Germany
Institute of Experimental Oncology and Therapy Research, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universitat Munchen, 81675 Munich, Germany
Institute of Electrical Energy Supply, Universitat der Bundeswehr, Munich, Germany
Abstract
The association of magnetic nanoparticles with gene delivery vectors in combination with the use of gradient magnetic fields (magnetofection) enables improved and synchronised gene delivery to cells. In this paper, we report a system comprising rotating permanent magnets to generate defined magnetic field pulses with frequencies from 2.66 to 133 Hz and a field amplitude of 190 or 310 mT at the location of the cells. Low-frequency pulses of 2.66–10 Hz with a magnetic flux density of 190 mT were applied to the examined cells for 30–120 s after magnetofection. These pulses resulted in a 1.5–1.9-fold enhancement in the transfection efficiency compared with magnetofection with only a static magnetic field in both adherent and suspension cells. The magnetic field amplitudes of 190 and 310 mT had similar effects on the transfection efficacy. No increase in the percentage of transgene-expressing suspension cells and no cytotoxic effects (based on the results of the MTT assay) were observed after applying alternating magnetic fields
