Use of a bacterial component to enhance targeted delivery of polynucleotides to cells

US5728399A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• University of Conn. · US
• TargeTech, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of The Immune Response Corporation · US

Inventors

• George Wu · Waltham, US
• Catherine H. Wu · Bloomfield, US
• Ying ZHANG · Daguantang, CN
• George L. Spitalny · Yardley, US
• Ellen Carmichael · Town of West Hartford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 7, 1995
• Grant date: Mar 17, 1998
• Expiry date: Jun 7, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N15/87
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An improved soluble molecular complex for targeting a polynucleotide to a specific cell is disclosed. The molecular complex comprises (a) a polynucleotide (b) a carrier made up of a polynucleotide binding agent and a cell-specific binding agent which binds to a surface molecule of the cell and is internalized into an endosome, and (c) a bacterial component or fragment thereof which lyses the endosome and causes the polynucleotide to be released into the cytoplasm of the cell. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the polynucleotide binding agent is polylysine, the cell-specific binding agent is an asialoglycoprotein, and the bacterial component is listeriolysin O. The disclosed soluble molecular complex and methods of use can be used therapeutically to deliver genes and antisense polynucleotides to specific cells in vivo.