Browsing by Author "Hwang, Kuo Chu"

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A general strategy to achieve ultra-high gene transfection efficiency using lipid-nanoparticle composites
(2014-09-01)
Vankayala, Raviraj
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Chiang, Chi-Shiun
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Chao, Jui-I
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Yuan, Chiun-Jye
;
Lin, Shyr-Yeu
Gene therapy provides a new hope for previously "incurable" diseases. Low gene transfection efficiency, however, is the bottle-neck to the success of gene therapy. It is very challenging to develop non-viral nanocarriers to achieve ultra-high gene transfection efficiencies. Herein, we report a novel design of "tight binding-but-detachable" lipid-nanoparticle composite to achieve ultrahigh gene transfection efficiencies of 60 similar to 82%, approaching the best value (similar to 90%) obtained using viral vectors. We show that Fe@CNPs nanoparticles coated with LP-2000 lipid molecules can be used as gene carriers to achieve ultra-high (60-80%) gene transfection efficiencies in HeLa, U-87MG, and TRAMP-C1 cells. In contrast, Fe@CNPs having surface-covalently bound N,N,N-trimethyl-N-2-methacryloxyethyl ammonium chloride (TMAEA) oligomers can only achieve low (23-28%) gene transfection efficiencies. Similarly ultrahigh gene transfection/expression was also observed in zebrafish model using lipid-coated Fe@CNPs as gene carriers. Evidences for tight binding and detachability of DNA from lipid-nanoparticle nanocarriers will be presented. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Neutron capture nuclei-containing carbon nanoparticles for destruction of cancer cells
(2010-11-01)
Hwang, Kuo Chu
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Lai, Po Dong
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Chiang, Chi-Shiun
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Wang, Pei-Jen
;
Yuan, Chiun-Jye
HeLa cells were incubated with neutron capture nuclei (boron-10 and gadolinium)-containing carbon nanoparticles, followed by irradiation of slow thermal neutron beam. Under a neutron flux of 6 x 10(11) n/cm(2) (or 10 min irradiation at a neutron flux of 1 x 10(9) n/cm(2) s), the percentages of acute cell death at 8 h after irradiation are 52, 55, and 28% for HeLa cells fed with BCo@CNPs, GdCo@CNPs, and Co@CNPs, respectively. The proliferation capability of the survived HeLa cells was also found to be significantly suppressed. At 48 h after neutron irradiation, the cell viability further decreases to 35 +/- 5% as compared to the control set receiving the same amount of neutron irradiation dose but in the absence of carbon nanoparticles. This work demonstrates "proof-of-concept" examples of neutron capture therapy using (10)B-, (157)Gd-, and (59)Co-containing carbon nanoparticles for effective destruction of cancer cells. It will also be reported the preparation and surface functionalization of boron or gadolinium doped core-shell cobalt/carbon nanoparticles (BCo@CNPs, GdCo@CNPs and Co@CNPs) using a modified DC pulsed arc discharge method, and their characterization by various spectroscopic measurements, including TEM, XRD, SQUID, FT-IR, etc. Tumor cell targeting ability was introduced by surface modification of these carbon nanoparticles with folate moieties. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reusable Amperometric Biosensor for Measuring Protein Tyrosine Kinase Activity
(2012-01-17)
Wang, Chung-Liang
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Wei, Lan-Yi
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Yuan, Chiun-Jye
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Hwang, Kuo Chu
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生物科技學系
This work presents a simple, low-cost and reusable label-free method for detecting protein tyrosine kinase activity using a tyrosinase-based amperometric biosensor (tyrosine kinase biosensor). This method is based on the observation that phosphorylation can block the tyrosinase-catalyzed oxidation of tyrosine or tyrosyl residue in peptides. Therefore, the activity of p60c-src protein tyrosine kinase (Src) on the developed tyrosine kinase biosensor could be quickly determined when its specific peptide substrate, p60c-src substrate I, was used. The tyrosine kinase biosensor was highly sensitive to the activity of Src with a linear dynamic range of 1.9-237.6 U/mL and the lowest detection limit of 0.23 U/mL. Interestingly, the tyrosine kinase activity can be measured using the developed tyrosine kinase biosensor repetitively without regeneration. The inhibitory effect of various kinase inhibitors on the Src activity could be determined on the tyrosine kinase biosensor. Src-specific inhibitors, PP2 and Src inhibitor I, effectively suppressed Src activity, whereas PD153035, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor, was ineffective. Staurosporine, a universal kinase inhibitor, inhibited Src activity in an ATP concentration-dependent manner. These results suggests that the activities of tyrosine kinases and their behaviors toward various reagents can be effectively measured using the developed tyrosine kinase biosensor.