Commensal/ Food bacteria-based DNA vaccine and DNA vaccine-delivery system
Existing delivery systems have many limitations related to efficiency and safety. Some of these techniques include the gene gun, high voltage electroporation, lipofection, infective viruses (i.e. retroviruses, herpes and adenoviruses) or bacteria. An ideal molecular delivery system should be safe, highly efficient, biocompatible, non-immunogenic, capable of protecting DNA/RNA/protein, and small in size. The majority of existing delivery systems are used for in vitro transfection and have low efficiencies (i.e. 1-2%). Highly efficient in vivo systems have yet to be developed.
Scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have created a novel bacterial-based transfection system capable of delivering DNA, RNA, and proteins into targeted mammalian cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Using this system the inventors have demonstrated the ability to achieve transfection rates up to 100%.
This invention has the potential to become an invaluable tool for the safe and functional delivery of molecules into cells and can be used in a variety of applications including gene therapy, mucosal vaccine production, wound healing, cancer therapy and immune modulation.
Applications
- Prophylactic and therapeutic DNA vaccine and DNA molecules for gene therapy.
- HIV vaccines for women and infants.
Benefits
- A 100% efficient bacterial system for delivery of molecules (DNA, RNA, RNAi, microRNAs and proteins) into cells, both in vitro and in vivo.
- A novel transfection system that is safe, tissue specific, and easy to use and store.
- A novel transfection system that does not require gene recombination and cloning; it is not subject to strict FDA guidelines.