화학공학소재연구정보센터
홈 로그인 로그아웃 연락처 사이트맵
Macromolecular Research, Vol.26, No.13, 1251-1256, December, 2018
DOI10.1007/s13233-019-7020-9  Export Citation
Surface Charge Modification of Polyethyleneimine for Enhanced Renal Clearance and Bioimaging
Sungsu Lee, Wonbong Lim1, Jin Seok Jung2, Danbi Jo2, Gayoung Jo2, Min Ho Park3, †, and Hoon Hyun4, †
  • Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Korea
  • 1Department of Premedical Program, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Korea
  • 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Korea
  • 34Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Korea
  • 43Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Korea
E-mail:,
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) has emerged as a potentially effective carrier for gene delivery. To overcome the cytotoxicity of PEI in vivo, the biodistribution and clearance of PEI conjugated with near-infrared fluorophores (NIRF) were imaged in mice. To confirm the effect of surface charge on enhanced renal clearance, PEI was conjugated with three different types of NIRF: positively charged PEI-NIRF+, negatively charged PEI-NIRF-, and zwitterionic PEI-NIRF± conjugates, which were intravenously injected into mice. The biodistribution and body clearance were monitored under an NIR fluorescence imaging system at 4 h and 24 h postinjection. All organs and tissues were resected to further compare the distribution of each PEI-NIRF conjugate in two mice at 4 h and 24 h. The results showed that the zwitterionic PEI-NIRF± conjugate was most rapidly cleared, primarily through the kidneys of the mice within 24 h postinjection. In conclusion, the biodistribution of zwitterionic PEI-NIRF± was found to be significantly different from that of positively and negatively charged PEI-NIRF conjugates with increased renal clearance. Thus, zwitterionic PEI-NIRF± could be a promising gene delivery carrier that can potentially reduce the side effects of conventional cationic polymers such as cytotoxicity and non-specific binding in vivo.
Keywords:polyethyleneimine;biodistribution;renal clearance;near-infrared fluorophores;near-infrared fluorescence imaging
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