A Nanoparticle Delivery of Plasmid Encoding Hepatocyte Growth Factor for Gene Therapy of Silicosis in Mice

Purpose: Silicosis is a serious occupational disease that is characterized by pulmonary infiltrates and fibrosis and is often refractory to current treatments. New therapeutic strategies for silicosis are needed. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a latent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic growth factor. Methods: We prepared a polyethyleneimine-polyethylene glycol/pHGF/hyaluronic acid (PEG-PEI/pHGF/HA) nanomaterials loaded with plasmid DNA encoding HGF gene to increase its transfection efficiency. The characterization, including DNA entrapment efficiency, morphology, particle size, and zeta-potential of PEG-PEI/pHGF/HA was studied. And a PEG-PEI/pHGF/HA (N/P=30:1) nanoparticle with low toxicity and high transfection efficiency was used in treatment for silicosis in mice. Results: The results showed that the human HGF expression in the lungs of the mice was increased, and the inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrous collagen deposition was significantly reduced. Conclusion: Therefore, PEG-PEI/pHGF/HA nanoparticle warrant further investigation and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for silicosis.