In Vivo Transfection 

An efficient in vivo transfection is the key to success; many lives can be saved through this technology. It is the result of the many years of struggle that in vivo transfection technology has arisen. 

Transfection is a different kind of procedure from transduction. It is a non-viral process of introducing nucleic acid into the cells. In the in vivo transfection, the nucleic acid is injected into the living organism. This procedure injects the foreign gene into the host cell to treat the target disease, tissue, or organ. Not only nucleic acid and antibodies can also be introduced to the host cell.  

History of In Vivo Transfection 

Jon Wolff and his colleagues spent many years studying in vivo transfection. Finally, in 1990, add the University of Wisconsin they were the first to represent the naked plasmid DNA and the expression by muscle cells in vivo. After six years, Jon Wolff and one of his colleagues displayed that naked plasmid DNA can be delivered in vivo liver cells by using high-quality or volume injection. It was impossible to treat inherited diseases; after the evolvement of in vivo transfection, it is possible to cure genetic diseases. Short interference ribonucleic acid (siRNA) and micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) has been transferred into the mammalian cells in vitro, however in vivo approach requires effective (and in some cases – targeted) transfection reagents.   

Clinical Approach for In Vivo Transfection 

After discovering different in vivo reagents, it becomes relatively easy to enter or inject foreign genetic material into targeted organs in the organism. There is the possibility of injecting direct nucleic acid through the skin, and the in vivo transfection methods can be comprehensive and consist of two steps.  

There are commercially available reagents (see below) that are available for delivery of genetic material, such as RNA, DNA, micro RNA, siRNA, and oligonucleotides. In the past the animal models were showing somewhat positive results, but when various methods were tested it appeared that very few animal models had efficacy of the in vivo transfection combined with low toxicity. Researchers promise to do more successful trials of in vivo transfection to give the hope of life against the threatening diseases. They said that in vivo transfection can be painless, less time-consuming, and more beneficial technique, but still requires extensive animal research to enable successful human therapeutics in the future. 

BEST COMMERCIAL IN VIVO TRANSFECTION KITS (AS OF SEPTEMBER 2023)

These in vivo transfection kits were featured for highest efficacy and no immune response by Science magazine:

Nanoparticle-based Delivery Kit – Targeted tissues: Lung, Liver, Heart, Kidney, Tumors

Mouse/Rat PEG-liposome Transfection Reagent – Targeted tissues: Spleen, Liver, Kidney, Tumors

Kidney-targeted Transfection Reagent – Targeted tissues: Kidney, Kidney Tumors

In Vivo Liver-targeted Transfection Kit – Targeted tissues: Liver, Liver Tumors

Transfection kits manufactured by Altogen Biosystems