Cytoplasmic delivery of biomolecules by using freeze concentration

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12895
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: MATSUMURA Kazuaki 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (00432328)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ドラッグデリバリー / 遺伝子デリバリー / タンパク質デリバリー / 凍結 / 凍結濃縮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed an innovative technology to deliver useful biomolecules into cells by utilizing freeze concentration phenomenon in which substances are eliminated from ice crystals upon freezing and unfrozen phases are concentrated. When the cells are frozen in the presence of the cryoprotectant, the extracellular solution is first frozen and the residual water is concentrated. By adding a biomolecules to be delivered into a cell to a carrier with high interaction with the cell membrane, the complex is concentrated near the cell membrane at the time of freezing. After thawing, the concentrated carriers are taken into cells by endocytosis without diffusing due to strong interaction, escape from the endosome, transfer to the cytoplasm and exert its function. By this method, efficient intracellular transport method such as protein and gene was proposed.

Free Research Field

生体材料学