Delivery of plasmid DNA to mammalian cells using polymer-gold nanorod assemblies

Abstract

Functionalized and surface-modified gold nanorods (GNRs) have emerged as promising vehicles for the delivery of several therapeutic agents. Ease of functionalization, increased stability, biocompatibility, and size-dependent plasmonic properties make gold nanorods attractive in sensing, imaging, and delivery to different cellular types. Here, we demonstrate the use of polyelectrolyte-coated GNRs (PE-GNRs) for delivering plasmid DNA to mammalian cells for transgene expression. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.