Delivery of electric pulses for DNA electrotransfer to mouse muscle does not induce the expression of stress related genes.

In vivo gene transfer to skeletal muscle is a promising strategy for the treatment of muscle disorders and for the systemic delivery of therapeutic proteins. Electrotransfer is a powerful method for DNA transfer into skeletal muscle. In view of the broad potential gene therapy clinical application of electrotransfer offers, it is important to perform toxicology studies on electrotransfered muscle tissue. We have investigated if the delivery of square wave electric pulses of low field strength and long duration to mouse tibial cranial muscle induced the expression of stress related genes. We have profiled gene expression patterns in muscles at different times after delivery of electric pulses using Stress/Toxicology microarrays. No significant variation in the expression of stress related-genes was detected between treated and non-treated muscles. This suggests that application of adequate, fine-tuned, electric pulses to the skeletal muscle is a non-toxic technique for gene therapy.