The Role of the CLIC/GEEC Endocytic Pathway for Mechanophysical Transfection of DNA

Sean Weaver; Emran O Lallow; Kelly Kyker-Snowman; Nandita C Jhumur; Melissa Gulley; Christine C Roberts; David I Shreiber; Hao Lin; Joel N Maslow

doi:10.1002/jgm.70059

The Role of the CLIC/GEEC Endocytic Pathway for Mechanophysical Transfection of DNA

J Gene Med. 2025 Dec;27(12):e70059. doi: 10.1002/jgm.70059.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ GeneOne Life Science, Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey, USA.
⁵ Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

Abstract

The clathrin-independent carriers/glycosylphosphatidylinositol-attached protein-enriched endosomal compartments (CLIC/GEEC) pathway is a clarithin- and dynamin-independent endocytic pathway. CLIC/GEEC-mediated endocytosis is a large-capacity, rapid-acting process that is utilized by cells for bulk uptake of nutrients and membrane-anchored cargo and for homeostatic maintenance of membrane tension. Here, we present a brief overview of this pathway, including its known molecular mechanisms, inhibitors, activity in different cell types, and its potential relevance in mechanophysical DNA transfection.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Clathrin / metabolism
DNA* / genetics
DNA* / metabolism
Endocytosis*
Endosomes* / metabolism
Humans
Transfection* / methods

Substances

DNA
Clathrin