Cationic lioposomes with folic acid as targeting ligand for gene delivery.

In our previous Letter, we have carried out the synthesis of a novel DDCTMA cationic lipid which was formulated with DOPE for gene delivery. Herein, we used folic acid (FA) as targeting ligand and cholesterol (Chol) as helper lipid instead of DOPE for enhancing the stability of the liposomes. These liposomes were characterized by dynamic laser scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and agarose gel electrophoresis assays of pDNA binding affinity. The lipoplexes were prepared by using different weight ratios of DDCTMA/Chol (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1) liposomes and different concentrations of FA (50-200µg/mL) combining with pDNA. The transfection efficiencies of the lipoplexes were evaluated using pGFP-N2 and pGL3 plasmid DNA against NCI-H460 cells in vitro. Among them, the optimum gene transfection efficiency with DDCTMA/Chol (3:1)/FA (100µg/mL) was obtained. The results showed that FA could improve the gene transfection efficiencies of DDCTMA/Chol cationic liposome. Our results also convincingly demonstrated FA (100µg/mL)-coated DDCTMA/Chol (3:1) cationic liposome could serve as a promising candidate for the gene delivery.

[Comparison of two kinds of cationic vectors-mediated gene delivery].

In order to study the important factors involved in cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer, Lipofectamine 2000 or DOTAP was evaluated using three types of cells (Hep-2, MCF-7 and SW-480) in vitro transfection efficiencies. Different properties of the two reagents were analyzed and compared by DNA arrearage assay and MTT assay. Both Lipofectamine 2000 and DOTAP had strong capability to combine with DNA; Lipofectamine 2000 can get higher transfection efficiency of the three cells by using GFP as report gene, meanwhile, DOTAP can also get higher transfection efficiency against Hep-2 cell. However, DOTAP showed lower transfection efficiency against MCF-7 and SW-480 cell. On the other hand, the cytotoxicity assay showed that over 85% cell viability of MCF-7 cell could be achieved both by Lipofectamine 2000 and DOTAP under the optimal transfection condition. Relatively speaking, Lipofectamine 2000 has very high transfection efficiency in a broad range of cell lines, but because of the special selectivity of cell type on liposome, DOTAP also has a broad application prospect.

Novel gemini cationic lipids with carbamate groups for gene delivery.

To obtain efficient non-viral vectors, a series of Gemini cationic lipids with carbamate linkers between headgroups and hydrophobic tails were synthesized. They have the hydrocarbon chains of 12, 14, 16 and 18 carbon atoms as tails, designated as G12, G14, G16 and G18, respectively. These Gemini cationic lipids were prepared into cationic liposomes for the study of the physicochemical properties and gene delivery. The DNA-bonding ability of these Gemini cationic liposomes was much better than their mono-head counterparts (designated as M12, M14, M16 and M18, respectively). In the same series of liposomes, bonding ability declined with an increase in tail length. They were tested for their gene-transferring capabilities in Hep-2 and A549 cells. They showed higher transfection efficiency than their mono-head counterparts and were comparable or superior in transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity to the commercial liposomes, DOTAP and Lipofectamine 2000. Our results convincingly demonstrate that the gene-transferring capabilities of these cationic lipids depended on hydrocarbon chain length. Gene transfection efficiency was maximal at a chain length of 14, as G14 can silence about 80 % of luciferase in A549 cells. Cell uptake results indicate that Gemini lipid delivery systems could be internalised by cells very efficiently. Thus, the Gemini cationic lipids could be used as synthetic non-viral gene delivery carriers for further study.