The phase behavior of cationic lipid-DNA complexes

We present a theoretical analysis of the phase behavior of solutions containing DNA, cationic lipids, and nonionic (helper) lipids. Our model allows for five possible structures, treated as incompressible macroscopic phases: two lipid-DNA composite (lipoplex) phases, namely, the lamellar (L(alpha)(C)) and hexagonal (H(II)(C)) complexes; two binary (cationic/neutral) lipid phases, that is, the bilayer (L(alpha)) and inverse-hexagonal (H(II)) structures, and uncomplexed DNA. The free energy of the four lipid-containing phases is expressed as a sum of composition-dependent electrostatic, elastic, and mixing terms. The electrostatic free energies of all phases are calculated based on Poisson-Boltzmann theory. The phase diagram of the system is evaluated by minimizing the total free energy of the three-component mixture with respect to all the compositional degrees of freedom. We show that the phase behavior, in particular the preferred lipid-DNA complex geometry, is governed by a subtle interplay between the electrostatic, elastic, and mixing terms, which depend, in turn, on the lipid composition and lipid/DNA ratio. Detailed calculations are presented for three prototypical systems, exhibiting markedly different phase behaviors. The simplest mixture corresponds to a rigid planar membrane as the lipid source, in which case, only lamellar complexes appear in solution. When the membranes are "soft" (i.e., low bending modulus) the system exhibits the formation of both lamellar and hexagonal complexes, sometimes coexisting with each other, and with pure lipid or DNA phases. The last system corresponds to a lipid mixture involving helper lipids with strong propensity toward the inverse-hexagonal phase. Here, again, the phase diagram is rather complex, revealing a multitude of phase transitions and coexistences. Lamellar and hexagonal complexes appear, sometimes together, in different regions of the phase diagram.     

Phase diagram, stability, and overcharging of lamellar cationic lipid-DNA self-assembled complexes.

Cationic lipid-DNA (CL-DNA) complexes comprise a promising new class of synthetic nonviral gene delivery systems. When positively charged, they attach to the anionic cell surface and transfer DNA into the cell cytoplasm. We report a comprehensive x-ray diffraction study of the lamellar CL-DNA self-assemblies as a function of lipid composition and lipid/DNA ratio, aimed at elucidating the interactions determining their structure, charge, and thermodynamic stability. The driving force for the formation of charge-neutral complexes is the release of DNA and lipid counterions. Negatively charged complexes have a higher DNA packing density than isoelectric complexes, whereas positively charged ones have a lower packing density. This indicates that the overcharging of the complex away from its isoelectric point is caused by changes of the bulk structure with absorption of excess DNA or cationic lipid. The degree of overcharging is dependent on the membrane charge density, which is controlled by the ratio of neutral to cationic lipid in the bilayers. Importantly, overcharged complexes are observed to move toward their isoelectric charge-neutral point at higher concentration of salt co-ions, with positively overcharged complexes expelling cationic lipid and negatively overcharged complexes expelling DNA. Our observations should apply universally to the formation and structure of self-assemblies between oppositely charged macromolecules.     

Physico-chemical aspects of the interaction between DNA and oppositely charged mixed liposomes

The mechanism of complex formation between DNA and oppositely charged dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide/dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DODAB/DOPE) and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP)/DOPE mixed liposomes, as well as the physico-chemical properties of DNA-mixed liposome complexes, were examined. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the interaction between DNA and oppositely charged mixed liposomes started at very low liposome concentrations and induced a discrete coil-globule transition in individual DNA molecules. The DNA size distribution was bimodal in a wide range of liposome concentrations. The critical concentration of the cationic lipid needed for the complete compaction of single DNA molecules depended on the composition of the charged mixed DODAB/DOPE and DOTAP/DOPE liposomes. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) observations of DNA complexes with mixed liposomes revealed that the lamellar packing of lipid molecules was typical for the complexes formed from the cationic lipid-enriched mixtures, while inverted hexagonal arrays were found for the neutral lipid-enriched complexes. The microstructures of the complexes were also examined with the use of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique, which confirmed the results obtained by cryo-TE microscopy and enabled the quantitative characterization of lipid packaging in the complexes with DNA macromolecules. We also found that the introduction of the neutral lipid into the complexes between DNA and oppositely charged lipids, DODAB and DOTAP, moderately increased the thermal stability of the complexes and changed the quantitative characteristics of the melting profiles of the complexes.     

Nanostructures of complexes formed by calf thymus DNA interacting with cationic surfactants

Synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering was used to study the nanostructures of the complexes formed by calf thymus DNA interacting with cationic lipids (or surfactants) of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and their mixture with a zwitterionic lipid of 1-palmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PHGPC). The effects of lipid/DNA ratios, DNA chain flexibility, lipid topology, and neutral lipid mixing on the nanostructures of DNA-lipid complexes were investigated. The complexes between double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and double-tailed DDAB formed a bilayered lamellar structure, whereas the complexes between dsDNA and single-tailed CTAB preferred a structure of 2D hexagonal close packing of cylinders. With single stranded DNA (ssDNA) interacting with CTAB, the complexes showed a Pm3n cubic structure due to the different chain flexibility between dsDNA and ssDNA. The lipid molecules bound by rigid dsDNA like to form cylindrical micelles, whereas lipids bound to flexible ssDNA could form spherical or short cylindrical micelles. The addition of the neutral single-chained PHGPC lipids to the CTAB lipids could induce a structural transition of dsDNA-lipid complexes from a 2D hexagonal to a multi-bilayered lamellar structure. The parallel DNA strands were intercalated in the water layers of lamellar stacks of the mixed lipid bilayers. The DNA-DNA spacing depended on the ratios of charged lipid to neutral lipid, and charged lipid to DNA, respectively.     

Polymorphism of pyridinium amphiphiles for gene delivery: influence of ionic strength, helper lipid content, and plasmid DNA complexation

Two double-tailed pyridinium cationic amphiphiles, differing only in the degree of unsaturation of the alkyl chains, have been selected for a detailed study of their aggregation behavior, under conditions employed for transfection experiments. The transfection efficiencies of the two molecules are remarkably different, especially when combined with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) as helper lipid. The phase behavior of the cationic amphiphile/DOPE mixtures have been studied using (31)P- and (2)H-NMR (on deuterated cationic amphiphiles) as main techniques, to monitor independently the behavior of the two components. In water, the lamellar organization is dominant for both the surfactants in their mixtures with the helper lipid. In HEPES saline buffer (HBS), the mixtures of the unsaturated surfactant form inverted phases and, in particular, stable H(II) phases for DOPE contents > or =30 mol %. By contrast, the saturated surfactant does not form homogeneously mixed inverted phases in mixtures with DOPE at room temperature. However, mixed inverted phases are observed for this system at higher temperatures and, after mixing has been achieved by heating, the metastable mixed phases remain present for several hours at 5 degrees C. At 35 degrees C the dominant phase is the cubic phase. The lipoplex composed of equimolar mixtures of the unsaturated surfactant with DOPE and plasmid DNA was found to be organized in highly curved bilayers.     

Plasmid DNA size does not affect the physicochemical properties of lipoplexes but modulates gene transfer efficiency.

Clinical applications of gene therapy mainly depend on the development of efficient gene transfer vectors. Large DNA molecules can only be transfected into cells by using synthetic vectors such as cationic lipids and polymers. The present investigation was therefore designed to explore the physicochemical properties of cationic lipid-DNA particles, with plasmids ranging from 900 to 52 500 bp. The colloidal stability of the lipoplexes formed by complexing lipopolyamine micelles with plasmid DNA of various lengths, depending on the charge ratio, resulted in the formation of three domains, respectively corresponding to negatively, neutrally and positively charged lipoplexes. Lipoplex morphology and structure were determined by the physicochemical characteristics of the DNA and of the cationic lipid. Thus, the lamellar spacing of the structure was determined by the cationic lipid and its spherical morphology by the DNA. The main result of this study was that the morphological and structural features of the lipopolyamine-DNA complexes did not depend on plasmid DNA length. On the other hand, their gene transfer capacity was affected by the size of plasmid DNA molecules which were sandwiched between the lipid bilayers. The most effective lipopolyamine-DNA complexes for gene transfer were those containing the shortest plasmid DNA.     

Intracellular accumulation of secreted proteoglycans inhibits cationic lipid-mediated gene transfer. Co-transfer of glycosaminoglycans to the nucleus.

Molecules secreted by potential target cells may interfere with cationic lipid-mediated gene transfer. This has been studied using human lung fibroblasts and human epidermoid lung cancer cells. Secreted cell medium components caused a substantial decrease both in the uptake of cationic lipid-DNA complexes (2-4-fold) and in reporter gene expression (100-1000-fold). Metabolic labeling of the cell medium showed that especially [35S]sulfate-labeled macromolecules competed with DNA for binding to the cationic lipid. Release of DNA from the cationic lipid by cell medium components was demonstrated by an ethidium bromide intercalation assay. In the presence of the cationic lipid, the secreted macromolecules were internalized by the cells. By enzymatic digestions, it was shown that the competing macromolecules consist of chondroitin/dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate proteoglycans and that the effects on transfection were mediated by the polyanionic glycosaminoglycan portion of the proteoglycan. Accordingly, pretreatment of cell medium with the polycationic peptide protamine sulfate abrogated the inhibitory effects on gene transfer. Fluorescence microscopy studies revealed that heparan sulfate, internalized as a complex with cationic lipids, accumulated in the cell nuclei. These results support the view that the lack of specificity of this type of gene transfer vehicle is a major hindrance to efficient and safe in vivo administration.     

Novel fluorescent cationic phospholipid, O-4-napthylimido-1-butyl-DOPC, exhibits unusual foam morphology, forms hexagonal and cubic phases in mixtures, and transfects DNA

The novel cationic triester of phosphatidylcholine, O-4-napthylimido-1-butyl-dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (NB-DOPC), has been synthesized: 1-amino-4-butanol was reacted with napthylic anhydride to form 4-hydroxybutyl-1-napthylamide, which was then reacted with triflic anhydride; the resultant triflate was reacted with dioleoylphosphatidylcholine so as to transfer the napthylimido-butyl group to the unsubstituted phosphate oxygen. The resultant compound is thus not only positively charged, but also has a bulky hydrophobic moiety attached to the headgroup. This novel cationic phospholipid exhibits a peculiar long-living foam-like morphology upon hydration, which could have applications in encapsulation and delivery. It is characterized by high adhesiveness to hydrophobic surfaces. X-ray diffraction showed that it forms a lamellar structure of rather short repeat period, indicative of an unusually small interlamellar separation and low hydration level. It readily incorporates DNA and organizes into lamellar lipoplexes. These DNA-lipid complexes effectively transfect DNA into cells. In an equimolar mixture of this lipid with the anionic dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol lamellar arrays coexist with disordered uncorrelated structures, however, these transform into a bicontinuous cubic phase, Pn3m, upon addition of DNA. When mixed with another anionic lipid, cardiolipin, at a NB-DOPC/ cardiolipin 2:1 molar ratio, it forms the inverted hexagonal phase which is of potential interest for nanotechnology applications.     

Natural lipid extracts and biomembrane-mimicking lipid compositions are disposed to form nonlamellar phases, and they release DNA from lipoplexes most efficiently

A viewpoint now emerging is that a critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection (lipofection) is the structural evolution of lipoplexes upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. Here we report our finding that lipid mixtures mimicking biomembrane lipid compositions are superior to pure anionic liposomes in their ability to release DNA from lipoplexes (cationic lipid/DNA complexes), even though they have a much lower negative charge density (and thus lower capacity to neutralize the positive charge of the lipoplex lipids). Flow fluorometry revealed that the portion of DNA released after a 30-min incubation of the cationic O-ethylphosphatidylcholine lipoplexes with the anionic phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol was 19% and 37%, respectively, whereas a mixture mimicking biomembranes (MM: phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidylserine /cholesterol 45:20:20:15 w/w) and polar lipid extract from bovine liver released 62% and 74%, respectively, of the DNA content. A possible reason for this superior power in releasing DNA by the natural lipid mixtures was suggested by structural experiments: while pure anionic lipids typically form lamellae, the natural lipid mixtures exhibited a surprising predilection to form nonlamellar phases. Thus, the MM mixture arranged into lamellar arrays at physiological temperature, but began to convert to the hexagonal phase at a slightly higher temperature, approximately 40-45 degrees C. A propensity to form nonlamellar phases (hexagonal, cubic, micellar) at close to physiological temperatures was also found with the lipid extracts from natural tissues (from bovine liver, brain, and heart). This result reveals that electrostatic interactions are only one of the factors involved in lipid-mediated DNA delivery. The tendency of lipid bilayers to form nonlamellar phases has been described in terms of bilayer "frustration" which imposes a nonzero intrinsic curvature of the two opposing monolayers. Because the stored curvature elastic energy in a "frustrated" bilayer seems to be comparable to the binding energy between cationic lipid and DNA, the balance between these two energies could play a significant role in the lipoplex-membrane interactions and DNA release energetics.     

Cationic lipids and cationic ligands induce DNA helix denaturation: detection of single stranded regions by KMnO4 probing

Cationic lipids and cationic polymers are widely used in gene delivery. Using 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) as a cationic lipid, we have investigated the stability of the DNA in DOTAP:DNA complexes by probing with potassium permanganate (KMnO4). Interestingly, thymidines followed by a purine showed higher susceptibility to cationic ligand-mediated melting. Similar studies performed with other water-soluble cationic ligands such as polylysine, protamine sulfate and polyethyleneimine also demonstrated melting of the DNA but with variations. Small cations such as spermine and spermidine and a cationic detergent, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, also rendered the DNA susceptible to modification by KMnO4. The data presented here provide direct proof for melting of DNA upon interaction with cationic lipids. Structural changes subsequent to binding of cationic lipids/ligands to DNA may lead to instability and formation of DNA bubbles in double-stranded DNA.     

Molecular shape of the cationic lipid controls the structure of cationic lipid/dioleylphosphatidylethanolamine-DNA complexes and the efficiency of gene delivery

Pyridinium amphiphiles, abbreviated as SAINT, are highly efficient vectors for delivery of DNA into cells. Within a group of structurally related compounds that differ in transfection capacity, we have investigated the role of the shape and structure of the pyridinium molecule on the stability of bilayers formed from a given SAINT and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and on the polymorphism of SAINT/DOPE-DNA complexes. Using electron microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering, a relationship was established between the structure, stability, and morphology of the lipoplexes and their transfection efficiency. The structure with the lowest ratio of the cross-sectional area occupied by polar over hydrophobic domains (SAINT-2) formed the most unstable bilayers when mixed with DOPE and tended to convert into the hexagonal structure. In SAINT-2-containing lipoplexes, a hexagonal topology was apparent, provided that DOPE was present and complex assembly occurred in 150 mm NaCl. If not, a lamellar phase was obtained, as for lipoplexes prepared from geometrically more balanced SAINT structures. The hexagonal topology strongly promotes transfection efficiency, whereas a strongly reduced activity is seen for complexes displaying the lamellar topology. We conclude that in the DOPE-containing complexes the molecular shape and the nonbilayer preferences of the cationic lipid control the topology of the lipoplex and thereby the transfection efficiency.     

Natural lipid extracts and biomembrane-mimicking lipid compositions are disposed to form nonlamellar phases, and they release DNA from lipoplexes most efficiently

A viewpoint now emerging is that a critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection (lipofection) is the structural evolution of lipoplexes upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. Here we report our finding that lipid mixtures mimicking biomembrane lipid compositions are superior to pure anionic liposomes in their ability to release DNA from lipoplexes (cationic lipid/DNA complexes), even though they have a much lower negative charge density (and thus lower capacity to neutralize the positive charge of the lipoplex lipids). Flow fluorometry revealed that the portion of DNA released after a 30-min incubation of the cationic O-ethylphosphatidylcholine lipoplexes with the anionic phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol was 19% and 37%, respectively, whereas a mixture mimicking biomembranes (MM: phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidylserine /cholesterol 45:20:20:15 w/w) and polar lipid extract from bovine liver released 62% and 74%, respectively, of the DNA content. A possible reason for this superior power in releasing DNA by the natural lipid mixtures was suggested by structural experiments: while pure anionic lipids typically form lamellae, the natural lipid mixtures exhibited a surprising predilection to form nonlamellar phases. Thus, the MM mixture arranged into lamellar arrays at physiological temperature, but began to convert to the hexagonal phase at a slightly higher temperature, ∼ 40-45 °C. A propensity to form nonlamellar phases (hexagonal, cubic, micellar) at close to physiological temperatures was also found with the lipid extracts from natural tissues (from bovine liver, brain, and heart). This result reveals that electrostatic interactions are only one of the factors involved in lipid-mediated DNA delivery. The tendency of lipid bilayers to form nonlamellar phases has been described in terms of bilayer “frustration” which imposes a nonzero intrinsic curvature of the two opposing monolayers. Because the stored curvature elastic energy in a “frustrated” bilayer seems to be comparable to the binding energy between cationic lipid and DNA, the balance between these two energies could play a significant role in the lipoplex-membrane interactions and DNA release energetics.     

Surface charge markedly attenuates the nonlamellar phase-forming propensities of lipid bilayer membranes: calorimetric and (31)P-nuclear magnetic resonance studies of mixtures of cationic, anionic, and zwitterionic lipids

The lamellar/nonlamellar phase preferences of lipid model membranes composed of mixtures of several cationic lipids with various zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids were examined by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. All of the cationic lipids utilized in this study form only lamellar phases in isolation. Mixtures of these cationic lipids with zwitterionic strongly lamellar phase-preferring lipids such as phosphatidylcholine form only the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase even at high temperatures, as expected. Moreover, mixtures of these cationic lipids with strongly nonlamellar phase-preferring zwitterionic lipids such as phosphatidylethanolamine exhibit a markedly reduced propensity to form inverted nonlamellar phases, again as expected. However, when mixed with anionic lipids such as phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolipin, or phosphatidic acid, a marked enhancement of nonlamellar phase-forming propensity occurs, despite the fact both components of the mixture are nominally lamellar phase-preferring. An examination of the lamellar/nonlamellar phase transition temperatures and the nature of the nonlamellar phases formed, as a function of temperature and of the composition of the mixture, indicates that the propensity to form inverted nonlamellar phases is maximal in mixtures where the mean surface charge of the membrane surface approaches neutrality and decreases markedly with increases in the density of positive or negative charge at the membrane surface. Moreover, the onset temperatures of the reversed hexagonal phase rise more steeply than do those of the inverted cubic phase as the ratio of cationic and anionic lipids is varied, suggesting that the formation of inverted hexagonal phases is more sensitive to this surface charge effect. These results indicate that surface charge per se is a significant and effective modulator of the lamellar/nonlamellar phase preferences of membrane lipids and that charged group interactions at membrane surfaces may have a major role in regulating this particular membrane property.     

Structure and internal organization of overcharged cationic-lipid/peptide/DNA self-assembly complexes

The combination of cationic lipids with cationic peptides and DNA vectors can produce synergistic effects in gene delivery to eukaryotic cells. Binary complexes of cationic lipids with DNA are well-studied whereas little information is available about the structure of the ternary lipid/peptide/DNA (LPD) complexes and mechanisms defining DNA protection and delivery. Here we use synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering zeta-potential measurements to determine structure and the net charge of supramolecular aggregates of complexes in mixtures of plasmid DNA, cationic liposomes formed from DOTAP, plus a linear cationic ε-oligolysine with the pendant α-amino acids Leu-Tyr-Arg (LYR), ε-(LYR)K10. These ternary complexes display multilamellar structures with relatively constant separation between DOTAP bilayers, accommodating a hydrated monolayer of parallel DNA rods. The DNA-DNA distance in the complexes varies as a function of the net positive to negative (lipid+peptide)/DNA charge ratio. An explanation for the observed dependence of DNA-DNA distance on charge ratio was proposed based on general polyelectrolyte properties of non-stoichiometric polycation-DNA mixtures.     

Osmotically Induced Reversible Transitions in Lipid-DNA Mesophases

We follow the effect of osmotic pressure on isoelectric complexes that self-assemble from mixtures of DNA and mixed neutral and cationic lipids. Using small angle x-ray diffraction and freeze-fracture cryo-electron microscopy, we find that lamellar complexes known to form in aqueous solutions can reversibly transition to hexagonal mesophases under high enough osmotic stress exerted by adding a neutral polymer. Using molecular spacings derived from x-ray diffraction, we estimate the reversible osmotic pressure-volume (Π-V) work needed to induce this transition. We find that the transition free energy is comparable to the work required to elastically bend lipid layers around DNA. Consistent with this, the required work is significantly lowered by an addition of hexanol, which is known to soften lipid bilayers. Our findings not only help to resolve the free-energy contributions associated with lipid-DNA complex formation, but they also demonstrate the importance that osmotic stress can have to the macromolecular phase geometry in realistic biological environments.     

DNA-lipid complexes: stability of honeycomb-like and spaghetti-like structures.

A molecular level theory is presented for the thermodynamic stability of two (similar) types of structural complexes formed by (either single strand or supercoiled) DNA and cationic liposomes, both involving a monolayer-coated DNA as the central structural unit. In the "spaghetti" complex the central unit is surrounded by another, oppositely curved, monolayer, thus forming a bilayer mantle. The "honeycomb" complex is a bundle of hexagonally packed DNA-monolayer units. The formation free energy of these complexes, starting from a planar cationic/neutral lipid bilayer and bare DNA, is expressed as a sum of electrostatic, bending, mixing, and (for the honeycomb) chain frustration contributions. The electrostatic free energy is calculated using the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The bending energy of the mixed lipid layers is treated in the quadratic curvature approximation with composition-dependent bending rigidity and spontaneous curvature. Ideal lipid mixing is assumed within each lipid monolayer. We found that the most stable monolayer-coated DNA units are formed when the charged/neutral lipid composition corresponds (nearly) to charge neutralization; the optimal monolayer radius corresponds to close DNA-monolayer contact. These conclusions are also valid for the honeycomb complex, as the chain frustration energy is found to be negligible. Typically, the stabilization energies for these structures are on the order of 1 k(B)T/A of DNA length, reflecting mainly the balance between the electrostatic and bending energies. The spaghetti complexes are less stable due to the additional bending energy of the external monolayer. A thermodynamic analysis is presented for calculating the equilibrium lipid compositions when the complexes coexist with excess bilayer.     

Enhancement of transfection efficiency by protamine in DDAB lipid vesicle-mediated gene transfer.

We have previously developed a simple gene transfection procedure mediated by cationic lipid vesicles for animal cells, in which a commercially available cationic surfactant, dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDAB), was used for making lipid vesicles. In the present study, we examined enhancement of transfection efficiency for this method by adding protamine to plasmid DNA solution before the formation of DNA/lipid vesicle complexes. Both free-base protamine and protamine sulfate provided enhanced transfection efficiency and expression level, but the optimal amount of the two protamines was different. The enhancement in transfection efficiency and expression level by protamines was observed in all the cell lines (COS-7, Hela, NIH3T3, MDCK, and BHK-21C13) and all the plasmids (pCMVbeta, pmiwZ, and pCH110) tested. The enhancement in both transfection efficiency and expression level was at most 20-fold compared with that using only DDAB lipid vesicles. Protamines seemed to protect DNA from degradation by DNase and promote DNA delivery into a nucleus.     

Structures of lipid-DNA complexes: supramolecular assembly and gene delivery

Recently, there has been a flurry of experimental work on understanding the supramolecular assemblies that are formed when cationic liposomes (CLs) are mixed with DNA. From a biomedical point of view, CLs (vesicles) are empirically known to be carriers of genes (sections of DNA) in nonviral gene delivery applications. Although viral-based carriers of DNA are presently the most common method of gene delivery, nonviral synthetic methods are rapidly emerging as alternative carriers, because of their ease of production and nonimmunogenicity (viral carriers very often evoke an undesirable and potentially lethal immune response). At the moment, cationic-lipid-based carriers have emerged as the most popular nonviral method to deliver genes in therapeutic applications, for example, CL carriers are used extensively in clinical trials worldwide. However, because the mechanism of transfection (the transfer of DNA into cells by CL carriers, followed by expression) of CL--DNA complexes remains largely unknown, the measured efficiencies are, at present, very low. The low transfection efficiencies of current nonviral gene delivery methods are the result of poorly understood transfection-related mechanisms at the molecular and self-assembled levels. Recently, work has been carried out on determining the supramolecular structures of CL--DNA complexes by the quantitative technique of synchrotron X-ray diffraction. When DNA is mixed with CLs (composed of mixtures of cationic DOTAP and neutral DOPC lipids), the resulting CL--DNA complex consists of a multilamellar structure (L(alpha)(C)) comprising DNA monolayers sandwiched between lipid bilayers. The existence of a different columnar inverted hexagonal (H(II)(C)) phase in CL--DNA complexes was also demonstrated using synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Ongoing functional studies and optical imaging of cells are expected to clarify the relationship between the supramolecular structures of CL--DNA complexes and transfection efficiency.     

Design,synthesis, and evaluation of gadolinium cationic lipids as tools for biodistribution studies of gene delivery complexes

Gadolinium-chelating cationic lipids have been synthesized to obtain lipoplexes with MRI contrast properties. These compounds were designed to follow the biodistribution of synthetic DNA for gene delivery by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The lipid MCO-I-68 was synthesized, and chelate complexes with gadolinium were formed and characterized in terms of physicochemical and DNA binding properties. The transfection activity of MCO-I-68-Gd/DNA complexes was assayed in vitro on NIH 3T3. Different formulations of the product were tested. When up to 5% of the gadolinium lipid complexes were co-formulated with the cationic lipid RPR120535 used as a reference, the transfection levels were maintained as compared to RPR120535 alone. To date, only a liposomal formulation of a gadolinium-cationic lipid chelate without DNA had been observed using magnetic resonance imaging. In vivo intratumoral administration of MCO-I-68-Gd/DNA lipoplexes to tumor model led to an important increase of the NMR signal. It was demonstrated that the new complexes also acted as transfection carriers when they were formulated from liposomes.