dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine and vinyl-ether

The conception of a modular designed and viruslike nonviral vector has been presented for gene delivery. Recently, we constructed a new smart nanoassembly (SNA) with multifunctional components that was composed of a condensed core of pDNA with protamine sulfate (PS) and a dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)-based lipid envelope containing poly(ethylene glycol)--vinyl ether--DOPE (PVD). SNAs with mPEG 2000 (SNAs1) or mPEG 5000 (SNAs2) loading PS/DNA were prepared by the lipid film hydration technique. The particle size was about 160 nm for SNAs1 and 240 nm for SNAs2 loading PS/DNA (10:1 w/w), and the zeta potential was about 4 mV for two SNAs. The in vitro release experiment indicated that PVD possessed a good ability for self-dePEGylation, which could result in the recovery of an excellent fusogenic capacity of DOPE at low pH. SNAs showed a higher transfection efficiency and much lower cytotoxicity than did Lipofectamine 2000 on HEK 293, HeLa, and COS-7 cells. The cellular uptake and subcellular localization demonstrated that the superior transfection efficiency of SNAs could result from the fact that the DOPE-based lipid envelope containing PVD increased PS/DNA in the cytoplasm, and protamine enhanced the nuclear delivery or overcame the nuclear membrane barrier. These results implied that the PVD-based nanoassembly loading PS/DNA could be a promising gene delivery system.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Survival; DNA; Gene Transfer Techniques; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Nanostructures; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Polyethylene Glycols; Protamines; Transfection; Vinyl Compounds

Four structurally related, acid-labile polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated vinyl ether lipids have been synthesized and used at low molar ratios to stabilize the nonlamellar, highly fusogenic lipid, dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine, as unilamellar liposomes. Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the vinyl ether bond destabilized these liposomes by removal of the sterically-stabilizing PEG layer, thereby promoting contents release on the hours timescale at pH<5. Structure-property correlations of these compounds suggested that single vinyl ether linkages between the PEG headgroup and the lipid backbone produce faster leakage rates. These studies also suggested that the presence of a slight negative charge at the membrane surface can accelerate the acid-catalyzed leakage process.

Topics: Acids; Fluoresceins; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Indicators and Reagents; Lipids; Liposomes; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Polyethylene Glycols; Vinyl Compounds