title: Biosurfactants of MEL-A increase gene transfection mediated by cationic liposomes.
abstract: Many microorganisms growing on water-insoluble substrates have been known to produce surface-active compounds called biosurfactants. Although biosurfactants have received increasing attention due to their special properties, there has been no information available until now of a role for them with regard to gene transfection. Thus, we studied here the effects of biosurfactants on gene transfection by cationic liposomes with a cationic cholesterol derivative. Our results showed clearly that a biosurfactant of mannosylerythritol lipid A (MEL-A) increased dramatically the efficiency of gene transfection mediated by cationic liposomes with a cationic cholesterol derivative. Among them, the liposomes with a cationic cholesterol derivative, cholesteryl-3 beta-carboxyamindoethylene-N-hydroxyethylamine (I), were much more effective for gene transfection than the liposomes with DC-Chol (cholesteryl-3 beta-oxycarboxyamidoethylenedimethylamine) or liposomes without MEL-A in various cultured cells. This demonstrates that this new finding has great potential in the experiment of gene transfection and gene therapy mediated by nonviral vectors such as cationic liposomes.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoh
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kitamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirashima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002412:Cations; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D006017:Glycolipids; D008081:Liposomes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C439671:mannosylerythritol lipid; C070648:3-(N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)carbamoyl)cholesterol; D002784:Cholesterol; D008156:Luciferases