title: Cerasome as an infusible, cell-friendly, and serum-compatible transfection agent in a viral size.
abstract: Alanine-based cationic lipid 1 having a (EtO)3SiCH2CH2CH2 group on the quaternized ammonium nitrogen forms a liposome which self-rigidifies via in situ sol-gel processes (Si-OEt + H2O --> Si-OH + EtOH followed by 2Si-OH --> Si-O-Si + H2O) on the surface. The resulting cerasome (partially ceramic- or silica-coated liposome) (60-70 nm) retains the integrity of such in the complexation with lucifarase-encoding plasmid DNA pGL3. The resultant pGL3 complex of infusible or monomeric cerasome in a viral size ( approximately 70 nm) exhibits a remarkable transfection performance toward HeLa and HepG2 cells with a 102-3-fold higher efficiency (relative to that of the nonsilylated reference lipid 2), minimized cytotoxicity, and serum compatibility. Reference lipid 2, i.e., alanine-based lipid having a simple quaternized ammonium headgroup, forms liposome (60-70 nm) which is less self-confined and more mobile undergoes DNA-induced fusion to give endocytosis-irrelevant and more toxic bigger (100-300 nm) particles. The silicon strategy thus provides a simple and widely applicable tool to overcome general problems associated with current technology of artificial gene delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sando
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sera
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes; D004247:DNA