Effect of hydrophobic interactions on properties and stability of DNA-polyelectrolyte complexes.
Polyplexes are polyelectrolyte complexes of DNA and polycations, designed for potential gene delivery. We investigated the properties of new polyplexes formed from cholesterol-modified polycations and DNA. Three complexes were tested; their cholesterol contents were 1.4, 6.3, and 8.7 mol %. UV spectroscopy and fluorescence assay using ethidium bromide proved the formation of polyplexes. The kinetics of turbidity of polyplexes solutions in physiological solution showed that the colloid stability of polyplexes increases with increasing content of cholesterol in polycations. Dynamic, static, and electrophoretic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force microscopy were used for characterization of polyplexes. The observed hydrodynamic radii of polyplexes were in the range of 30-60 nm; they were related to the polycation/DNA ratio and hydrophobicity of the used polycations (the cholesterol content). The properties of polyplex particles depend, in addition to polycation structure, on the rate of polycation addition to DNA solutions.
Filippov
Sergey K
SK
Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic CZ-162 06 Prague, Czech Republic. filippov@imc.cas.cz
Konák
Cestmír
C
Kopecková
Pavla
P
Starovoytova
Larisa
L
Spírková
Milena
M
Stepánek
Petr
P
D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D004247:DNA; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes