title: Polycation structure mediates expression of lyophilized polycation/pDNA complexes.
abstract: Lyophilization of polycation/pDNA complexes provides stable, long-term storage of complexes prior to clinical use but also reduces gene delivery efficiency. We examined whether polycation structure mediates effects of lyophilization on gene expression. Linear and branched PEI of the same molecular weight were used as a model system. Interestingly, pDNA/linear PEI complexes led to much smaller effects on gene expression following lyophilization compared with branched PEI complexes. The effect of polycation structure correlated with changes in dissociation ability of pDNA/PEI complexes. These results will be useful for developing new gene delivery vehicles.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 40 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Lewis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Hyunjoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mooney
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D051379:Mice; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D004247:DNA