title: Zinc-chelated poly(1-vinylimidazole) and a carbohydrate ligand polycation form DNA ternary complexes for gene delivery.
abstract: Zinc-chelated poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVIm-Zn) and a carbohydrate ligand polycation, a poly(l-lysine) conjugated with lactose molecules (PLL-Lac), have formed DNA ternary complexes for gene delivery. The particle size of the PVIm-Zn/DNA complexes with negative zeta potential was decreased by the addition of the PLL-Lac. The resulting PLL-Lac/PVIm-Zn/DNA ternary complexes, which exhibited the pH-dependent dissociation of the PLL-Lac, mediated more gene expression than the PVIm/DNA binary complexes. The PLL-Lac/PVIm-Zn/DNA complexes with the specific recognition of cell surface receptors mediated the highest gene expression without cytotoxicity at a relatively lower charge ratio (positive/negative = 2.5). These results suggest that the pH-dependent dissociation of the carbohydrate ligands after the recognition of cell surface receptors, including the physicochemical and biochemical function of PVIm-Zn, played an important role in gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University , 1-1 minami-Osawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. asayama-shoichiro@tmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shoichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asayama
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishinohara
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawakami
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D007785:Lactose / Q000737:chemistry; D008024:Ligands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004247:DNA; D007093:Imidazoles; D007785:Lactose; D008024:Ligands; D011073:Polyamines; D000071228:Polyelectrolytes; D011107:Polylysine; D011145:Polyvinyls; D015032:Zinc; C524090:poly(1-vinylimidazole)