Difference in the core-shell dynamics of polyethyleneimine and poly(l-lysine) DNA polyplexes.
Electrostatic polymer-DNA complexes (polyplexes) have been widely investigated for DNA delivery, and remarkable differences in transfection efficacy have been seen among the materials. For example, polyethyleneimine (PEI) mediates DNA transfection more effectively than poly(l-lysine) (PLL). Biophysical properties of the polyplexes may explain their different properties in gene delivery. We investigated the structural dynamics in DNA polyplexes, especially the material exchange between the core and shell regions of the PEI and PLL polyplexes. Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy and double labeling based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) techniques were used to study the DNA polyplexes. According to our results there is a clear difference between these two polymers: core exchange takes place in PEI but not in PLL polyplexes. Such differences in structural dynamics of polyplexes explain, at least partly, the differences in DNA release and transfection efficacy at cellular level.
Laboratory of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: elina.vuorimaa@tut.fi.
Elina
E
Vuorimaa-Laukkanen
Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Ekaterina S
ES
Lisitsyna
Laboratory of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland.
Tiia-Maaria
TM
Ketola
Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Emmanuelle
E
Morin-Pickardat
Laboratory of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland.
Huamin
H
Liang
Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Martina
M
Hanzlíková
Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo, 5, Padova, Italy.
Marjo
M
Yliperttula
D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010957:Plasmids; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity
D011107:Polylysine; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D004247:DNA
DNA complexation; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Non-viral gene delivery; Poly-l-lysine; Polyethylene imine; Polyplex