Abstract
Gene therapy is a therapeutic process consisting of the transport of genetic material into cells. The design and preparation of novel carriers to transport DNA is an important research line in the medical field. Hybrid compounds such as metallo-liposomes, containing a mixture of lipids, were prepared and characterized. Cationic metal lipids derived from the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ complex, RuC11C11 or RuC19C19, both with different hydrophobic/lipophilic ratios, were mixed with the phospholipid DOPE. A relation between the size and the molar fraction α was found and a multidisciplinary study about the interaction between the metallo-liposomes and DNA was performed. The metallo-liposomes/DNA association was quantified and a relationship between Kapp and α was obtained. Techniques such as AFM, SEM, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and agarose gel electrophoresis demonstrated the formation of lipoplexes and showed the structure of the liposomes. L/D values corresponding to the polynucleotide’s condensation were estimated. In vitro assays proved the low cell toxicity of the metallo-liposomes, lower for normal cells than for cancer cell lines, and a good internalization into cells. The latter as well as the transfection measurements carried out with plasmid DNA pEGFP-C1 have demonstrated a good availability of the Ru(II)-based liposomes for being used as non-toxic nanovectors in gene therapy.
Highlights
Drugs have been always used to enhance life expectancy and to improve our health [1]
Measurements were carried out in a Hitachi F-2500 spectrofluorimeter interfaced to a PC for the recording and handling of the spectra and connected to a flow Lauda thermostat to maintain the temperature at 298.0 ± 0.1 K
Samples were prepared by encapsulating liposome solutions in agarose cylinders as follows: warm 6% agarose low melt point was loaded in the open tip of a typical insulin syringe and was allowed to gel at room temperature
Summary
Drugs have been always used to enhance life expectancy and to improve our health [1] They are highly effective when they are used in vitro, but their indiscriminate use in vivo can provoke important damages in several internal organs and tissues of patients [2]. Such vectors can be similar viral or to non-viral, lattercontain being usually less harmful phospholipid and an inner polar region The charge of the protect nanostructures can be positive,from negative or neutralby[21,22,23] They the genetic material degradation nucleases and overcome the According to the literature, liposomes are good vectors be used inand genenegative therapy groups processes.
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