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Analysis of Lipoplex Structure and Lipid Phase Changes

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Liposomes

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 606))

Abstract

Efficient delivery of genetic material to cells is needed for tasks of utmost importance in the laboratory and clinic, such as gene transfection and gene silencing. Synthetic cationic lipids can be used as delivery vehicles for nucleic acids and are now considered the most promising nonviral gene carriers. They form complexes (lipoplexes) with the polyanionic nucleic acids. A critical obstacle for clinical application of the lipid-mediated DNA delivery (lipofection) is its unsatisfactory efficiency for many cell types. Understanding the mechanism of lipid-mediated DNA delivery is essential for their successful application, as well as for a rational design and synthesis of novel cationic lipoid compounds for enhanced gene delivery. A viewpoint now emerging is that the critical factor in lipid-mediated transfection is the structural evolution of lipoplexes within the cell, upon interacting and mixing with cellular lipids. In particular, recent studies showed that the phase evolution of lipoplex lipids upon interaction and mixing with membrane lipids appears to be decisive for transfection success: specifically, lamellar lipoplex formulations, which were readily susceptible to undergoing lamellar-nonlamellar phase transition upon mixing with cellular lipids and were found rather consistently associated with superior transfection potency, presumably as a result of facilitated DNA release. Thus, understanding the lipoplex structure and the phase changes upon interacting with membrane lipids is important for the successful application of the cationic lipids as gene carriers.

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Acknowledgment

The author highly appreciates the expert advice of Professor Robert C. MacDonald. The present work was supported by NIH grant CA119341 (Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence at Northwestern University).

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  1. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Rumiana Koynova

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  1. Rumiana Koynova
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Correspondence to Rumiana Koynova .

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  1. College of Pharmacy, Midwestern University, N. 59th Avenue 19555, Glendale, 85308, U.S.A.

    Volkmar Weissig

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Koynova, R. (2010). Analysis of Lipoplex Structure and Lipid Phase Changes. In: Weissig, V. (eds) Liposomes. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 606. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-447-0_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-447-0_28

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