Structure-function relationship research of glycerol backbone-based cationic lipids for gene delivery

Lipid-Based Quaternary Ammonium Sophorolipid Amphiphiles with Antimicrobial and Transfection Activities

Twelve new quaternary ammonium sophorolipids with long alkyl chains on the nitrogen atom were synthesized starting from oleic and petroselinic acid-based sophorolipids. These novel derivatives were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against selected Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their transfection efficacies on three different eukaryotic cell lines in vitro as good activities were demonstrated for previously synthesized derivatives. Self-assembly properties were also evaluated. All compounds proved to possess antimicrobial and transfection properties, and trends could be observed based on the length of the nitrogen substituent and the total length of the sophorolipid tail. Moreover, all long-chain quaternary ammonium sophorolipids form micelles, which proved to be a prerequisite to induce antimicrobial activity and transfection capacity. These results are promising for future healthcare applications of long-chained quaternary ammonium sophorolipids.

Oxime Ether Lipids as Transfection Agents: Assembly and Complexation with siRNA

RNAi-based therapeutic approaches to combat cancer and other diseases are currently an area of great interest. However, practical applications of this approach rely on optimal tools to carry and deliver siRNA to the desired site. Oxime ether lipids (OELs) are a class of molecules among other various carriers being examined for siRNA delivery. OELs, relatively new candidates, belong to a class of non-glycerol based lipids and have begun to claim their place as an siRNA delivery carrier in the field of RNAi therapy. Chemical synthesis steps of OELs are considered relatively simple with the ability to modify the functionalities as desired. OEL-siRNA complexes can be assembled in the presence of serum-containing buffers (or cell culture media) and recent data from our and other groups have demonstrated that OELs are viable carriers for siRNA delivery in the cell culture systems. In this chapter, we provide the details of experimental protocols routinely used in our laboratory to examine OEL-siRNA complexes including their assembly, stability, and transfection efficiencies.

Cationic lipids bearing succinic-based, acyclic and macrocyclic hydrophobic domains: Synthetic studies and in vitro gene transfer

In this communication we describe the construction of four succinic-based cationic lipids, their formulation with plasmid DNA (pDNA), and an evaluation of their in vitro gene delivery into Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO-K1) cells. The cationic lipids employed in this work possess either a dimethylamine or trimethylamine headgroup, and a macrocyclic or an acyclic hydrophobic domain composed of, or derived from two 16-atom, succinic-based acyl chains. The synthesized lipids and a co-lipid of neutral charge, either cholesterol or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), were formulated in an overall 3:2 cationic-to-neutral lipid molar ratio, then complexed with plasmid DNA (pDNA). The relative transfection performance was evaluated via a comparison between matched versus mismatched formulations defined by the rigidity relationship between the lipids employed. Gel electrophoresis was used to characterize the binding of the lipid formulations with plasmid DNA and the relative degree of plasmid degradation using a DNase I degradation assay. Small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) was employed to characterize the packing morphology of the lipid-DNA complexes. In general, the succinic unit embedded within the hydrophobic domain of the cationic lipids was found to improve lipid hydration. The transfection assays revealed a general trend in which mismatched formulations that employed a rigid lipid combined with a non-rigid (or flexible) lipid, outperformed the matched formulations. The results from this work suggest that the design of the cationic lipid structure and the composition of the lipoplex formulation play key roles in governing the transfection performance of nonviral gene delivery agents.

Ammonium salt modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles for dual intracellular-responsive gene delivery

Effective gene delivery system plays an importmant role in the gene therapy. Mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) has become one potential gene delivery vector because of its high stability, good biodegradability and low cytotoxicity. Herein, MSN-based dual intracellular responsive gene delivery system CMSN-A was designed and fabricated. Short chain ammonium group, which is modified with disulfide bond and amide bond simultaneously, is facilely grafted onto the mesoporous silica nanoparticles. As-synthesized CMSN-A is endowed with small size (80-110nm), large conical pores (15-23nm), and moderate Zeta potential (+25±2mV), which behaves high gene loading capacity, good stability and effectively gene transfection. Moreover, CMSN-A exhibits dual micro-environment responsive (lower pH, more reducing substances) due to the redox-sensitive disulfide bond and pH-sensitive amide bond in the short chain ammonium group. The cellular uptake study indicates that CMSN-A could transfer both plasmid DNA (pDNA) and siRNA into different kinds of tumour cells, which demonstrate the promising potential of CMSN-A as effective and safe gene-delivery vectors.

Evaluation of the transfection efficacies of quaternary ammonium salts prepared from sophorolipids

Two quaternary ammonium sophorolipids proved to be suitable as transfection vectors for gene delivery.

Next generation macrocyclic and acyclic cationic lipids for gene transfer: Synthesis and in vitro evaluation

Previously we reported the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of four novel, short-chain cationic lipid gene delivery vectors, characterized by acyclic or macrocyclic hydrophobic regions composed of, or derived from, two 7-carbon chains. Herein we describe a revised synthesis of an expanded library of related cationic lipids to include extended chain analogues, their formulation with plasmid DNA (pDNA) and in vitro delivery into Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO-K1) cells. The formulations were evaluated against each other based on structural differences in the hydrophobic domain and headgroup. Structurally the library is divided into four sets based on lipids derived from two 7- or two 11-carbon hydrophobic chains, C7 and C11 respectively, which possess either a dimethylamine or a trimethylamine derived headgroup. Each set includes four cationic lipids based on an acyclic or macrocyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrophobic domain. All lipids were co-formulated with the commercial cationic lipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (EPC) in a 1:1 molar ratio, along with one of two distinct neutral co-lipids, cholesterol or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) in an overall cationic-to-neutral lipid molar ratio of 3:2. Binding of lipid formulations with DNA, and packing morphology associated with the individual lipid-DNA complexes were characterized by gel electrophoresis and small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD), respectively. As a general trend, lipoplex formulations based on mismatched binary cationic lipids, composed of a shorter C7 lipid and the longer lipid EPC (C14), were generally associated with higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxicity than their more closely matched C11/EPC binary lipid formulation counterparts. Furthermore, the cyclic lipids gave transfection levels as high as or greater than their acyclic counterparts, and formulations with cholesterol exhibited higher transfection and lower cytotoxicity than those formulated with DOPE. A number of the lipid formulations with cholesterol as co-lipid performed as well as, or better than Lipofectamine 2000™ and EPC, the two positive controls employed in these studies. These results suggest that our novel cyclic and acyclic cationic lipid vectors are effective nonviral gene transfer agents that warrant further investigation.

Oxime ether lipids containing hydroxylated head groups are more superior siRNA delivery agents than their nonhydroxylated counterparts

AIM

To evaluate the structure-activity relationship of oxime ether lipids (OELs) containing modifications in the hydrophobic domains (chain length, degree of unsaturation) and hydrophilic head groups (polar domain hydroxyl groups) toward complex formation with siRNA molecules and siRNA delivery efficiency of resulting complexes to a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231).

MATERIALS & METHODS

Ability of lipoplex formation between oxime ether lipids with nucleic acids were examined using biophysical techniques. The potential of OELs to deliver nucleic acids and silence green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was analyzed using MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/GFP cells, respectively.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Introduction of hydroxyl groups to the polar domain of the OELs and unsaturation into the hydrophobic domain favor higher transfection and gene silencing in a cell culture system.

Binding of a protein or a small polyelectrolyte onto synthetic vesicles

Catanionic vesicles were prepared by mixing nonstoichiometric amounts of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate and dioctyldimethylammonium bromide in water. Depending on the concentration and mole ratios between the surfactants, catanionic vesicular aggregates are formed. They have either negative or positive charges in excess and are endowed with significant thermodynamic and kinetic stability. Vesicle characterization was performed by dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility. It was inferred that vesicle size scales in inverse proportion with its surface charge density and diverges as the latter quantity approaches zero and/or the mole ratio equals unity. Therefore, both variables are controlled by the anionic/cationic mole ratio. Small-angle X-ray scattering, in addition, indicates that vesicles are unilamellar. Selected anionic vesicular systems were reacted with poly-L-lysine hydrobromide or lysozyme. Polymer binding continues until complete neutralization of the negatively charged sites on the vesicles surface is attained, as inferred by electrophoretic mobility. Lipoplexes are formed as a result of significant electrostatic interactions between cationic polyelectrolytes and negatively charged vesicles.

Overcoming nonviral gene delivery barriers: perspective and future

A key end goal of gene delivery research is to develop clinically relevant vectors that can be used to combat elusive diseases such as AIDS. Despite promising engineering strategies, efficiency and ultimately gene modulation efficacy of nonviral vectors have been hindered by numerous in vitro and in vivo barriers that have resulted in subviral performance. In this perspective, we concentrate on the gene delivery barriers associated with the two most common classes of nonviral vectors, cationic-based lipids and polymers. We present the existing delivery barriers and summarize current vector-specific strategies to overcome said barriers.

Lipid-based vectors for siRNA delivery

siRNA therapeutics has developed rapidly and already there are clinical trials ongoing or planned; however, the delivery of siRNA into cells, tissues or organs remains to be a major obstacle. Lipid-based vectors hold the most promising position among non-viral vectors, as they have a similar structure to cell or organelle membranes. But when used in the form of liposomes, these vectors have shown some problems. Therefore, either the nature of lipids themselves or forms used should be improved. As a novel class of lipid like materials, lipidoids have the advantages of easy synthesis and the ability for delivering siRNA to obtain excellent silencing activity. However, the toxicities of lipidoids have not been thoroughly studied. pH responsive lipids have also gained great attention recently, though some of the amine-based lipids are not novel in terms of chemical structures. More complex self-assembly structures, such as LPD (LPH) and LCP, may provide a good solution to siRNA delivery. They have demonstrated controlled particle morphology and size and siRNA delivery activity for both in vitro and in vivo.

Hydrophobic oxime ethers: a versatile class of pDNA and siRNA transfection lipids

The manipulation of the cationic lipid structures to increase polynucleotide binding and delivery properties, while also minimizing associated cytotoxicity, has been a principal strategy for developing next-generation transfection agents. The polar (DNA binding) and hydrophobic domains of transfection lipids have been extensively studied; however, the linking domain comprising the substructure used to tether the polar and hydrophobic domains has attracted considerably less attention as an optimization variable. Here, we examine the use of an oxime ether as the linking domain. Hydrophobic oxime ethers were readily assembled via click chemistry by oximation of hydrophobic aldehydes using an aminooxy salt. A facile ligation reaction delivered the desired compounds with hydrophobic domain asymmetry. Using the MCF-7 breast cancer, H1792 lung cancer and PAR C10 salivary epithelial cell lines, our findings show that lipoplexes derived from oxime ether lipids transfect in the presence of serum at higher levels than commonly used liposome formulations, based on both luciferase and green fluorescent protein (GFP) assays. Given the biological compatibility of oxime ethers and their ease of formation, this functional group should find significant application as a linking domain in future designs of transfection vectors.

The benefit of hydrophobic domain asymmetry on the efficacy of transfection as measured by in vivo imaging

We, and others, have observed that the structure of cationic lipids appears to have a significant effect on the transfection efficacy of optimized nucleic acid/cationic lipid complexes (lipoplexes) used for in vitro and in vivo gene delivery and expression. Although there are many in vitro comparisons of lipid reagents for gene delivery, few comparisons have been made in vivo. We previously reported the effects of changes in hydrophobic domain chain length and chain asymmetry, changes in headgroup composition, and counterion exchange. We have observed in our own work over many years the apparent superiority of asymmetric versus symmetric hydrocarbon domains for otherwise similar lipids. In this investigation we use in vivo whole animal brain imaging to evaluate the contribution of symmetric versus asymmetric hydrophobic domains on what we previously determined to be optimal chain lengths for in vitro transfections. We specifically investigated several glycerol-based lipids; however, the rare reports of asymmetric non-glycerol-based lipids also support our observations. We found that asymmetric, two-chain cationic lipids of 14 to 18 carbons perform significantly better in vivo, as analyzed by whole animal imaging, than the paired symmetric lipids.

Cationic lipids: molecular structure/ transfection activity relationships and interactions with biomembranes

Abstract Synthetic cationic lipids, which form complexes (lipoplexes) with polyanionic DNA, are presently the most widely used constituents of nonviral gene carriers. A large number of cationic amphiphiles have been synthesized and tested in transfection studies. However, due to the complexity of the transfection pathway, no general schemes have emerged for correlating the cationic lipid chemistry with their transfection efficacy and the approaches for optimizing their molecular structures are still largely empirical. Here we summarize data on the relationships between transfection activity and cationic lipid molecular structure and demonstrate that the transfection activity depends in a systematic way on the lipid hydrocarbon chain structure. A number of examples, including a large series of cationic phosphatidylcholine derivatives, show that optimum transfection is displayed by lipids with chain length of approximately 14 carbon atoms and that the transfection efficiency strongly increases with increase of chain unsaturation, specifically upon replacement of saturated with monounsaturated chains.

Hydrophobic moiety of cationic lipids strongly modulates their transfection activity

Synthetic cationic lipids are widely used components of nonviral gene carriers, and the factors regulating their transfection efficiency are the subject of considerable interest. In view of the important role that electrostatic interactions with the polyanionic nucleic acids play in formation of lipoplexes, a common empirical approach to improving transfection has been the synthesis and testing of amphiphiles with new versions of positively charged polar groups, while much less attention has been given to the role of the hydrophobic lipid moieties. On the basis of data for approximately 20 cationic phosphatidylcholine (PC) derivatives, here we demonstrate that hydrocarbon chain variations of these lipids modulate by over 2 orders of magnitude their transfection efficiency. The observed molecular structure-activity relationship manifests in well-expressed dependences of activity on two important molecular characteristics, chain unsaturation and total number of carbon atoms in the lipid chains, which is representative of the lipid hydrophobic volume and hydrophilic-lipophilic ratio. Transfection increases with decrease of chain length and increase of chain unsaturation. Maximum transfection was found for cationic PCs with monounsaturated 14:1 chains. It is of particular importance that the high-transfection lipids strongly promote cubic phase formation in zwitterionic membrane phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). These remarkable correlations point to an alternative, chain-dependent process in transfection, not related to the electrostatic cationic-anionic lipid interactions.