GLYCEROL ENHANCEMENT OF LIGAND-POLYLYSINE DNA TRANSFECTION/

Primary human fibroblasts and a series of cell lines (A549, BNL, CL.2, H225, NIH 3T3 and Rat-1) are efficiently transfected by using positiv ely charged complexes of plasmid DNA and transferrin-polylysine or pol ylysine in the presence of glycerol (1 molar to 1.8 molar, depending o n the cell type). An increase in gene expression of up to several-hund redfold (compared to complexes without glycerol) is obtained if the tr ansfection mixture is incubated with the cells for 3-4 h at 37 degrees C. This simple method has been used for transient expression of lucif erase, beta-galactosidase and interleukin-2, and also for the generati on of stably transfected cells.