CATIONIC LIPID ENHANCES IN-VITRO RECEPTOR-MEDIATED TRANSFECTION

The efficiency of cell-specific transfection by receptor-mediated upta ke is improved by the use of cationic lipids. Asialoglycoprotein (AP) was conjugated to poly-l-lysine (PL) and complexed with the plasmid pC MVL that contains a luciferase reporter gene. The asialoglycoprotein-p oly-L-lysine:pCMVL (APPL:pCMVL) complexes then were mixed with the cat ionic lipid dioctadecylamidoglycylspermine (DOGS). This complex was ta ken up by the hepatocyte-like cell line, Hep G2, via the asialoglycopr otein receptor. The expression of luciferase in cells transfected with the DOGS/AP-PL: pCMVL complexes were significantly increased compared with AP-PL:pCMVL complexes without DOGS. The ratio of AP-PL to DOGS i s an important determinant for both transfection efficiency and for ma intaining receptor specificity. Therefore, cationic lipids significant ly increased the efficiency of asialoglycoprotein receptor mediated tr ansfection in the hepatoblastoma cell line, Hep G2. The use of cationi c lipids with receptor-mediated gene delivery systems could potentiall y increase transfection efficiency yet maintain cell-target specificit y.