A NOVEL CATIONIC AMPHIPHILE FOR TRANSFECTION OF MAMMALIAN-CELLS

We describe here a new cationic amphiphile, utyl-N'-tetradecyl-3-tetra decylaminopropionamidine (diC(14)-amidine), which interacts with plasm id DNA and generates hydrophobic stable complexes resistant against DN ase I, In partition experiments between two non-miscible phases, DNA w as transferred into an organic phase upon complex formation with diC(1 4)-amidine-containing vesicles. Finally, vesicles made of a diC(14)-am idine and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (1:1, mol:mol) mixture or pure diC(14)-amidine were efficient in mediating (CHO) and suspension (K56 2) cell lines, using the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene as reporter. 1994 Academic Press, Inc.