Effect of cation content of polycation-type gene carriers on in vitro genetransfer

Dextran-based polycations having different cation structures and contents w ere evaluated as carriers for transferring genes to mammalian cells in vitr o. 2-(N, N-Dimethylamino)ethyl dextran having tertiary-amine-type cations i nduced very high transient gene expression in the COS-1 cells, while 2-amin oethyl dextran having primary-amine-type cations did not induced it at all. The cation content of the former was also found to affect the transient ge ne expression and the cytotoxicity of the polycations.