ENHANCEMENT OF TRANSFECTION EFFICIENCY USING LIGAND-MODIFIED LIPID VESICLES

Previously, we had developed a simple gene transfection technique for animal cells using cationic lipid vesicles; a commercially available s ynthetic cationic surfactant, dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DD AB) was used for making Lipid vesicles. In the present study, the lipi d vesicles for receptor mediated gene transfer were modified with a li gand such as insulin and galactose residues to realize enhanced transf ection efficiency and/or cell-specific gene transfection. The insulin- modified lipid vesicle solution mixed with the plasmid DNA (pCMV beta) was added to COS-7, NIH3T3, Hela or HepG2 cells; the transfection eff iciency was increased 3-4-fold in all the cell lines tested. Furthermo re, a mixture of the galactose-modified lipid vesicles and plasmid pCM V beta was added to HepG2 or HuH-6 cells expressing asialoglycoprotein receptors, and the transfection efficiency was increased 3-4-fold in these cell lines.