SPERMINE AND THERMINE CONJUGATES OF CHOLIC-ACID CONDENSE DNA, BUT LITHOCHOLIC ACID POLYAMINE CONJUGATES DO SO MORE EFFICIENTLY

Polyamine amides have been prepared from cholic and lithocholic acid b y acylation of tri-Boc protected spermine and thermine and their bindi ng affinities for calf thymus DNA were determined using an ethidium br omide fluorescence quenching assay; these polyamine amides are models for lipoplex formation with respect to gene delivery (lipofection), a key first step in gene therapy.