Novel polyaminoacidic copolymers as nonviral gene vectors

Human gene therapy is one of the most promising methods developed in recent years, providing great potential for the treatment of a variety of disease s. Complexes formed between DNA and cationic polymers are attracting increa sing attention as novel synthetic vectors for the delivery of genes. We hav e synthesized polycations with quaternary ammonium groups in their side cha ins for self-assembly with calf thymus DNA. This paper describes the functi onalization of alpha,beta-polyasparthydrazide (PAHy), a synthetic macromole cule having many potential applications in the field of biomedical sciences , with glycidyltrimethylammonuim chloride (GTA) in order to introduce posit ive charges into their chains. Derivatized PAHy with various GTA contents h ave been obtained and characterized. Highly functionalized copolymers have been used for condensing DNA, yielding discrete complexes. The complex form ation has been confirmed by gel electrophoresis and the surface charge of i nterpolyelectrolyte complexes has been assessed by the zeta potential.