Histones, protamine, and polylysine but not poly(E:K) enhance transfection efficiency

  • Authors:
    • T Boulikas
    • F Martin
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: February 1, 1997     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.10.2.317
  • Pages: 317-322
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Abstract

Liposomal gene delivery has a great potential for the treatment of cancer and other human diseases. In this work we have investigated the optimal conditions for liposome-mediated transfer of the luciferase gene to human erythroleukemia K562 cells. DDAB:DOPE liposomes were more efficient than lysyl-DOPE:DOPE (1:2) and DDAB:cholesterol for transfection. Total histones from bovine thymus, salmon sperm protamine, and polylysine at an optimal ratio of 0.5 mg protein/mg DNA enhanced up to 7-fold the transfection efficiency of luciferase plasmids; on the contrary, the synthetic polymer poly(E:K), containing glutamic acid and lysine residues in a random order at a ratio 1:4, diminished luciferase expression. Transfection was nearly zero at high histone:DNA ratio by reversal of the charge of the particle from negative to positive leading:to its inability to interact with cationic liposomes. The increase in luciferase gene expression by DNA-binding proteins might arise from an increased transfer across the cell membrane of the liposome-DNA-protein complex but also by an increase in nuclear import of the DNA-protein complex because of the presence of nuclear localization signals on the protein molecule used for DNA condensation.

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February 1997
Volume 10 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Boulikas T and Martin F: Histones, protamine, and polylysine but not poly(E:K) enhance transfection efficiency. Int J Oncol 10: 317-322, 1997.
APA
Boulikas, T., & Martin, F. (1997). Histones, protamine, and polylysine but not poly(E:K) enhance transfection efficiency. International Journal of Oncology, 10, 317-322. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.10.2.317
MLA
Boulikas, T., Martin, F."Histones, protamine, and polylysine but not poly(E:K) enhance transfection efficiency". International Journal of Oncology 10.2 (1997): 317-322.
Chicago
Boulikas, T., Martin, F."Histones, protamine, and polylysine but not poly(E:K) enhance transfection efficiency". International Journal of Oncology 10, no. 2 (1997): 317-322. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.10.2.317