Thermodynamics of cationic lipid-DNA complex formation as studied by isothermal titration calorimetry

The detailed analysis of the cationic lipid-DNA complex formation by means of isothermal titration calorimetry is presented. Most experiments were done using 1,2-dioleyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (EDOPC), but basic titrations were also done using DOTAP, DOTAP:DOPC, and DOTAP:DOPE mixtures. Complex formation was endothermic with less than 1 kcal absorbed per mole of lipid or DNA charge. This enthalpy change was attributed to DNA-DNA mutual repulsion within the lamellar complex. The exception was DOTAP:DOPE-containing lipoplex for which the enthalpy of formation was exothermic, presumably because of DOPE amine group protonation. Experimental conditions, namely, direction and titration increment as well as concentration of titrant, which dictate the structure of resulting lipoplex (whether lamellar complex or DNA-coated vesicle), were found to affect the apparent thermodynamics of complex formation. The structure, in turn, influences the biological properties of the lipoplex. If the titration of lipid into DNA was carried out in large increments, the DeltaH was larger than when the injection increments were smaller, a finding that is consistent with increased vesicle disruption under large increments and which is expected theoretically. Cationic lipid-DNA binding was weak in high ionic strength solutions, however, the effective binding constant is within micromolar range because of macromolecular nature of the interaction.