DNA-mediated delivery of lipophilic molecules via hybridization to DNA-based vesicular aggregates

A scheme is presented for stabilizing hydrophobic molecules and releasing them into aqueous solution via DNA hybridization. A tetradecyl hydrophobic tail is covalently attached to synthetic oligomers, and the resulting amphiphilic molecules take up substantial amounts of orange OT and pyrene dyes in aqueous environments. The resulting structures do not affect the surface tension and are predominantly spherical as shown by light scattering and TEM, and the pyrene fluorescence is consistent with a hydrophobic environment. It is concluded that the amphiphilic DNA creates vesicular domains upon which the hydrophobic dyes reside and are stabilized in solution. Upon exposure to the complementary strand, the pyrene dye is released from the structures, showing that the scheme can be used for unlabeled or DNA-mediated drug delivery.