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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
Generation of Cationic Nanoliposomes for the Efficient Delivery of In Vitro Transcribed Messenger RNA
Published on: February 1, 2019
Comparative gene transfer between cationic and thiourea lipoplexes
Marie Breton1, Jeanne Leblond, Johanne Seguin
1Inserm, U640, CNRS, UMR8151, Unité de Pharmacologie Chimique et Génétique, Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de Pharmacie, Paris, France.
Background:
We have previously developed lipopolythiourea lipids as neutral DNA condensing agents for systemic gene delivery. Optimization of the lipopolythiourea structure led to efficient transfecting agents. To further evaluate these lipids, we investigated the internalization process of the thiourea lipoplexes and their intracellular mechanism of transfection versus that of cationic lipoplexes.
Methods:
The MTT test was used for cytotoxicity assessment. Transfection efficiency was determined by luciferase read-out. Permeation to propidium iodide and enhanced green fluorescent protein was evaluated by flow cytometry. Kinetics of internalization and DNA release were monitored by confocal microscopy with labelled DNA. Endocytosis inhibitors were used to study the mechanisms of lipoplex internalization.
Results:
Although thiourea/DNA complexes exhibit an almost similar level of transfection compared to that of cationic complexes, the thiourea lipoplexes were shown to be six-fold less internalized. Complexes were able to permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane to 30 kDa molecules. Finally, DNA was shown to be released in less than 10 min in the cellular cytoplasm versus 30 min for cationic lipoplexes.
Conclusions:
Despite a weaker internalization compared to cationic lipids, the thiourea lipoplexes were able to transfect cells at a similar level as a result of its greater ability to destabilize the cytoplasmic membrane and release DNA.
