Novel triblock oligopeptides as efficient nonviral vectors: characterisation and further insights

The delivery of immunomodulatory genes into the cornea prior to transplantation is one promising strategy to improve graft survival rates. We recently reported a class of novel triblock oligopeptides that could mediate efficient gene transfer into corneal endothelial cells. Now these peptides are characterised further and it is show that they lack distinct secondary structures. Peptide complexes are also demonstrated to be weakly haemolytic and transfection efficiency is shown to be sensitive to several experimental conditions. SEM and FRET confocal images are used to study the particle morphology and to show that they condense their DNA cargo well.