Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Generation of Cationic Nanoliposomes for the Efficient Delivery of In Vitro Transcribed Messenger RNA
08:29

Generation of Cationic Nanoliposomes for the Efficient Delivery of In Vitro Transcribed Messenger RNA

Published on: February 1, 2019

The role of multivalent cations in oligonucleotide cellular uptake

S Wu-Pong1

  • 1Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, USA.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International
|June 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Multivalent cations significantly enhance oligodeoxynucleotide (ONs) cellular uptake, independent of cellular energy or surface components. This suggests cation interactions with ONs or cell membranes drive cellular delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Drug Delivery

Background:

  • Oligodeoxynucleotides (ONs) represent a promising drug class.
  • Efficient cellular transport of ONs to the cytoplasm or nucleus remains a challenge.
  • Understanding ON cellular uptake mechanisms is crucial for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of multivalent cations in enhancing ON cellular uptake.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying cation-mediated ON cellular delivery.

Main Methods:

  • Examined the effect of various multivalent cations on ON cellular uptake.
  • Assessed the correlation between cation electronegativity and uptake enhancement.
  • Investigated the dependence of uptake on surface components, cellular energy, and calcium-dependent processes.

Main Results:

  • Most tested multivalent cations significantly increased ON uptake.
  • Uptake enhancement correlated with cation electronegativity.
  • The primary uptake mechanism was largely independent of trypsin-sensitive surface components, cellular energy, and specific calcium-dependent processes.

Conclusions:

  • Multivalent cations play a significant role in promoting ON cellular uptake.
  • The mechanism of uptake appears to involve interactions between cations and ONs or cell membranes.
  • Further research is needed to fully define the cation-mediated ON cellular uptake pathway.

More Related Videos

Gene-therapy Inspired Polycation Coating for Protection of DNA Origami Nanostructures08:30

Gene-therapy Inspired Polycation Coating for Protection of DNA Origami Nanostructures

Published on: January 19, 2019

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles08:44

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Published on: March 2, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Protein Sorting01:34

Nuclear Protein Sorting

Nuclear protein sorting is the selective trafficking of histones, polymerases, gene regulatory proteins into the nucleus and exporting RNAs and ribosomes to the cytosol. It is a tightly controlled process that regulates gene expression within a cell.
Proteins targeted to the nucleus carry nuclear localization signals or NLS recognized by import receptors in the cytosol. Similarly, proteins with nuclear export signals are recognized by export receptors. Import and export receptors are...
EDTA: Chemistry and Properties01:22

EDTA: Chemistry and Properties

Polydentate ligands are most widely used in complexometric titrations because they form more stable complexes with the metal ions than mono- or bidentate ligands due to the chelate effect. Examples of polydentate ligands are ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), crown ethers, and cryptands. The most important feature of optimal polydentate ligands is the ability to form 1:1 complexes in a single-step process. Amino carboxylic acid derivatives are frequently used as complexing agents. EDTA is...
Extraction: Advanced Methods00:56

Extraction: Advanced Methods

Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is formed in...
Complexometric Titration: Ligands00:43

Complexometric Titration: Ligands

Different monodentate and polydentate ligands are used as complexing agents in complexometric titration reactions. The formation of complexes by mono- and bidentate ligands involves two or more intermediate steps, limiting their use as complexing agents. In comparison, polydentate ligands can form complexes with metal ions in a single-step process, facilitating sharper end points. This means polydentate ligands, such as amino carboxylic acid derivatives, are most commonly employed in...
Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport01:17

Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport

Pore transport and ion-pair formation are critical mechanisms for the absorption and distribution of drugs in the body.
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited  but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct microscopic...
Facilitated Diffusion01:16

Facilitated Diffusion

The plasma membrane, a critical structure in cellular biology, houses an array of transporters, or carrier proteins, interspersed within its lipid bilayer. These proteins play a crucial role in solute transport through facilitated diffusion, a form of passive diffusion that uses transporters to move the molecules across the membrane.
In this process, substrates such as organic compounds and ions interact with a transporter on one side, triggering conformational changes in proteins that enable...