DOPE–oleic acid–Ca2+ as DNA condensing agent

Abstract

Phospholipid-based non-viral carriers composed of neutral phospholipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and the binary mixture DOPE–oleic acid (OA) are examined as potential DNA delivery vectors. The process of DNA condensation in the presence of Ca2+ ions has been monitored through changes in emmision intensity of fluorescent probe ethidium bromide. The decline in fluorescence intensity with increasing Ca2+ concentration at two different time intervals was correlated with the binding capacity of complexes and possible release of DNA from the complex. The microstructure of DOPE–OA mixtures at different OA/DOPE molar ratios and that of DOPE–OA–DNA–Ca2+ complexes were determined using synchrotron small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD). We identified inverted hexagonal phase HII as the dominant structure. OA affects the lattice parameter of HII formed by DOPE. With the increasing OA/DOPE molar ratio, the lattice parameter decreases, which results in significantly lower fraction of DNA bound to the OA-enriched complexes.

Calcium mediated DNA binding in non-lamellar structures formed by DOPG/glycerol monooleate

“…There are three types of lipid bicontinuous cubic phases: the primitive (Im3m), the double diamond (Pn3m) and the gyroid (Ia3d) (Seddon et al 1993). It is worth mentioning that micellar cubic phases are studied as drug carriers too Galliková et al 2018;Fong et al 2020). Potential drug carrier properties of QII and inverted hexagonal (HII) phases have been investigated following subcutaneous, transdermal, oral, ophthalmic, muconasal and other administrations.…”