Systemic gene delivery systems are needed for therapeutic application to organs that are inaccessible by percutaneous injection. Currently, the main objective is the development of a stable and non-toxic vector that can encapsulate and deliver foreign genetic material to target cells. To this end, DNA, complexed with cationic lipids i.e DOTAP/DOPE, was encapsulated into lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) leading to the formation of stable nanocarriers (DNA LNCs) with a size inferior to 130nm. Amphiphilic and flexible poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymer coatings [PEG lipid derivative (DSPE-mPEG 2000 ) orF108 poloxamer] at different concentrations were selected to make DNA LNCs stealthy. Some of these coated lipid nanocapsules were able to inhibit complement activation and were not phagocytised in vitro by macrophagic THP-1 cells whereas uncoated DNA LNCs accumulated in the vacuolar compartment of THP-1 cells. These results correlated with a significant increase of in vivo circulation time in mice especially for DSPE-mPEG 2000 10mM and an early half-life time (t 1/2 of distribution) 5-fold greater than for non-coated DNA LNCs (7.1h vs 1.4h). Finally, a tumor accumulation assessed by in vivo fluorescence imaging system was evidenced for these coated LNCs as a passive targeting without causing any hepatic damage. Furthermore, when injected intravenously, colloidal carriers are rapidly cleared by the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) mainly represented by Kupffer cells in the liver and spleen macrophages. The recognition of the carriers by macrophages usually occurs through specific recognition by cellular receptors specific for plasma proteins that have been adsorbed at the vector surface. Among them, the C3 protein of the complement system plays a major role in the immune system's recognition of foreign particles [2]. The concept of modifying the surface of vectors has therefore been applied in order to decrease the opsonisation process and the specific or non-specific recognition by MPS and blood components [3]. Heurtault et al.[4] developed lipid nanocapsules synthesised by a solvent-free method and covered by PEG 660 at high density, leading to really weak complement activation and low macrophage uptake [3,5]. In a previous work, the formulation of these nanocapsules was adapted to obtain DNA nanocapsules (DNA LNCs) [6]. Thanks to the use of oleic Plurol ® instead of Lipoid ® in their formulation, the lipid core allowed the entrapment of plasmid DNA molecules via the formation of lipoplexes (cationic liposomes of DOTAP:DOPE complexed with plasmid DNA). DNA LNCs were small (117 ± 10nm), suitable for an intravenous injection, but in vivo stability and blood half-life remained low and were ill-adapted to efficient in vivo transfection [6].To allow an extended circulation time, and consequently a higher tumor selectivity by passive accumulation through the EPR (enhanced permeability and retention) effect [7], we chose to modify the surface of our gene delivery systems, by inserting longer PEG chains at the sur...

Cationic lipophosphoramidates constitute a class of cationic lipids we have previously reported to be efficient for gene transfection. Here, we synthesized and studied a novel lipophosphoramidate derivative characterized by an arsonium headgroup linked, via a phosphoramidate linker, to an unconventional lipidic moiety consisting of two diunsaturated linoleic chains. Physicochemical studies allowed us to comparatively evaluate the specific fluidity and fusogenicity properties of the liposomes formed. Although corresponding lipoplexes exhibited significant but relatively modest in vitro transfection efficiencies, they showed a remarkably efficient and reproducible ability to transfect mouse lung, with in vivo transfection levels higher than those observed with a monounsaturated analogue previously described. Thus, these results demonstrate that this diunsaturated cationic lipophosphoramidate constitutes an efficient and versatile nonviral vector for gene transfection. They also invite further evaluations of the transfection activity, especially in vivo, of gene delivery systems incorporating the lipid reported herein and/or other lipids bearing polyunsaturated chains.

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We have previously shown that synthetic archaeal lipid analogues are useful vectors for drug/gene delivery. We report herein the synthesis and gene transfer properties of a series of novel di- and tetraether-type archaeal derivatives with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain and further equipped with a folic acid (FA) group. The synthetic strategy and the purification by dialysis ensured complete removal of free FA. The lipids were mixed with a conventional glycine betaine-based cationic lipid and the resulting formulations were tested in transfection assays after complexation with plasmid DNA. All four novel co-lipids afforded efficient in vitro gene transfection. Moreover, the FA-equipped derivatives permitted ligand/receptor-based targeted transfection; their activity was inhibited when free FA was added to the transfection medium. These novel archaeal derivatives equipped with FA-PEG moieties may thus be of great interest for targeted in vivo transfection.

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We hereby present different DNA nanocarriers consisting of new multimodular systems (MMS), containing the cationic lipid dioleylaminesuccinylparomomycin (DNA MMS DOSP), or bis (guanidinium)-tren-cholesterol (DNA MMS BGTC), and DNA lipid nanocapsules (DNA LNCs). Active targeting of the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) using galactose as a ligand for DNA MMS (GAL DNA MMS) and passive targeting using a polyethylene glycol coating for DNA LNCs (PEG DNA LNCs) should improve the properties of these DNA nanocarriers. All systems were characterized via physicochemical methods and the DNA payload of DNA LNCs was quantified for the first time. Afterwards, their biodistribution in healthy mice was analyzed after encapsulation of a fluorescent dye via in vivo biofluorescence imaging (BFI), revealing various distribution profiles depending on the cationic lipid used and their surface characteristics. Furthermore, the two vectors with the best prolonged circulation profile were administered twice in healthy mice revealing that the new DNA MMS DOSP vectors showed no toxicity and the same distribution profile for both injections, contrary to PEG DNA LNCs which showed a rapid clearance after the second injection, certainly due to the accelerated blood clearance phenomenon.

The biodistribution of intravenously injected DNA lipid nanocapsules (DNA LNCs), encapsulating pHSV-tk, was analysed by in vivo imaging on an orthotopic melanoma mouse model and by a subsequent treatment with ganciclovir (GCV), using the gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) approach. Luminescent melanoma cells, implanted subcutaneously in the right flank of the mice, allowed us to follow tumour growth and tumour localisation with in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In parallel, DNA LNCs or PEG DNA LNCs (DNA LNCs recovered with PEG(2000)) encapsulating a fluorescent probe, DiD, allowed us to follow their biodistribution with in vivo biofluorescence imaging (BFI). The BF-images confirmed a prolonged circulation-time for PEG DNA LNCs as was previously observed on an ectotopic model of glioma; comparison with BL-images evidenced the colocalisation of PEG DNA LNCs and melanoma cells. After these promising results, treatment with PEG DNA LNCs and GCV on a few animals was performed and the treatment efficacy measured by BLI. The first results showed tumour growth reduction tendency and, once optimised, this therapy strategy could become a new option for melanoma treatment.

The synthesis of cationic lipo-thiophosphoramidates, a new family of cationic lipids designed for gene delivery, is reported herein. This new class of lipids is less polar than its oxygenated equivalent the lipo-phosphoramidates. Fluorescence anisotropy and FRET were used to determine the fluidity and fusogenicity of the lipo-phosphoramidates 3a-b and lipo-thiophosphoramidates 7a-b. The determination of both the size and the zeta potential of the nano-objects (liposomes and lipoplexes) and the determination of the DNA binding ability of the liposomes have completed the physico-chemical characterizations of the cationic lipids studied. Finally, the cationic lipids 3a-b and 7a-c have been evaluated as synthetic vectors for gene transfection into a variety of mammalian cell lines. The lipo-thiophosphoramidate 7a proved to be an efficient and low toxicity synthetic vector even when used at low lipid to DNA charge ratios.