Novel biodegradable pyridinium amphiphiles for gene delivery

Biodegradable synthetic cationic pyridinium-based amphiphiles (SAINTs) prove to be promising non-viral carrier systems for delivery of DNA into eukaryotic cells. Six novel SAINTs were synthesised from 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as starting material, with two ester groups as linkers between the cationic headgroup and the hydrophobic tails. The vesicle-forming properties of the amphiphiles were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy, whereas the hydrolysis of the diesters in water was investigated by NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the transfection potential and cytotoxicity were determined on COS-7 and HepG-2 cells in culture. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2003).