Efficient gene delivery requires controlled packing and unpacking of nucleic acids into nucleic acid-amphiphile complexes of optimum structure and physicochemical parameters. A key factor governing these two antagonistic processes is constituted by the structural and physicochemical properties of supramolecular assemblies of cationic amphiphiles, which in turn can be modulated by the structure of individual amphiphiles used in the compaction process. The recent achievements of our team towards controlling the self-assembling of various classes of pyridinium amphiphiles for enhanced gene delivery of nucleic acids will be presented, with an emphasis on interfacial engineering of these synthetic amphiphiles and comprehensive structure-property and structure-activity relationships. The interaction of amphiphile assemblies with cellular membranes and the mechanisms of internalization accessed by various classes of pyridinium amphiphiles will also be discussed.

Modulation of self-assembling of pyridinium cationic amphiphiles for enhanced gene delivery

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.