Abstract
The quantity of free polymer in a polymer/DNA complex (polyplex) formulation critically impacts its gene transfection efficiency, cellular uptake, and toxicity. In this study, the compositions of three interpolyelectrolyte polyplex formulations were quantified by a facile NMR method. Using careful integration of a 1D 1H NMR spectrum with a broad spectral width, the quantities of unbound polymer and polyplexes in solution were determined. Linear polyethyleneimine (PEI) mixed with DNA at polymer amine to DNA phosphate molar ratio (N/P ratio) of 5 revealed an effective binding N/P ratio of 3.5 without excess free polymer. This result is in strong agreement with the stoichiometric number of PEI/DNA binding obtained by isothermal titration calorimetry. The noninvasive nature of this method allows broad application to a range of polyelectrolyte coacervates, opening new opportunities for understanding and optimizing polyelectrolyte complex formation and providing quantitation of complex formation in a single measurement.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1038-1041 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | ACS Macro Letters |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 19 2013 |