Poly(imidazole/DMAEA)phosphazene/DNA self-assembled nanoparticles for gene delivery: Synthesis and in vitro transfection

A new cationic derivate of polyphosphazene with imidazole and 2-dimethylaminoethylamino (DMAEA) as side groups, poly(imidazole/DMAEA)phosphazene (PIDP), was synthesized and investigated for gene delivery. The half-lives of PIDP degradation under neutral (pH 7.4) and acidic conditions (pH 5.0) were 22 and 3 days at 37 °C, respectively. The cytotoxicity of PIDP assayed by MTT was much lower than that of poly(2-dimethylaminoethylamino)phosphazene (PDAP) and PEI 25K. PIDP could condense DNA into nanoparticles with a size around 100 nm and zeta potential (+ 25 mV) at the ratio of 10:1 (PIDP/DNA, w/w). The transfection efficiency of PIDP/DNA complex nanoparticles (PICNs) against 293T, COS-7 and Hela cells was much higher than that of PDAP/DNA complexes nanoparticles (PDCNs) and PEI/DNA complexes nanoparticles (PECNs) at 10:1 (polymer/DNA, w/w). Therefore, PIDP could be a safe, efficient and promising cationic polymer for gene therapy.