Cyclodextrin gene vectors: cell trafficking and the influence of lipophilic chain length

Amphiphilic cyclodextrins (CDs) with various lipophilic chain lengths were used as vectors for transfection of Hep G2 hepatocytes in vitro. Transgene expression increased with increasing chain length. The most efficient cyclodextrin, heptakis[6-hexadecylthio-2-(ω-deoxy-ω-amino- oligo(ethylene oxide))]-β-cyclodextrin, achieved higher levels of transfection than DOTAP. Fluorescein-labeled DNA complexes with this tetramethylrhodamine-labeled cyclodextrin vector were seen to be taken up by Hep G2 cells within 30 min and achieved luciferase expression within 4 h.