Asymmetric 1-alkyl-2-acyl phosphatidylcholine: A helper lipid for enhanced non-viral gene delivery

Rationally designed asymmetrical alkylacyl phosphatidylcholines (APC) have been synthesized and evaluated as helper lipids for non-viral gene delivery. A long aliphatic chain (C22–C24) was introduced at the 1-position of glycerol backbone, a branched lipid chain (C18) at the 2-position, and a phosphocholine head group at the 3-position. The fusogenicity of APC depends on the length and degree of saturation of the alkyl chain. Cationic lipids were formulated with APC as either lipoplexes or nanolipoparticles, and evaluated for their stability, transfection efficiency, and cytotoxicity. APC mediated high in vitro transfection efficiency, and had low cytotoxicity. Small nanolipoparticles (less than 100 nm) can be obtained with APC by applying as low as 0.1% PEG-lipid. Our study extends the type of helper lipids that are suitable for gene transfer and points the way to improve non-viral nucleic acid delivery system other than the traditional cationic lipids optimization.

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