Metallo-Liposomes of Ruthenium Used as Promising Vectors of Genetic Material
José Antonio Lebrón,
Francisco José Ostos,
Manuel López-López,
María Luisa Moyá,
Carlos Sales,
Encarnación García,
Clara Beatriz García-Calderón,
Margarita García-Calderón,
María José Peña-Gómez,
Iván V. Rosado,
Fernando R. Balestra,
Pablo Huertas,
Pilar López-Cornejo
Affiliations
José Antonio Lebrón
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Francisco José Ostos
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Manuel López-López
Department of Chemical Engineering, Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Campus de El Carmen, Avda. de las Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain
María Luisa Moyá
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Carlos Sales
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Encarnación García
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Clara Beatriz García-Calderón
Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocio/CSIC/University of Seville, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain
Margarita García-Calderón
Department of Vegetal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
María José Peña-Gómez
Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocio/CSIC/University of Seville, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain
Iván V. Rosado
Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocio/CSIC/University of Seville, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain
Fernando R. Balestra
Department of Genetics, University of Seville and Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine-CABIMER, 41092 Seville, Spain
Pablo Huertas
Department of Genetics, University of Seville and Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine-CABIMER, 41092 Seville, Spain
Pilar López-Cornejo
Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, c/Prof. García González nº 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
Gene therapy is a therapeutic process consisting of the transport of genetic material into cells. The design and preparation of novel carriers to transport DNA is an important research line in the medical field. Hybrid compounds such as metallo-liposomes, containing a mixture of lipids, were prepared and characterized. Cationic metal lipids derived from the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ complex, RuC11C11 or RuC19C19, both with different hydrophobic/lipophilic ratios, were mixed with the phospholipid DOPE. A relation between the size and the molar fraction α was found and a multidisciplinary study about the interaction between the metallo-liposomes and DNA was performed. The metallo-liposomes/DNA association was quantified and a relationship between Kapp and α was obtained. Techniques such as AFM, SEM, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and agarose gel electrophoresis demonstrated the formation of lipoplexes and showed the structure of the liposomes. L/D values corresponding to the polynucleotide’s condensation were estimated. In vitro assays proved the low cell toxicity of the metallo-liposomes, lower for normal cells than for cancer cell lines, and a good internalization into cells. The latter as well as the transfection measurements carried out with plasmid DNA pEGFP-C1 have demonstrated a good availability of the Ru(II)-based liposomes for being used as non-toxic nanovectors in gene therapy.
