Efficient Transfection of Large Plasmids Encoding HIV-1 into Human Cells—A High Potential Transfection System Based on a Peptide Mimicking Cationic Lipid

Abstract

One major disadvantage of nucleic acid delivery systems is the low transfection or transduction efficiency of large-sized plasmids into cells. In this communication, we demonstrate the efficient transfection of a 15.5 kb green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused HIV-1 molecular clone with a nucleic acid delivery system prepared from the highly potent peptide-mimicking cationic lipid OH4 in a mixture with the phospholipid DOPE (co-lipid). For the transfection, liposomes were loaded using a large-sized plasmid (15.5 kb), which encodes a replication-competent HIV type 1 molecular clone that carries a Gag-internal green fluorescent protein (HIV-1 JR-FL Gag-iGFP). The particle size and charge of the generated nanocarriers with 15.5 kb were compared to those of a standardized 4.7 kb plasmid formulation. Stable, small-sized lipoplexes could be generated independently of the length of the used DNA. The transfer of fluorescently labeled pDNA-HIV1-Gag-iGFP in HEK293T cells was monitored using confocal laser scanning microscopy (cLSM). After efficient plasmid delivery, virus particles were detectable as budding structures on the plasma membrane. Moreover, we observed a randomized distribution of fluorescently labeled lipids over the plasma membrane. Obviously, a significant exchange of lipids between the drug delivery system and the cellular membranes occurs, which hints toward a fusion process. The mechanism of membrane fusion for the internalization of lipid-based drug delivery systems into cells is still a frequently discussed topic.

Keywords

• gene therapy
• cationic lipids
• large plasmids
• transfection
• membrane fusion
• HIV