Analytical model study of complexation of dendrimer as an ion penetrable sphere with DNA

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• 作者：Khawla Qamhieh ; Azzam Abu Khaleel
• 关键词：Dendrimer ; Complexation ; Polyelectrolyte ; Penetrable-sphere ; Electrostatic interaction
• 刊名：Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
• 出版年：1 February, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：442
• 期：Complete
• 页码：191-198
• 全文大小：954 K

文摘

Poly (amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers, being protonated under physiological conditions, have great potential as nonviral vectors for gene transfection. Many experimental and simulation studies have been performed to study the effect of dendrimer size, charge, and salt concentration on the structure and transfection efficiency of condensed DNA aggregates. In this study a theoretical model describing a linear polyelectrolyte (LPE) and ion-penetrable spheres has been developed and applied to investigate the interaction between linearized DNA and positively charged dendrimer of different generations. Throughout the study, we emphasized on the effect of the medium鈥檚 environments on the complexation of LPE chain with one dendrimer. It is found that the wrapping degree of the chain around the dendrimer increases by increasing dendrimer鈥檚 charge (decreasing pH), Bjerum length, salt concentration, and decreases by increasing the rigidity of the chain. Also, the effect of 1:1 salt concentration on complexation of DNA plasmids with one dendrimer of different generations has been investigated, and found that the optimal wrapping length of the LPE chain around the dendrimer depends on dendrimer generation.