The design of efficient and safe gene delivery vehicles remains a major challenge for the application of gene therapy. Of the many reported gene delivery systems, metal complexes with high affinity for nucleic acids are emerging as an attractive option. We have discovered that certain metallohelices-optically pure, self-assembling triple-stranded arrays of fully encapsulated Fe-act as nonviral DNA delivery vectors capable of mediating efficient gene transfection. They induce formation of globular DNA particles which protect the DNA from degradation by various restriction endonucleases, are of suitable size and electrostatic potential for efficient membrane transport and are successfully processed by cells. The activity is highly structure-dependent-compact and shorter metallohelix enantiomers are far less efficient than less compact and longer enantiomers.

• MeSH
• Cell Line MeSH
• DNA chemistry   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Gene Expression MeSH
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique MeSH
• Genetic Vectors * chemistry   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Cations chemistry   MeSH
• Metal Nanoparticles chemistry   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microscopy, Atomic Force methods   MeSH
• Molecular Structure MeSH
• Flow Cytometry MeSH
• Genes, Reporter MeSH
• Gene Transfer Techniques * MeSH
• Transfection MeSH
• Cell Survival MeSH
• Ferrous Compounds chemistry   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA MeSH
• Cations MeSH
• Ferrous Compounds MeSH