Preparation and phase behaviour of surface-active pharmaceuticals: self-assembly of DNA and surfactants with membranes. Differential adiabatic scanning microcalorimetric study

Some energetics issues relevant to preparation and surface characterization of zwitterionic phospholipid–DNA self-assemblies, as alternative models of the currently used problematic lipoplexes are presented. Nucleic acid compaction capacities of Mg²⁺ and N-alkyl-N,N,N-trimetylammonium ions (C_nTMA, n = 12) were compared, with regard to surface interaction with unilamellar vesicles. Differential adiabatic scanning microcalorimetric measurements of synthetic phosphatidylcholine liposomes and calf thymus DNA and their ternary complexes with Mg²⁺ and C₁₂TMA, were employed for deduction of the thermodynamic model describing their structural transitions. Small monodisperce and highly stable complexes are established after precompaction of DNA with detergent, followed by addition of liposomes. In contrast, divalent metal cation-mediated aggregation of vesicles either leads to heterogeneous multilamellar DNA–lipid arrangements, or to DNA-induced bilayer destabilization and lipid fusion. Possible dependence of the cellular internalization and gene transfection efficiency on the structure and physicochemical properties of DNA–Mg²⁺–liposomes or DNA–cationic surfactant–liposome systems is emphasized by proposing the structure of their molecular self-organizations with further implications in gene transfer research.