Interaction between Plasmid DNA and Cationic Polymers Studied by Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectrometry

Abstract

A universal and novel strategy for the immobilization of polymers has been developed for studying the interaction between plasmid DNA and synthetic polymers with surface plasmon resonance spectrometry. The introduction of thiol moieties in polymers has been applied for a reliable determination of apparent kinetic rate constants between plasmid DNA and the nonviral carrier polymers. Thiolated poly(l-lysine) and poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] yielded reproducible sensor surfaces, contrary to the nonthiolated polymers. The knowledge of the kinetic parameters may play a crucial role in the development of nonviral carrier systems for gene therapy, because the dissociation rate constant is strongly correlated to the effectiveness of cell transfection.