Figure 2.
Lipid 1 with the mannose-mimicking shikimoyl head-group is the most efficient among the lipids 1–3 in transfecting dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro. (a) Fluorescence images of DCs transfected with the lipoplexes of lipids 1–3. (b) Flourescence images of DCs transfected with the lipoplexes of lipids 1–3 in the presence of mannan (1 mg/ml). (c) Efficiencies of the lipoplexes of lipids 1–3 in transfecting mbmDCs measured by flow cytometry. (d) Efficiencies of the lipoplexes of lipids 1–3 in transfecting mbmDCs presaturated with mannan (1 mg/ml) measured by flow cytometry. In each of these transfection experiments, ~5 × 105 cells were used and the cells were transfected with lipoplexes of lipids 1–3 and α5-GFP plasmids containing lipid:DNA charge ratios of 4:1. The degrees of GFP expression in transfected mbmDCs were visualized using epifluorescence microscope and quantified by flow cytometry. Transfection efficiencies in each case were also measured using GFP lipoplexes of the commercially available liposomal transfection kit, LipofectAmine 2000 (extreme right panels). Each experiment was repeated three times and the transfection profiles were found to be similar in each time.