Efficient Gene Transfer into Mammalian Cells with Cholesteryl-Spermidine

The naturally occurring polyamine spermidine was covalently conjugated with cholesterol, resulting in a novel cationic compound that mediates efficient gene transfer into mammalian cells. Using reporter plasmids coding for firefly luciferase and β-galactosidase, a simple procedure was developed allowing highly reproducible and efficient transient and stable transfection of HuH-7 cells. Transfection efficiency could be further increased when a fusogenic peptide derived from the influenza virus hemagglutinin HA2 aminoterminal sequence was included in the cholesteryl-spermidine–DNA complex. Cholesteryl-spermidine (Transfectall) represents a novel cationic compound for efficient transfection of cultured cellsin vitroand has the potential to be used for gene transferin vivo.