Modern nano-sized delivery systems based on lipodipeptides for treating genetic and oncological diseases

Here we report the synthesis of an array of new lipid-like nonvirus transfection mediators. The polar part of cationic amphiphiles is represented by OrnGlu, LysGlu, and ArgGlu dipeptides. The hydrophobic fragment is formed by mono- and diesters of L-glutamic acid and aliphatic saturated and nonsaturated alcohols varying in length (C8, C14, C18:1). The sizes and morphology of complexes with DNA have been determined via electron microscopy. The new transfection mediators are nontoxic and were shown to deliver genes into tumor and nontumor cells with a high efficiency comparable to that of next-generation commercial preparations.