Permeability enhancers for negatively charged polynucleotides
First Claim
1. A method for enhancing permeability of a negatively charged polynucleotide, comprising the step of contacting said polynucleotide with a permeability enhancer molecule comprising a cationic group which carries between 0 and 10% of a positive charge at pH 7.4, and carries a greater than 50% positive charge at a pH between 5.0 and 6.0 covalently joined to an anionic group which is greater than 50% unprotonated at pH 7.4, and no greater than 10% unprotonated at pH 5.0 to 6.0, wherein said negatively charged polynucleotide is ion-paired to said cationic group.
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Abstract
This invention features permeability enhancer molecules, and methods, to increase membrane permeability of negatively charged polymers thereby facilitating cellular uptake of such polymers.
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30 Claims
- 1. A method for enhancing permeability of a negatively charged polynucleotide, comprising the step of contacting said polynucleotide with a permeability enhancer molecule comprising a cationic group which carries between 0 and 10% of a positive charge at pH 7.4, and carries a greater than 50% positive charge at a pH between 5.0 and 6.0 covalently joined to an anionic group which is greater than 50% unprotonated at pH 7.4, and no greater than 10% unprotonated at pH 5.0 to 6.0, wherein said negatively charged polynucleotide is ion-paired to said cationic group.
- 2. A method for enhancing permeability of a negatively charged polynucleotide, comprising the step of contacting said polynucleotide with a permeability enhancer molecule comprising a cationic group which carries at least a 90% positive charge at both pH 7.4 and 5.0 covalently joined to an anionic group which is greater than 50% unprotonated at pH 7.4, and no greater than 10% unprotonated at pH 5.0 to 6.0, wherein said negatively charged polynucleotide is ion-paired to said cationic group.
- 16. A permeability ligand-enhancer molecule comprising a targeting ligand covalently linked to a cationic group through a biological labile bond, said cationic group having a positive charge at pH 7.4, wherein cleavage of said biological labile bond yields a chemical group having a pKa between 4.0 and 6.0 covalently linked to said cationic group.
- 24. A method for introducing a negatively charged polynucleotide into the cytoplasm of a cell, comprising the step of contacting said cell with said negatively charged polynucleotide ion-paired to an enhancer molecule, said enhancer molecule comprising a targeting ligand covalently linked to a cationic group through a biological labile bond, said cationic group having a positive charge at pH 7.4, wherein cleavage of said biological labile bond yields a chemical group having a pKa between 4.0 and 6.0 covalently linked to said cationic group, wherein said negatively charged polynucleotide enters into said cytoplasm.
Specification