The Role of Formamidine Groups in Dextran Based Nonviral Vectors for Gene Delivery on Their Physicochemical and Biological Characteristics.

Dextran-formamidine esters (dextran-N-[(dimethylamino)methylene]-β-alanine ester) with different degrees of substitution (0.45-0.92) are synthesized in an one-pot reaction.

Amino Acid-Substituted Dextran-Based Non-Viral Vectors for Gene Delivery.

To form bio-inspired non-viral vectors for DNA delivery, the polysaccharide dextran is allowed to react with Boc-amino protected amino acids glycine, β-alanine, and L-lysine activated with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole and subsequent dextran ester deprotection. A library of such dextran esters is made available to investigate the relationship between polymer structure, complex formation, stability, toxicity, and transfection. Only dextran esters of β-alanine and L-lysine are able to efficiently interact with DNA as shown by dye exclusion assays, to form nanosized complexes (70-110 nm) with positive zeta potential.

Novel dextran derivatives with unconventional structure formed in an efficient one-pot reaction.

An efficient one-pot synthesis of new dextran derivatives is described. The functional groups of β-alanine, i.e.