A versatile linker for nontoxic polyamine-mediated DNA transfection.

Low levels of transfection efficacy and lipid-associated cytotoxicity have complicated the use of cationic lipids to facilitate transfer of exogenous DNA to eukaryotic cells. To address these issues, we synthesized a panel of six tetraester polyamines that were designed to minimize cytotoxicity by using pentaerythritol to link the hydrophobic and the DNA-binding domains. We conducted this study to probe the effects of structural modifications around pentaerythritol as a linker on transfection activity and cell viability.