12-Crown-4-based amphipathic lipid and corresponding metal cation complexes for gene therapy applications: FT-IR characterization and surface charge determination

The new lipid 1,2-O-dioleyl-3-O-{2-[(12-crown-4)-methoxy]-ethyl}-sn-glycerol, 12C4L, has been synthesized. This molecule can coordinate different cations that should make the corresponding liposome a good candidate as vector of genetic material for possible applications in gene therapy. An important feature of the molecule is the possibility to modulate the net surface charge of their complexes with metal cations, which is important to provide efficient DNA transfections. The molecule and its complexes with some metal cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+) have been characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and band attributions confirmed by Density Functional Theory calculations. The net surface charge has been determined by Z potential determinations.