Abstract
Cationic lipid reagents differ in their cytofection efficacy with different cell types. No evidence has addressed whether the same lipid reagent is best for different DNAs in a single cell line. Immortalized avian embryonic cardiomyocytes cultured in vitro were tested with 15 cationic lipid reagents using (A) a β-gal expression plasmid, (B) a fluorescein-tagged, phosphorothioate-modified ODN B, (C) a fluorescein-tagged, ethoxy-modified ODN C with the same nucleotide sequence as ODN B, and (D) a fluorescein-tagged, phosphorothioate-modified ODN D with a different nucleotide sequence from ODNs B and C. Cytofection was scored as percent of cells expressing β-gal activity or showing diffuse cellular fluorescence. The best lipid reagents for the phosphorothioate-modified ODNs were ODN-specific and markedly different from the best lipid reagents for the expression plasmid or for the ethoxy-modified ODN. These results suggest that the best cationic lipid reagent for a particular cell type varies with the physical and chemical form of the DNA being transfected into the cells.
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