A new efficient method for transfection of neonatal cardiomyocytes using histone H1 in combination with DOSPER liposomal transfection reagent.

Although cationic lipids are successfully used for gene transfer in vitro, primary cells such as neonatal cardiomyocytes frequently resist efficient transfection. We show here that the polycationic lipid DOSPER in combination with histone H1 was much more efficient in transfection of neonatal cardiomyocytes than DOSPER alone or other cationic lipids. This has been shown for transfection with the reporter plasmids pSV beta-gal and pCMV luc. If viral transfections are not possible, this mild method is an alternative to transfect cardiomyocytes.