Role of polyplex intermediate species on gene transfer efficiency: polyethylenimine-DNA complexes and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a cationic DNA condensing polymer that facilitates gene transfer into the mammalian cells. The highest gene transfer with branched PEI is obtained at high nitrogen/phosphate (N/P) ratios with free PEI present. The small molecular weight PEI alone is not able to mediate DNA transfection. Here, we used recently developed time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic method to study the mechanism of PEI-DNA complex formation and to investigate how free PEI, mean molecular weight, and branching of PEI affect the complexes. Analysis of fluorescence lifetimes and time-resolved spectra revealed that for both linear and branched high-molecular-weight PEI the complexation takes place in two steps, but the small-molecular-weight branched PEI complexed DNA at a single step. According to the binding constants obtained from time-resolved spectroscopic measurements, the affinity of N/P complexation per nitrogen atom is highest for LPEI and weakest for BPEI, whereas SPEI-DNA complexation showed intermediate values. Thus, the binding constant alone does not give adequate measure for transfection efficiency. On the other hand, the presence of intermediate states during the polyplex formation seems to be favorable for the gene transfection. Free PEI had no impact on the physical state of PEI-DNA complexes, even though it was essential for gene transfection in the cell culture. In conclusion, the molecular size and topology of PEI have direct influence on the DNA complexation but the free PEI does not. Free PEI must facilitate transfection at the cellular level and not via indirect effects on the PEI-DNA complexes.