Protein/amphipathic polyamine complexes enable highly efficient transfection with minimal toxicity.

Ternary complexes of plasmid DNA, histone H1 protein and amphipathic polyamines (PAPA) were able to mediate the efficient transfection of 3T3. HeLa and COS cells in culture. Using both the beta-galactosidase and luciferase reporter gene systems, the transfection efficiency of PAPA complexes was comparable to that of DOSPA/PE cationic liposomes, considered to be a highly-efficient transfection reagent. Using three different assays of cellular toxicity (propidium iodide, BCECF-AM and Trypan Blue), the PAPA complexes caused minimal cellular toxicity. These results indicate that PAPA complexes are useful transfection reagents for the study of gene expression and function in cultured cells.