METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF NUCLEIC ACIDS
This invention features methods and compositions for delivery of nucleic acids (e.g., DNA, RNA, PNA, and hybrids thereof) to cells. The nucleic acid delivery complexes of the invention permit biologically active nucleic acids to be delivered to cells and organisms in vitro and in vivo in a manner and form that allows the nucleic acids to carry out their desired biological function.
1 . A composition comprising a nucleic acid, an endosomolytic spermine that includes a cholesterol or fatty acid, and a targeting spermine that includes a ligand for a cell surface molecule, wherein the ratio of positive to negative charge of said composition is between 0.5 and 1.5, inclusive, wherein said endosomolytic spermine constitutes at least 20% of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition, and wherein said targeting spermine constitutes at least 10% of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of positive to negative charge is between 0.8 and 1.2, inclusive.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises DNA, and said endosomolytic spermine constitutes between 40% and 90%, inclusive, of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises DNA, and said targeting spermine constitutes between 10% and 60%, inclusive, of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is RNA, and said endosomolytic spermine constitutes between 20% and 90%, inclusive, of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is RNA, and said targeting pennine constitutes between 10% and 80%, inclusive, of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said targeting spermine constitutes between 30 and 40%, inclusive, of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition, and wherein said endosomolytic spermine constitutes between 60 and 70%, inclusive of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
8 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein said targeting spermine constitutes 35% of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition, and wherein said endosomolytic spermine constitutes 65% of the spermine-containing molecules in said composition.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a spermine-containing molecule that does not contain a cholesterol, a fatty acid, or a ligand for a cell surface molecule.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ionic strength of said composition is equivalent to the ionic strength of a solution containing between 50 mM and 240 mM sodium, inclusive.
11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the ionic strength of said composition is equivalent to the ionic strength of a solution containing between 125 mM and 175 mM sodium, inclusive.
12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pH of said composition is between 6 and 8, inclusive.
13 . The composition of claim 12 , wherein the pH of said composition is between 6 and 7, inclusive.
14 . The composition of claim 13 , wherein the pH of said composition is between 6.5 and 6.8, inclusive.
15 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is a DNA, RNA, DNA/RNA hybrid, or peptide nucleic acid.
16 - 18 . (canceled)
19 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is single stranded.
20 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is double stranded.
21 . (canceled)
22 . (canceled)
23 . The composition of claim 22 , wherein the length of said nucleic acid is less than 100 bases.
24 . (canceled)
25 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein one said endosomolytic spermine comprises two cholesterols, two fatty acids, or one cholesterol and one fatty acid.
26 . The composition of claim 25 , wherein said fatty acids are the same.
27 . The composition of claim 25 , wherein said fatty acids are different.
28 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said targeting spermine comprises two ligands for a cell surface molecule.
29 . (canceled)
30 . (canceled)
31 . The composition of claim 1 , comprising at least two different endosomolytic spermines and/or at least two different targeting spermines.
32 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein one endosomolytic spermine comprises a cholesterol and one endosomolytic spermine comprises a fatty acid.
33 . The composition of claim 32 , comprising more cholesterol moieties than fatty acid moieties.
34 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said ligand is a peptide, antibody, biotin, a folate receptor ligand, lactose, fucose, or mannose moiety.
35 . The composition of claim 34 , wherein said peptide comprises at most 10 amino acids, or said peptide comprises an RGD motif.
36 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said ligand is bound to a secondary amine in a spermine through a linker and/or an oxygen at the C3 position in said cholesterol is bound to a secondary amine in a spermine through a linker.
37 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid is bonded directly to a secondary amine in a spermine and has a free COOH group.
38 . The composition of claim 36 , wherein said linker contains between 3 and 12 carbon atoms, inclusive.
39 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker is a saturated or unsaturated C 3 to C 12 hydrocarbon moiety, inclusive.
40 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker contains 3 or 4 carbon atoms and no double bonds.
41 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker contains 5 or 6 carbon atoms and at most 1 double bond.
42 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker contains between 7 or 12 carbon atoms, inclusive, and at most 2 double bonds.
43 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker contains 5 carbon atoms.
44 . The composition of claim 38 , wherein said linker is bound through a terminal carboxyl, amino, hydroxyl, sulfhydryl, alkyl, carboxamide, carbamate, thiocarbamate, or carbamoyl bridging group to a secondary amine group of the spermine.
45 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said fatty acid contains between 4 or 12 carbon atoms, inclusive.
46 . The composition of claim 45 , wherein said linker is a saturated or unsaturated C 4 to C 12 hydrocarbon moiety, inclusive.
47 . The composition of claim 45 , wherein said fatty acid comprises an ester group.
48 . The composition of claim 45 , wherein said fatty acid contains 6 carbon atoms.
49 . The composition of claim 45 , wherein the pKa of the carboxyl group of said fatty acid is at most 6.
50 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
51 - 54 . (canceled)
55 . A composition comprising a nucleic acid complexed with a cationic amphiphile in an oil-in-water emulsion in which at least 10% of said complex is in the oil phase of said emulsion.
56 - 59 . (canceled)
60 . The composition of claim 55 , wherein said cationic amphiphile is a cationic lipid, modified or unmodified spermine, bupivacaine, or benzalkonium chloride.
61 . The composition of claim 55 , wherein cationic amphiphile is (i) bupivacaine and the ratio of positive to negative charge is between 1 and 5, inclusive; (ii) unmodified or modified spermine the ratio of positive to negative charge is between 0.5 to 1.5, inclusive; (iii) a cationic lipid and the ratio of positive to negative charge is between 0.5 and 5.0, inclusive, (iv) lipofectamine and the ratio of positive to negative charge is between 0.5 and 2.0, inclusive; or (v) benzalkonium chloride and the ratio of positive to negative charge is between is 0.01 and 0.2, inclusive.
62 - 80 . (canceled)
81 . A method for inhibiting the expression of a target nucleic acid in a cell, said method comprising contacting a cell with the composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a first double stranded RNA (dsRNA) or a nucleic acid encoding a first double stranded dsRNA that has substantial sequence identity to a region of said target nucleic acid and specifically inhibits expression of said target nucleic acid.
82 . (canceled)
83 . A method for treating, stabilizing, or preventing a disease, disorder, or infection in an animal, said method comprising contacting an animal with the composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a first dsRNA or a nucleic acid encoding a first double stranded dsRNA that has substantial sequence identity to a region of said target nucleic acid associated with said disease, disorder, or infection and specifically inhibits expression of said target nucleic acid.
84 - 86 . (canceled)
87 . The method of claim 83 , wherein said target nucleic acid is associated with a pathogen.
88 . The method of claim 87 , wherein said pathogen is a virus, bacterium, yeast, or infectious agent.
89 . (canceled)
90 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the double stranded region in said first dsRNA contains between 11 and 30 nucleotides, inclusive.
91 . The method of claim 81 , wherein the double stranded region in said first dsRNA comprises over 30 nucleotides.
92 . The method of claim 91 , wherein the double stranded region in said first dsRNA comprises over 200 nucleotides.
93 - 99 . (canceled)