Nanoparticle-amphipol complexes for nucleic acid intracellular delivery and imaging

1. A nanoparticle complex, comprising a nanoparticle and a plurality of amphiphilic polymers, wherein a portion of the amphiphilic polymers have pendant groups that are positively charged, wherein the amphiphilic polymer comprises a plurality of hydrocarbon moieties and a plurality of amine moieties, and wherein the amine moieties are dimethyl amino moieties.

2. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 further comprising a therapeutic nucleic acid, a therapeutic nucleic acid analog, or a therapeutic nucleic acid mimic.

3. The nanoparticle complex of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid is an RNA, an RNA analog, or an RNA mimic.

4. The nanoparticle complex of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid is an siRNA, an siRNA analog, or an siRNA mimic.

5. The nanoparticle complex of claim 2 , wherein the nucleic acid is a single stranded or a double stranded DNA, DNA analog, or DNA mimic.

6. The nanoparticle complex of claim 2 further comprising a targeting agent.

7. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of a quantum dot, a metal nanoparticle, a metal oxide nanoparticle, a metalloid nanoparticle, a metalloid oxide nanoparticle, polymer nanoparticle, silica nanoparticle, nanoscale micelles, nanoscale liposomes, and clusters and combinations thereof.

8. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is a magnetic nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of a metal nanoparticle, a metal oxide nanoparticle, a metalloid nanoparticle, a metalloid oxide nanoparticle, and combinations thereof.

9. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic polymer is an alternating copolymer, a random copolymer, a graft copolymer, or a block copolymer.

10. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon moieties are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties, and mixtures thereof.

11. The nanoparticle complex of claim 10 , wherein the alkyl moieties are selected from the group consisting of C1-C24 n-alkyl moieties.

12. The nanoparticle complex of claim 10 , wherein the alkyl moieties are selected from the group consisting of C8-C12 n-alkyl moieties.

13. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic polymer has an average molecular weight of from about 500 to about 5,000,000 g/mole.

14. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 , wherein the amphiphilic polymer is a crosslinked amphiphilic polymer.

15. The nanoparticle complex of claim 1 further comprising a targeting agent.

16. A nanoparticle complex, comprising a nanoparticle and plurality of amphiphilic polymers, wherein a portion of the amphiphilic polymers have pendant groups that are positively charged, and wherein the amphiphilic polymer is a poly(maleic anhydride-alt- 1-decene) modified with dimethylaminopropylamine.

17. The nanoparticle complex of claim 16 further comprising a therapeutic nucleic acid, a therapeutic nucleic acid analog, or a therapeutic nucleic acid mimic.

18. The nanoparticle complex of claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid is an RNA, an RNA analog, or an RNA mimic.

19. The nanoparticle complex of claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid is an siRNA, an siRNA analog, or an siRNA mimic.

20. The nanoparticle complex of claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid is a single stranded or a double stranded DNA, DNA analog, or DNA mimic.

21. The nanoparticle complex of claim 17 further comprising a targeting agent.

22. The nanoparticle complex of claim 16 , wherein the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of a quantum dot, a metal nanoparticle, a metal oxide nanoparticle, a metalloid nanoparticle, a metalloid oxide nanoparticle, polymer nanoparticle, silica nanoparticle, nanoscale micelles, nanoscale liposomes, and clusters and combinations thereof.

23. The nanoparticle complex of claim 16 , wherein the nanoparticle is a magnetic nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of a metal nanoparticle, a metal oxide nanoparticle, a metalloid nanoparticle, a metalloid oxide nanoparticle, and combinations thereof.

24. The nanoparticle complex of claim 16 further comprising a targeting agent.

25. A method for delivery of a nucleic acid to cell, comprising contacting a cell with the nanoparticle complex of claim 2 .

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the nanoparticle complex further comprises a targeting agent.

27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising contacting the cell with the nanoparticle complex in the presence of an applied magnetic field.

28. A method for transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid, comprising contacting a cell with the nanoparticle complex of claim 2 .

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the nanoparticle complex further comprises a targeting agent.

30. The method of claim 28 , further comprising contacting the cell with the nanoparticle complex in the presence of an applied magnetic field.

31. A method for imaging a cell, comprising contacting a cell with the nanoparticle complex of claim 2 to provide a labeled cell, and imaging the labeled cell.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein imaging comprises fluorescence imaging, electron microscopy imaging, or magnetic resonance imaging.

33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the nanoparticle complex comprises a quantum dot and the imaging comprises fluorescent imaging.

34. The method of claim 31 , wherein the nanoparticle complex comprises a magnetic nanoparticle and the imaging comprises magnetic resonance imaging.

35. The method of claim 31 , wherein the nanoparticle complex further comprises a targeting agent.