Synthesis and preliminary biological studies of hemifluorinated bifunctional bolaamphiphiles designed for gene delivery

The multistep synthesis of a new series of dissymmetric hemifluorocarbon bolaamphiphiles designed for gene transport is described. The dissymmetric functionalization of diiodoperfluoroctane leads to bolaamphiphile molecules composed of a partially fluorocarbon core end-capped with a glycoside and an ammonium salt derived from histidine or lysine. Initial biological results indicate that one of the bolaamphiphile—end-capped with a lysine and a lactobionamide residue—induces a remarkably low cytotoxicity on COS-7 cells and, when self-assembled with DNA plasmid, generates a significant in vitro transfection efficiency without the addition of any fusogenic lipid.