Synthesis of cholesterol-polyamine carbamates: pKa studies and condensation of calf thymus DNA

Novel cholesterol-polyamine carbamates have been prepared and their pKas determined potentiometrically for conjugates substituted with up to five amino functional groups and the binding affinity for calf thymus DNA has also been determined; these polyamine carbamates are models for lipoplex formation with respect to gene delivery (lipofection), a key first step in gene therapy.