Cationic Polymers with Inhibition Ability of DNA Condensation Elevate Gene Expression

Plasmid DNA molecules in polyplexes with poly(L-lysine) (PLL) and multiarm PEG-installed PLL (maPEG–PLL) adopted condensed and noncondensed states, respectively. maPEG–PLL polyplexes showed comparable cell-free gene expression with naked pDNA. The inhibition ability of DNA condensation of maPEG–PLL provided not only the recovery of cell-free gene expression but also elevated the gene expression of cultured cells.