# Amino-Functionalized Poly(2-Ethyl-2-Oxazoline)-Ran-Poly[2-(3-Butenyl)-2-Oxazoline] Copolymers Used as Non-Viral Vectors for Nucleic Acid Delivery: Impact of Polymer Structure and Composition

## TL;DR

This study explores how different amino-functionalized copolymers affect gene delivery, showing that polymer structure and composition influence DNA release and biological performance.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the systematic investigation of how amino group types and polymer structure impact non-viral gene delivery systems.

## Key findings

- Amino-functionalized copolymers can form polyplex nanoparticles that release DNA and respond to pH and ionic strength changes.
- All systems showed high biocompatibility and enabled detectable EGFP expression in human lung cells.
- Primary amino group copolymers balanced DNA binding and release with sensitivity to environmental changes.

## Abstract

In this work, we designed non-viral gene delivery vector systems based on three poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-ran-poly[2-(3-butenyl)-2-oxazoline] copolymers functionalized by primary, secondary, and tertiary amino groups. The impact of copolymer structure and composition was sought through the examination of basic physicochemical and biological parameters. The complexation ability of copolymers with plasmid DNA was studied by ethidium bromide quenching assay. The polyplex particles size and ζ-potential were determined by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering. The release ability of copolymers was assessed by competitive displacement of DNA using dextran sulfate. The biological performance of amino-functionalized poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-ran-poly[2-(3-butenyl)-2-oxazoline] based gene delivery systems was evaluated, and their behavior under various environmental conditions, such as pH and ionic strength, was investigated. Cytotoxicity was assessed in two human lung-derived cell lines, and the ability of the copolymers to mediate plasmid DNA delivery and expression was examined. The resulting polyplex nanoparticles exhibited the ability to release DNA molecules and sensitivity to alterations in pH and ionic strength. All systems showed high biocompatibility and were able to mediate plasmid DNA delivery, resulting in detectable EGFP expression in vitro. The vector properties were found to be driven by a multifactorial interplay among hydrophobic character, thermoresponsive behavior, polymer mobility, charge accessibility, intracellular environmental responsiveness, secondary structure effects, etc. The copolymer bearing primary amino groups displayed a distinct balance between DNA binding and release, characterized by moderate complex stability and enhanced sensitivity to environmental changes. These findings provide mechanistic insight into how amino functionality and polymer structure influence the structure–property–behavior relationships of polyoxazoline-based non-viral gene delivery systems.