DEAE-Dextran

CAS No:	9015-73-0
Synonyms:	DEAE-D, DEAE-dextran HCl, Dextran 2-(diethylamino)ethyl ether, 2-(Diethylamino) ethyldextran, Diethylaminoethyl-dextran, N,N- Diethylaminoethyl-dextran

Product Summary

DEAE-dextran is a cationically modified dextran polysaccharide widely used as a biochemical tool. Produced by introducing diethylaminoethyl groups onto dextran, it functions as a polycationic carrier capable of binding nucleic acids, proteins, and cell surfaces. Its principal mechanism relies on electrostatic complex formation that promotes cellular uptake via endocytosis, making it one of the earliest and still relevant non-viral transfection reagents. Beyond gene delivery, it is used in virology enhancement studies, vaccine-adjuvant research, chromatography, and biomaterial surface engineering. The material is supplied in multiple molecular-weight grades, is water-soluble, and remains stable for years when stored dry and protected from moisture.

Function

DEAE-dextran functions primarily as a cationic polyelectrolyte that can bind negatively charged biomolecules. The key functional capabilities:

Electrostatic binding to DNA, RNA, proteins, and membranes;
Formation of macromolecular complexes for delivery or purification;
Surface charge modification in biomaterials.

Mechanism of Action

Gene delivery / transfection mechanism: The positively charged DEAE-dextran associates tightly with the negatively charged phosphate backbone of nucleic acids, forming complexes. These complexes acquire a net positive charge, bind to negatively charged cell membranes and enter cells via adsorptive endocytosis or osmotic shock-assisted uptake. This enables transient gene expression.
Viral and cellular interaction: DEAE-dextran can enhance viral infectivity in vitro by facilitating viral nucleic-acid entry into host cells. Experimental work shows it improves lentiviral transduction efficiency without altering mesenchymal stromal-cell phenotype.
Immunological effects (adjuvant action): The polymer can enhance antigen uptake and may stimulate immune responses, possibly through helper-T-cell activation mechanisms.

Applications in Scientific Research

Molecular biology & gene delivery: Used as a classical non-viral transfection reagent for mammalian cells for transient expression studies. Typical applications are reporter-gene assays (luciferase, β-gal), rapid promoter analysis, virus packaging studies and screening constructs before switching to lipid or viral systems.
Virology research: Enhances infection or transduction efficiency in vitro. It is used to concentrate or precipitate viruses and nucleic acids in adenovirus infection optimization, in retrovirus/lentivirus transduction systems and difficult-to-infect primary cell models.
Vaccine and immunology studies: Used in DNA vaccine optimization studies, mucosal immunization experiments and model antigen delivery systems for mechanistic immunology as vaccine adjuvant or antigen-delivery facilitator to improve antigen presentation.
Protein and drug delivery systems: Used as macromolecular carrier to design electrostatically controlled delivery platforms for sustained-release protein delivery and nucleic-acid delivery platforms.
Chromatography & bioseparation: Functions as a weak anion-exchange material when immobilized or cross-linked. It is used in protein purification (enzymes, antibodies), nucleic acid fractionation and glycoprotein isolation.
Biomaterials and surface engineering: Used to engineer positively charged biointerfaces for diagnostics and materials science.

Packaging & Storage

Source: synthetic
Available as white to off-white hygroscopic powder
Store at cool place, protect for moisture.

References

Pagano JS & Vaheri A. 1965: Enhancement of infectivity of poliovirus RNA with diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-D), Arch Gesamte Virusforsch 17(3): 456-64.
Pagano JS, et al. 1967: Factors influencing the enhancement of the infectivity of poliovirus ribonucleic acid by diethylaminoethyl-dextran, J Virol. 1(5): 891-7.
Gulick T. 2003: Transfection using DEAE-dextran, Curr Protoc Cell Biol. Chapter 20: Unit 20.4.
Schenborn ET & Goiffon V. 2000: DEAE-dextran transfection of mammalian cultured cells, Methods Mol Biol. 130: 147-53.
Takai T & Ohmori H. 1990: DNA transfection of mouse lymphoid cells by the combination of DEAE-dextran-mediated DNA uptake and osmotic shock procedure, Biochim Biophys Acta. 1048(1): 105-9.
Frégeau CJ & Bleackley RC. 1991: Factors influencing transient expression in cytotoxic T cells following DEAE dextran-mediated gene transfer, Somat Cell Mol Genet. 17(3): 239-57.
Siewert C, et al. 2019: Investigation of charge ratio variation in mRNA - DEAE-dextran polyplex delivery systems, Biomaterials 192: 612-20.
Houston WE, et al.: Adjuvant effects of diethylaminoethyl-dextran, Infect Immun. 13(6): 1559-62.
Onishi Y, et al. 2014: Anticancer efficacy of a supramolecular complex of a 2-diethylaminoethyl–dextran–MMA graft copolymer and paclitaxel used as an artificial enzyme, Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 5: 2293–307.
Petrovici AR, et al. 2023: Dextran formulations as effective delivery systems of therapeutic agents, Molecules 28(3): 1086.
Rice JM, et al. 1972: Subcutaneous injections of vaccine adjuvant DEAE-dextran induce local sarcomas in mice, Nat New Biol. 236: 28.
Kola-Mustapha AT & Abioye AO. 2023: Formulation and characterization of gellan–DEAE-dextran polyelectrolyte complex hydrogels, West African J Pharm. 27(1): 104-7.
Demirbilek C & Dinç CÖ. 2012: Synthesis of diethylaminoethyl dextran hydrogel and its heavy metal ion adsorption characteristics, Carbohydr Polym. 90(2): 1159-67.
Qiao L, et al. 2024: Sequential diethylaminoethyl dextran-grafting and diethylaminoethyl modification improve the adsorption performance of anion exchangers, J Chromatogr A. 1730: 465119.
Nakhla OE, et al. 2010: Effect of Di-ethyl aminoethyl (DEAE) dextran on the infectivity titre of sheep pox virus in-vitro and in-vivo, J Veterin Med Res. 20(1): 303-5.