The present invention discloses novel cationic amphiphiles containing mannose-mimicking shikimic and quinic acid head-groups and a process for preparing cationic amphiphiles with mannose-mimicking polar head-groups such as, shikimic and quinic acids. The findings described herein also demonstrate that compounds of the present invention can target model DNA vaccines to antigen presenting cells (APCs) such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), via mannose receptors expressed on the cell surface of APCs. The cationic amphiphiles disclosed herein show enhanced cellular and humoral immune response compared to their mannosyl counterpart in dendritic cell (DC, the most professional APC) based genetic immunization in mice. Cationic amphiphiles with mannose-mimicking quinic and shikimic acid head-groups described in the present invention are likely to find future applications in the field of genetic immunization.
