Activation Energy of the Low-pH-Induced Lamellar to Bicontinuous Cubic Phase Transition in Dioleoylphosphatidylserine/Monoolein

Self-Assembly of Lipid Molecules under Shear Flows: A Dissipative Particle Dynamics Simulation Study

The self-assembly of lipid molecules in aqueous solution under shear flows was investigated using the dissipative particle dynamics simulation method. Three cases were considered: zero shear flow, weak shear flow and strong shear flow. Various self-assembled structures, such as double layers, perforated double layers, hierarchical discs, micelles, and vesicles, were observed. The self-assembly behavior was investigated in equilibrium by constructing phase diagrams based on chain lengths. Results showed the remarkable influence of chain length, shear flow and solution concentration on the self-assembly process. Furthermore, the self-assembly behavior of lipid molecules was analyzed using the system energy, particle number and shape factor during the dynamic processes, where the self-assembly pathways were observed and analyzed for the typical structures. The results enhance our understanding of biomacromolecule self-assembly in a solution and hold the potential for applications in biomedicine.

Self-Assembly of Lipid Mixtures in Solutions: Structures, Dynamics Processes and Mechanical Properties

The self-assembly of lipid mixtures in aqueous solution was investigated by dissipative particle dynamics simulation. Two types of lipid molecules were modelled, where three mixed structures, i.e., the membrane, perforated membrane and vesicle, were determined in the self-assembly processes. Phase behaviour was investigated by using the phase diagrams based on the tail chain lengths for the two types of lipids. Several parameters, such as chain number and average radius of gyration, were employed to explore the structural formations of the membrane and perforated membrane in the dynamic processes. Interface tension was used to demonstrate the mechanical properties of the membrane and perforated membrane in the equilibrium state and dynamics processes. Results help us to understand the self-assembly mechanism of the biomolecule mixtures, which has a potential application for designing the lipid molecule-based bio-membranes in solutions.

Controlling the Kinetics of an Enzymatic Reaction through Enzyme or Substrate Confinement into Lipid Mesophases with Tunable Structural Parameters

Lipid liquid crystalline mesophases, resulting from the self-assembly of polymorphic lipids in water, have been widely explored as biocompatible drug delivery systems. In this respect, non-lamellar structures are particularly attractive: they are characterized by complex 3D architectures, with the coexistence of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions that can conveniently host drugs of different polarities. The fine tunability of the structural parameters is nontrivial, but of paramount relevance, in order to control the diffusive properties of encapsulated active principles and, ultimately, their pharmacokinetics and release. In this work, we investigate the reaction kinetics of p-nitrophenyl phosphate conversion into p-nitrophenol, catalysed by the enzyme Alkaline Phosphatase, upon alternative confinement of the substrate and of the enzyme into liquid crystalline mesophases of phytantriol/H₂O containing variable amounts of an additive, sucrose stearate, able to swell the mesophase. A structural investigation through Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, revealed the possibility to finely control the structure/size of the mesophases with the amount of the included additive. A UV-vis spectroscopy study highlighted that the enzymatic reaction kinetics could be controlled by tuning the structural parameters of the mesophase, opening new perspectives for the exploitation of non-lamellar mesophases for confinement and controlled release of therapeutics.

Advances in the Design of pH-Sensitive Cubosome Liquid Crystalline Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery Applications

Nanostructure bicontinuous cubic phase self-assembled materials are receiving expanding applications as biocompatible delivery systems in various therapeutic fields. The functionalization of cubosome, spongosome, hexosome and liposome nanocarriers by pH-sensitive lipids and/or pH-sensitive polymer shells offers new opportunities for oral and topical drug delivery towards a new generation of cancer therapies. The electrochemical behavior of drug compounds may favor pH-triggered drug release as well. Here, we highlight recent investigations, which explore the phase behavior of mixed nonlamellar lipid/fatty acid or phospholipid systems for the design of pH-responsive and mucoadhesive drug delivery systems with sustained-release properties. X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques are widely used in the development of innovative delivery assemblies through detailed structural analyses of multiple amphiphilic compositions from the lipid/co-lipid/water phase diagrams. pH-responsive nanoscale materials and nanoparticles are required for challenging therapeutic applications such as oral delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides as well as of poorly water-soluble substances. Perspective nanomedicine developments with smart cubosome nanocarriers may exploit compositions elaborated to overcome the intestinal obstacles, dual-drug loaded pH-sensitive liquid crystalline architectures aiming at enhanced therapeutic efficacy, as well as composite (lipid/polyelectrolyte) types of mucoadhesive controlled release colloidal cubosomal formulations for the improvement of the drugs' bioavailability.

Shear-induced microstructures and dynamics processes of phospholipid cylinders in solutions

Shear-induced microstructures and their corresponding dynamic processes are investigated for phospholipid cylinders in aqueous solution by dissipative particle dynamic simulation. Various phospholipid cylinders with cross-sections, which are formed under shear-free flow, are selected to examine the effects of shear flow on their structures and dynamic processes. Shear flow induces the transition from cylinders into vesicles at weak rate and the transition into vesicle–lamella mixtures with increased shear rate and lamella structures at the strong shear rate. Then, the average radius of gyration and shape factors of the polymer chains in the dynamic processes are discussed in detail. Results show that shear flow causes the structure of the polymer chains to be elongated along the shear direction, and the configuration of the polymer chain can be rapidly transformed into an ellipsoid structure under strong shear.

Low-pH-Induced Lamellar to Bicontinuous Primitive Cubic Phase Transition in Dioleoylphosphatidylserine/Monoolein Membranes

Electrostatic interactions (EIs) play important roles in the structure and stability of inverse bicontinuous cubic (Q_II) phases of lipid membranes. We examined the effect of pH on the phase of dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS)/monoolein (MO) membranes at low ionic strengths using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We found that the phase transitions from lamellar liquid-crystalline (L_α) to primitive cubic (Q_II^P) phases in DOPS/MO (2/8 molar ratio) membranes occurred in buffers containing 50 mM NaCl at and below the final pH of 2.75 as the pH of the membrane suspension was decreased from a neutral value. The kinetic pathway of this transition was revealed using time-resolved SAXS with a stopped-flow apparatus. The first step is a rapid transition from the L_α phase to the hexagonal II (H_II) phase, and the second step is a slow transition from the H_II phase to the Q_II^P phase. We determined the rate constants of the first step, k₁, and of the second step, k₂, by analyzing the time course of SAXS intensities quantitatively. The k₁ value increased with temperature. The analysis of this result provided the values of its apparent activation energy, which were constant over temperature but increased with pH. This can be explained by an EI effect on the free energy of the transition state. In contrast, the k₂ value decreased with temperature, indicating that the true activation energy increased with temperature. These experimental results were analyzed using the theory of the activation energy of phase transitions of lipid membranes when the free energy of the transition state depends on temperature. On the basis of these results, we discussed the mechanism of this phase transition.

Influence of a pH-sensitive polymer on the structure of monoolein cubosomes

Cubosomes consist in submicron size particles of lipid bicontinuous cubic phases stabilized by surfactant polymers. They provide an appealing road towards the practical use of lipid cubic phases for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, and efforts are currently being made to control the encapsulation and release properties of these colloidal objects. We overcome in this work the lack of sensitivity of monoolein cubosomes to pH conditions by using a pH sensitive polymer designed to strongly interact with the lipid structure at low pH. Our cryo-transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results show that in the presence of the polymer the cubic phase structure is preserved at neutral pH, albeit with a larger cell size. At pH 5.5, in the presence of the polymer, the nanostructure of the cubosome particles is significantly altered, providing a pathway to design pH-responsive cubosomes for applications in drug delivery.

Analysis of constant tension-induced rupture of lipid membranes using activation energy

The stretching of biomembranes and lipid membranes plays important roles in various physiological and physicochemical phenomena. Here we analyzed the rate constant kp of constant tension-induced rupture of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) as a function of tension σ using their activation energy Ua. To determine the values of kp, we applied constant tension to a GUV membrane using the micropipette aspiration method and observed the rupture of GUVs, and then analyzed these data statistically. First, we investigated the temperature dependence of kp for GUVs of charged lipid membranes composed of negatively charged dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) and electrically neutral dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). By analyzing this result, the values of Ua of tension-induced rupture of DOPG/DOPC-GUVs were obtained. Ua decreased with an increase in σ, supporting the classical theory of tension-induced pore formation. The analysis of the relationship between Ua and σ using the theory on the electrostatic interaction effects on the tension-induced rupture of GUVs provided the equation of Ua including electrostatic interaction effects, which well fits the experimental data of the tension dependence of Ua. A constant which does not depend on tension, U0, was also found to contribute significantly to Ua. The Arrhenius equations for kp using the equation of Ua and the parameters determined by the above analysis fit well to the experimental data of the tension dependence of kp for DOPG/DOPC-GUVs as well as for DOPC-GUVs. On the basis of these results, we discussed the possible elementary processes underlying the tension-induced rupture of GUVs of lipid membranes. These results indicate that the Arrhenius equation using the experimentally determined Ua is useful in the analysis of tension-induced rupture of GUVs.

Graphene as a photothermal actuator for control of lipid mesophase structure

The optical density of pristine graphene is high and broad in the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum positioning this material as a highly efficient photothermal agent for in vivo applications. In this study, surfactant assisted exfoliated graphene was incorporated within bulk lipid samples of varying lipid types: glyceryl monoether, glyceryl monooleate and phytantriol. The pristine graphene sheets did not disrupt the packing of the liquid crystals while being in sufficiently intimate contact to provide localized heating and induce phase transitions. The phase progressions induced through heating using NIR irradiation of the entrained graphene particles within the bulk liquid crystal were studied using SAXS and confirmed using polarized optical microscopy. Increases in apparent temperature experienced by the matrix of up to 50 °C were observed by establishing a SAXS versus bulk temperature calibration curve allowing in situ measurements. The studies demonstrate the potential for use of graphene as a photothermal actuator across a range of lipid based systems of interest in controlled drug delivery.

Responsive self-assembled nanostructured lipid systems for drug delivery and diagnostics

While stimuli-responsive polymers have received a huge amount of attention in the literature, responsive lipid-based mesophase systems offer unique opportunities in biomedical applications such as drug delivery and biosensing. The different mesophase equilibrium structures enables dynamic switching between nanostructures to facilitate drug release or as a transducer for recognition events. In drug delivery, this behavior offers researchers the means to deliver a therapeutic payload at a specific rate and time i.e. 'on-demand'. This review summarizes the distinctive features of these multifaceted materials and aggregates the current state of the art research from our groups and others into the use of these materials as bulk gels and nanostructured dispersions for drug delivery, biosensing and diagnostics.

Two Distinct Cylinder Arrangements in Monodomains of a Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Hexagonal II Phase: Monodomains with Straight Cylinders and Ringed Cylinders in Capillaries

We report a method to produce two different monodomains of an inverse hexagonal II (HII) phase in capillaries. Capillaries filled with glyceryl monooleyl ether (GME) in an inverted micellar phase were soaked in water. After a week, a monodomain of the HII phase with straight cylinders was observed in a capillary with a diameter of 1.0 mm. The axis of the straight cylinders was almost parallel to the capillary axis, and the cylinders were slightly undulated. The lattice constant of the HII phase was 5.85 nm, which indicated the monodomain was fully hydrated. Another monodomain with ringed cylinders was observed in a 0.2 mm diameter capillary. The ringed cylinders aligned to the round capillary wall, where one of the ⟨10⟩ directions in the hexagonal lattice always faced the wall. The lattice constant was 4.89 nm, from which the estimated water content of the monodomain was almost the lowest reported for the HII phase. The monodomain with ringed cylinders is stabilized by the capillary wall and the low water content. This method to produce specific monodomains is expected to be of benefit for basic and applied research on the HII phase.