Surfactant−DNA Gel Particles: Formation and Release Characteristics

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in DNA and chromatin systems from the perspective of colloid physical chemistry

DNA is a highly charged polyelectrolyte and is prone to associative phase separation driven by the presence of multivalent cations, charged surfactants, proteins, polymers and colloids. The process of DNA phase separation induced by positively charged species is often called DNA condensation. Generally, it refers to either intramolecular DNA compaction (coil-globule transition) or intermolecular DNA aggregation with macroscopic phase separation, but the formation of a DNA liquid crystalline system is also displayed. This has traditionally been described by polyelectrolyte theory and qualitative (Flory-Huggins-based) polymer theory approaches. DNA in the cell nucleus is packed into chromatin wound around the histone octamer (a protein complex comprising two copies each of the four histone proteins H2A, H2B, H3 and H4) to form nucleosomes separated by linker DNA. During the last decade, the phenomenon of the formation of biomolecular condensates (dynamic droplets) by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has emerged as a generally important mechanism for the formation of membraneless organelles from proteins, nucleic acids and their complexes. DNA and chromatin droplet formation through LLPS has recently received much attention by in vitro as well as in vivo studies that established the importance of this for compartmentalisation in the cell nucleus. Here, we review DNA and chromatin LLPS from a general colloid physical chemistry perspective. We start with a general discussion of colloidal phase separation in aqueous solutions and review the original (pre-LLPS era) work on DNA (macroscopic) phase separation for simpler systems with DNA in the presence of multivalent cations and well-defined surfactants and colloids. Following that, we discuss and illustrate the similarities of such macroscopic phase separation with the general behaviour of LLPS droplet formation by associative phase separation for DNA-protein systems, including chromatin; we also note cases of segregative association. The review ends with a discussion of chromatin LLPS in vivo and its physiological significance.

Self-Assembly of a C16M[Mn] Magnetic Surfactant in Water

A magnetic surfactant, which combines the properties of a surfactant with magnetic responsiveness, shows great potential in biotechnology, separation, adsorption, and catalysis, especially in non-invasive manipulation through a magnetic field. However, a molecularly magnetic surfactant is usually paramagnetic for the amorphous and less ordered structures. In this work, magnetic surfactant 1-methyl-3-hexadecane-imidazolium [MnCl₂Br] (C₁₆M[Mn]) is reported to self-assemble in water. The C₁₆M[Mn] magnetic surfactant self-assembles in water to form a lamellar hydrogel from 10 to 50 wt % at and below room temperature. The hydrogel changes from a gel to a sol at 30 °C, and the hexadecane chains in the hydrogel change from noncrystalline to crystalline at 0 °C. In the hydrogel state, the lamellar domain spacing is varied from 36 to 45 nm depending on the concentration and self-assembly temperature. After self-assembly, the magnetic susceptibility of the freeze-dried magnetic surfactant is increased. Most important is the fact that the freeze-dried sample at a high concentration (40-50 wt %) shows the highest magnetic susceptibility, which is related to the closer molecular packing and the more ordered structures. The self-assembly-induced increase in magnetic susceptibility provides a method for improving the magnetic properties of a magnetic surfactant.

Magnetic surfactants: A review of recent progress in synthesis and applications

Magnetic surfactants are a special class of surfactants with magneto-responsive properties. These surfactants possess lower critical micelle concentrations and are more effective in reducing surface tension as compared to conventional surfactants. Such surfactants' ability to manipulate self-assembly in a controlled way by tuning the magnetic field makes them an attractive choice for several applications, including drug delivery, catalysis, separation, oilfield, and water treatment. In this work, we reviewed the properties of magnetic surfactants and possible explanations of magnetic behavior. This article also covers the synthesis methods that can be used to synthesize different types of cationic, anionic, nonionic, and zwitterionic magnetic surfactants. The applications of magnetic surfactants in different fields such as biotechnology, water treatment, catalysis, and oilfield have been discussed in detail.

Static dielectric constant of water within a bilayer using recent water models: a molecular dynamics study

The water confined within a surfactant bilayer is studied using different water models via molecular dynamics simulations. We considered four representative rigid models of water: the SPC/E and the TIP4P/2005, which are commonly used in numerical calculations and the more recent TIP4Q and SPC/ε models, developed to reproduce the dielectric behaviour of pure water. The static dielectric constant of the confined water was analyzed as a function of the temperature for the four models. In all cases it decreases as the temperature increases. Additionally, the static dielectric constant of the bilayer-water system was estimated through its expression in terms of the fluctuations in the total dipole moment, usually applied for isotropic systems. The estimated dielectric was compared with the available experimental data. We found that the TIP4Q and the SPC/ε produce closer values to the experimental data than the other models, particularly at room temperature. It was found that the probability of finding the sodium ion close to the head of the surfactant decreases as the temperature increases, thus the head of the surfactant is more exposed to the interaction with water when the temperature is higher.

DNA-surfactant complexes: self-assembly properties and applications

Over the last few years, DNA-surfactant complexes have gained traction as unique and powerful materials for potential applications ranging from optoelectronics to biomedicine because they self-assemble with outstanding flexibility spanning packing modes from ordered lamellar, hexagonal and cubic structures to disordered isotropic phases. These materials consist of a DNA backbone from which the surfactants protrude as non-covalently bound side chains. Their formation is electrostatically driven and they form bulk films, lyotropic as well as thermotropic liquid crystals and hydrogels. This structural versatility and their easy-to-tune properties render them ideal candidates for assembly in bulk films, for example granting directional conductivity along the DNA backbone, for dye dispersion minimizing fluorescence quenching allowing applications in lasing and nonlinear optics or as electron blocking and hole transporting layers, such as in LEDs or photovoltaic cells, owing to their extraordinary dielectric properties. However, they do not only act as host materials but also function as a chromophore itself. They can be employed within electrochromic DNA-surfactant liquid crystal displays exhibiting remarkable absorptivity in the visible range whose volatility can be controlled by the external temperature. Concomitantly, applications in the biological field based on DNA-surfactant bulk films, liquid crystals and hydrogels are rendered possible by their excellent gene and drug delivery capabilities. Beyond the mere exploitation of their material properties, DNA-surfactant complexes proved outstandingly useful for synthetic chemistry purposes when employed as scaffolds for DNA-templated reactions, nucleic acid modifications or polymerizations. These promising examples are by far not exhaustive but foreshadow their potential applications in yet unexplored fields. Here, we will give an insight into the peculiarities and perspectives of each material and are confident to inspire future developments and applications employing this emerging substance class.

Antimicrobial Activity from Colistin-Heparin Lamellar-Phase Complexes for the Coating of Biomedical Devices

Infections arising in hospitalized patients, particularly those who have undergone surgery and are reliant on receiving treatment through biomedical devices, continue to be a rising concern. It is well-known that aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged surfactant and polymer molecules can self-assemble to form liquid crystalline structures, primarily via electrostatically driven interactions that have demonstrated great potential as tailored-release nanomaterials. Colistin is a re-emerging antibiotic used against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Its amphiphilic structure allows it to form micellar aggregates in solution. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether structured complexes form between colistin and negatively charged biopolymers, such as the highly sulfated anticoagulant, heparin. Cross-polarized light microscopy and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering were employed to visualize the appearance of birefringent structures and identify liquid crystalline structures, respectively, formed across the interface between solutions of colistin and heparin. A lamellar phase with a lattice parameter of ∼40 Å was formed upon contact between the oppositely charged solutions of colistin and heparin. In addition, in vitro release studies showed a slow release of colistin from the lamellar-phase gel complexes into the bulk media, and disk diffusion bioassays revealed antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This system provides a novel, cost-effective, and simple approach to reducing the risk of infections by potentially applying the formulation as a coating for biomedical implants or tubing.

Compaction and decompaction of DNA dominated by the competition between counterions and DNA associating with cationic aggregates

A systematic work concerning the DNA compaction and decompaction controlled by cationic surfactants, cetyltrimethylammonium with [FeCl3Br](-) (CTAFe), Br(-) (CTABr) and Cl(-) (CTACl) as counterions, respectively, was performed. We discovered that cationic surfactants with complex counterions, [FeCl3Br](-), cannot promote the decompaction of DNA like those with Br(-) and Cl(-) as counterions. The rod-like CTAFe micelles were found to remain free in supernatants and cannot directly promote any redissolution or decompaction of DNA. These interesting findings could provide a better understanding of the interaction behavior of DNA and cationic surfactants. We conclude that the fundamental reason of the DNA decompaction lies upon the electrostatic competition between the counterions and DNA for associating with the cationic aggregates. At a high concentration, the binding of counterions to cationic CTA(+) aggregates is promoted, which weakens and screens the electrostatic attraction between DNA and cationic aggregates. This could cause the decompaction of DNA as the cases of CTABr/DNA and CTACl/DNA mixtures. Our data revealed the fundamental reason of the compaction and decompaction behavior of DNA induced by cationic surfactants independently, a reasonable three-step model of the conformational changes of DNA controlled by different amounts of cationic surfactants was presented. The current work could provide a clear guidance in gene delivery, gene therapy and biomedicine fields.

Release of DNA and surfactant from gel particles: the receptor solution effect and the dehydration-hydration aspects

DNA and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) have been used to prepare gel particles for controlled release studies. This article reports on the release of DNA and CTAB in four different solutions: in sodium bromide, in strong acid, pH 2 and pH 9 solutions for salmon testes DNA-CTAB gel particles. Also, compares results at extreme acid media and 10 mM NaBr solution with higher molecular weight DNA gel particles. The direct surfactant release was followed for the first time and shows the need of using biocompatible surfactants for the preparation of these gel particles. The release behavior depends on the receptor solution pH and the molecular weight of DNA. The first stage of the release corresponds to the so-called normal release profile and after this period, the release changed to a slow release profile. Also, the effect of dehydration and rehydration on the gel particles structure has been studied for the first time. The last process was observed visually and by SAXS measurements as a function of time. This process maintains the particle membrane integrity, structure and barrier function. The rehydration of dry gel particle in water occurs in only a few hours.

Formation of liquid-crystalline structures in the bile salt-chitosan system and triggered release from lamellar phase bile salt-chitosan capsules

Nanostructured capsules comprised of the anionic bile salt, sodium taurodeoxycholate (STDC), and the biocompatible cationic polymer, chitosan, were prepared to assess their potential as novel tailored release nanomaterials. For comparison, a previously studied system, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) was also investigated. Crossed-polarizing light microscopy (CPLM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) identified the presence of lamellar and hexagonal phase at the surfactant-polymer interface of the respective systems. The hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between the oppositely charged components were studied by varying temperature and salt concentration, respectively, and were found to influence the liquid-crystalline nanostructure formed. The hexagonal phase persisted at high temperatures, however the lamellar phase structure was lost above ca. 45 °C. Both mesophases were found to dissociate upon addition of 4% NaCl solution. The rate of release of the model hydrophilic drug, Rhodamine B (RhB), from the lamellar phase significantly increased in response to changes in the solution conditions studied, suggesting that modulating the drug release from these bile salt-chitosan capsules is readily achieved. In contrast, release from the hexagonal phase capsules had no appreciable response to the stimuli applied. These findings provide a platform for these oppositely charged surfactant and polymer systems to function as stimuli-responsive or sustained-release drug delivery systems.

Plasmid DNA hydrogels for biomedical applications

In the last few years, our research group has focused on the design and development of plasmid DNA (pDNA) based systems as devices to be used therapeutically in the biomedical field. Biocompatible macro and micro plasmid DNA gels were prepared by a cross-linking reaction. For the first time, the pDNA gels have been investigated with respect to their swelling in aqueous solution containing different additives. Furthermore, we clarified the fundamental and basic aspects of the solute release mechanism from pDNA hydrogels and the significance of this information is enormous as a basic tool for the formulation of pDNA carriers for drug/gene delivery applications. The co-delivery of a specific gene and anticancer drugs, combining chemical and gene therapies in the treatment of cancer was the main challenge of our research. Significant progresses have been made with a new p53 encoding pDNA microgel that is suitable for the loading and release of pDNA and doxorubicin. This represents a strong valuable finding in the strategic development of systems to improve cancer cure through the synergetic effect of chemical and gene therapy.

DNA gel particles: an overview

A general understanding of interactions between DNA and oppositely charged compounds forms the basis for developing novel DNA-based materials, including gel particles. The association strength, which is altered by varying the chemical structure of the cationic cosolute, determines the spatial homogeneity of the gelation process, creating DNA reservoir devices and DNA matrix devices that can be designed to release either single- (ssDNA) or double-stranded (dsDNA) DNA. This review covers recent developments on the topic of DNA gel particles formed in water-water emulsion-type interfaces. The degree of DNA entrapment, particle morphology, swelling/dissolution behavior and DNA release responses are discussed as functions of the nature of the cationic agent used. On the basis of designing DNA gel particles for therapeutic purposes, recent studies on the determination of the surface hydrophobicity and the hemolytic and the cytotoxic assessments of the obtained DNA gel particles have been also reported.

From self-assembly fundamental knowledge to nanomedicine developments

This review highlights the key role of NMR techniques in demonstrating the molecular aspects of the self-assembly of surfactant molecules that nowadays constitute the basic knowledge which modern nanoscience relies on. The aim is to provide a tutorial overview. The story of a rigorous scientific approach to understand self-assembly in surfactant systems and biological membranes starts in the early seventies when the progresses of SAXRD and NMR technological facilities allowed to demonstrate the existence of ordered soft matter, and the validity of Tanford approach concerning self-assembly at a molecular level. Particularly, NMR quadrupolar splittings, NMR chemical shift anisotropy, and NMR relaxation of dipolar and quadrupolar nuclei in micellar solutions, microemulsions, and liquid crystals proved the existence of an ordered polar-apolar interface, on the NMR time scale. NMR data, rationalized in terms of the two-step model of relaxation, allowed to quantify the dynamic aspects of the supramolecular aggregates in different soft matter systems. In addition, NMR techniques allowed to obtain important information on counterion binding as well as on size of the aggregate through molecular self-diffusion. Indeed NMR self-diffusion proved without any doubt the existence of bicontinuous microemulsions and bicontinuous cubic liquid crystals, suggested by pioneering and brilliant interpretation of SAXRD investigations. Moreover, NMR self-diffusion played a fundamental role in the understanding of microemulsion and emulsion nanostructures, phase transitions in phase diagrams, and particularly percolation phenomena in microemulsions. Since the nineties, globalization of the knowledge along with many other technical facilities such as electron microscopy, particularly cryo-EM, produced huge progresses in surfactant and colloid science. Actually we refer to nanoscience: bottom up/top down strategies allow to build nanodevices with applications spanning from ICT to food technology. Developments in the applied fields have also been addressed by important progresses in theoretical skills aimed to understand intermolecular forces, and specific ion interactions. Nevertheless, this is still an open question. Our predictive ability has however increased, hence more ambitious targets can be planned. Nanomedicine represents a major challenging field with its main aims: targeted drug delivery, diagnostic, theranostics, tissue engineering, and personalized medicine. Few recent examples will be mentioned. Although the real applications of these systems still need major work, nevertheless new challenges are open, and perspectives based on integrated multidisciplinary approaches would enable both a deeper basic knowledge and the expected advances in biomedical field.

The nanostructure of surfactant-DNA complexes with different arrangements

The nanostructure of DNA with different cationic surfactant has been studied in order to elucidate the detailed arrangement concerning the position of DNA and surfactant domains in the complexes. Also, the orientation of the DNA cylinders in the thin films of the complexes was investigated. Attention was directed on the preparation methods of the complexes and to how the different surfactant structure affects the compaction of the DNA. The cationic surfactant-DNA complexes were investigated by X-ray scattering, polarized light microscopy and elemental microanalysis. It was observed that the molecular organization of the complexes between DNA and cationic surfactant corresponds to a hexagonal structure with different packing arrangements. The nanostructure of the complexes depends on the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the cationic surfactant. In particular the use of arginine derived surfactants, with a large polar head group able to interact not only by electrostatics but also by hydrogen bonding, allows for the formation of more compact structures. The results suggest that the smaller the lattice parameter the more compact and stable is the complex implying slower DNA release.

Novel biocompatible DNA gel particles

Surfactants with the cationic functionality based on an amino acid structure have been used to prepare novel biocompatible devices for the controlled encapsulation and release of DNA. We report here the formation of DNA gel particles mixing DNA (either single- (ssDNA) or double-stranded (dsDNA)) with two different single-chain amino acid-based surfactants: arginine-N-lauroyl amide dihydrochloride (ALA) and N(alpha)-lauroyl-arginine-methyl ester hydrochloride (LAM). The degree of DNA entrapment, the swelling/deswelling behavior, and the DNA release kinetics have been studied as a function of both the number of charges in the polar head of the amino acid-based surfactant and the secondary structure of the nucleic acid. Analysis of the data indicates a stronger interaction of ALA with DNA, compared with LAM, mainly attributed to the double charge carried by the former surfactant compared to the singly charged headgroup of the latter species. The stronger interaction with amphiphiles for ssDNA compared with dsDNA suggests the important role of hydrophobic interactions in DNA. Data on the microstructure of the complexes obtained from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) of the particles strongly suggests a hexagonal packing. It was found that, the shorter the lattice parameter, the stronger the surfactant-DNA interaction and the slower the DNA release kinetics. Complexation and neutralization of DNA on the DNA gel particles was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis measurements.

Molecular weight and polydispersity of calf-thymus DNA: static light-scattering and size-exclusion chromatography with dual detection

Plausible calf-thymus DNA molecular weight distribution can be obtained by size-exclusion chromatography with dual low-angle light scattering/refractometric detection at sufficiently low flow rate. The distribution extends over three decades of molecular weight and is characterized by weight average molecular weight M(w) = 8418000 and polydispersity index M(w)/M(n) = 5.2. After strongly scattering impurities had been removed from the sample using adsorption properties of the 3 mum mixed-cellulose-ester filter membranes, static light-scattering measurement in flow injection mode was feasible and gave M(w) = 8580000, corroborating the veracity of SEC results.

Mixed protein carriers for modulating DNA release

Aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes undergo associative phase separation, resulting in coacervation, gelation, or precipitation. This phenomenon has been exploited in forming DNA gel particles by interfacial diffusion. We report here the formation of DNA gel particles by mixing solutions of double-stranded DNA with aqueous solutions containing two cationic proteins, lysozyme and protamine sulfate. The effect of the lysozyme/protamine ratio on the degree of DNA entrapment, surface morphology, swelling-deswelling behavior, and kinetics of DNA release has been investigated. By mixing the two proteins, we obtain particles that display higher loading efficiency and loading capacity values, in comparison to those obtained in single-protein systems. Examination of the release profiles has shown that in mixed protein particles, complex, dual-stage release kinetics is obtained. The overall release profile is dependent on the lysozyme/protamine ratio. The obtained profiles, or segments of them, are accuratelly fitted using the zero-order and first-order models, and the Weibull function. Fluorescence microscopy studies have suggested that the formation of these particles is associated with the conservation of the secondary structure of DNA. This study presents a new platform for controlled release of DNA from DNA gel particles formed by interfacial diffusion.