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Jones B, Greenfield JL, Cowieson N, Fuchter MJ, Evans RC. Light-Driven Hexagonal-to-Cubic Phase Switching in Arylazopyrazole Lyotropic Liquid Crystals. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:12315-12319. [PMID: 38683357 PMCID: PMC11082889 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Photoinduced manipulation of the nanoscale molecular structure and organization of soft materials can drive changes in the macroscale properties. Here we demonstrate the first example of a light-induced one- to three-dimensional mesophase transition at room temperature in lyotropic liquid crystals constructed from arylazopyrazole photosurfactants in water. We exploit this characteristic to use light to selectively control the rate of gas (CO2) diffusion across a prototype lyotropic liquid crystal membrane. Such control of phase organization, dimensionality, and permeability unlocks the potential for stimuli-responsive analogues in technologies for controlled delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice
E. Jones
- Department
of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, U.K.
- Diamond
Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation
Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, U.K.
| | - Jake L. Greenfield
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research
Hub, White City Campus, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 7SL, U.K.
- Institut
für Organische Chemie, Universität
Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nathan Cowieson
- Diamond
Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation
Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, U.K.
| | - Matthew J. Fuchter
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research
Hub, White City Campus, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 7SL, U.K.
| | - Rachel C. Evans
- Department
of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, U.K.
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2
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Steffes V, MacDonald S, Crowe J, Murali M, Ewert KK, Li Y, Safinya CR. Lipids with negative spontaneous curvature decrease the solubility of the cancer drug paclitaxel in liposomes. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2023; 46:128. [PMID: 38099960 PMCID: PMC10802834 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00388-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Paclitaxel (PTX) is a hydrophobic small-molecule cancer drug that loads into the membrane (tail) region of lipid carriers such as liposomes and micelles. The development of improved lipid-based carriers of PTX is an important objective to generate chemotherapeutics with fewer side effects. The lipids 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) show propensity for fusion with other lipid membranes, which has led to their use in lipid vectors of nucleic acids. We hypothesized that DOPE and GMO could enhance PTX delivery to cells through a similar membrane fusion mechanism. As an important measure of drug carrier performance, we evaluated PTX solubility in cationic liposomes containing GMO or DOPE. Solubility was determined by time-dependent kinetic phase diagrams generated from direct observations of PTX crystal formation using differential-interference-contrast optical microscopy. Remarkably, PTX was much less soluble in these liposomes than in control cationic liposomes containing univalent cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC), which are not fusogenic. In particular, PTX was not substantially soluble in GMO-based cationic liposomes. The fusogenicity of DOPE and GMO is related to the negative spontaneous curvature of membranes containing these lipids, which drives formation of nonlamellar self-assembled phases (inverted hexagonal or gyroid cubic). To determine whether PTX solubility is governed by lipid membrane structure or by local intermolecular interactions, we used synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. To increase the signal/noise ratio, we used DNA to condense the lipid formulations into lipoplex pellets. The results suggest that local intermolecular interactions are of greater importance and that the negative spontaneous curvature-inducing lipids DOPE and GMO are not suitable components of liposomal carriers for PTX delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Steffes
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Scott MacDonald
- Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - John Crowe
- Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Meena Murali
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Kai K Ewert
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Youli Li
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
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3
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Steffes V, MacDonald S, Crowe J, Murali M, Ewert KK, Li Y, Safinya CR. Lipids with negative spontaneous curvature decrease the solubility of the cancer drug paclitaxel in liposomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.18.563006. [PMID: 37905081 PMCID: PMC10614943 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.18.563006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Paclitaxel (PTX) is a hydrophobic small-molecule cancer drug that loads into the membrane (tail) region of lipid carriers such as liposomes and micelles. The development of improved lipid-based carriers of PTX is an important objective to generate chemotherapeutics with fewer side effects. The lipids 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) show propensity for fusion with other lipid membranes, which has led to their use in lipid vectors of nucleic acids. We hypothesized that DOPE and GMO could enhance PTX delivery to cells through a similar membrane fusion mechanism. As an important measure of drug carrier performance, we evaluated PTX solubility in cationic liposomes containing GMO or DOPE. Solubility was determined by time-dependent kinetic phase diagrams generated from direct observations of PTX crystal formation using differential-interference-contrast optical microscopy. Remarkably, PTX was much less soluble in these liposomes than in control cationic liposomes containing univalent cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC), which are not fusogenic. In particular, PTX was not substantially soluble in GMO-based cationic liposomes. The fusogenicity of DOPE and GMO is related to the negative spontaneous curvature of membranes containing these lipids, which drives formation of nonlamellar self-assembled phases (inverted hexagonal or gyroid cubic). We used synchrotron small-angle x-ray scattering to determine whether PTX solubility is governed by lipid membrane structure (condensed with DNA in pellet form) or by local intermolecular interactions. The results suggest that local intermolecular interactions are of greater importance and that the negative spontaneous curvature-inducing lipids DOPE and GMO are not suitable components of lipid carriers for PTX delivery regardless of carrier structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Steffes
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Scott MacDonald
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - John Crowe
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Meena Murali
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Kai K Ewert
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Youli Li
- Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
- Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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4
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Zheng L, Bandara SR, Tan Z, Leal C. Lipid nanoparticle topology regulates endosomal escape and delivery of RNA to the cytoplasm. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301067120. [PMID: 37364130 PMCID: PMC10318962 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301067120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA therapeutics have the potential to resolve a myriad of genetic diseases. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are among the most successful RNA delivery systems. Expanding their use for the treatment of more genetic diseases hinges on our ability to continuously evolve the design of LNPs with high potency, cellular-specific targeting, and low side effects. Overcoming the difficulty of releasing cargo from endocytosed LNPs remains a significant hurdle. Here, we investigate the fundamental properties of nonviral RNA nanoparticles pertaining to the activation of topological transformations of endosomal membranes and RNA translocation into the cytosol. We show that, beyond composition, LNP fusogenicity can be prescribed by designing LNP nanostructures that lower the energetic cost of fusion and fusion-pore formation with a target membrane. The inclusion of structurally active lipids leads to enhanced LNP endosomal fusion, fast evasion of endosomal entrapment, and efficacious RNA delivery. For example, conserving the lipid make-up, RNA-LNPs having cuboplex nanostructures are significantly more efficacious at endosomal escape than traditional lipoplex constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lining Zheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Sarith R. Bandara
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Zhengzhong Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Cecilia Leal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
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5
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Ewert KK, Scodeller P, Simón-Gracia L, Steffes VM, Wonder EA, Teesalu T, Safinya CR. Cationic Liposomes as Vectors for Nucleic Acid and Hydrophobic Drug Therapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1365. [PMID: 34575441 PMCID: PMC8465808 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cationic liposomes (CLs) are effective carriers of a variety of therapeutics. Their applications as vectors of nucleic acids (NAs), from long DNA and mRNA to short interfering RNA (siRNA), have been pursued for decades to realize the promise of gene therapy, with approvals of the siRNA therapeutic patisiran and two mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 as recent milestones. The long-term goal of developing optimized CL-based NA carriers for a broad range of medical applications requires a comprehensive understanding of the structure of these vectors and their interactions with cell membranes and components that lead to the release and activity of the NAs within the cell. Structure-activity relationships of lipids for CL-based NA and drug delivery must take into account that these lipids act not individually but as components of an assembly of many molecules. This review summarizes our current understanding of how the choice of the constituting lipids governs the structure of their CL-NA self-assemblies, which constitute distinct liquid crystalline phases, and the relation of these structures to their efficacy for delivery. In addition, we review progress toward CL-NA nanoparticles for targeted NA delivery in vivo and close with an outlook on CL-based carriers of hydrophobic drugs, which may eventually lead to combination therapies with NAs and drugs for cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai K. Ewert
- Materials, Physics, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Departments, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; (V.M.S.); (E.A.W.)
| | - Pablo Scodeller
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 14b, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (P.S.); (L.S.-G.)
| | - Lorena Simón-Gracia
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 14b, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (P.S.); (L.S.-G.)
| | - Victoria M. Steffes
- Materials, Physics, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Departments, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; (V.M.S.); (E.A.W.)
| | - Emily A. Wonder
- Materials, Physics, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Departments, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; (V.M.S.); (E.A.W.)
| | - Tambet Teesalu
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Centre of Excellence for Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 14b, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (P.S.); (L.S.-G.)
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R. Safinya
- Materials, Physics, and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Departments, and Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; (V.M.S.); (E.A.W.)
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6
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Calcium mediated DNA binding in non-lamellar structures formed by DOPG/glycerol monooleate. Chem Phys Lipids 2021; 239:105118. [PMID: 34280362 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2021.105118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In order to test an encapsulation method of short fragmented DNA (∼ 20-300 bp), we study the solubilisation in 150 mM solution of NaCl of a cubic phase formed by glycerol monooleate (GMO) with negatively charged dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG) up to the level of unilamellar vesicles and, subsequently, the restoration of the cubic phase using Ca2+ cations. We performed small angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) to follow structural changes in DOPG/GMO mixtures induced by increasing DOPG content. The cubic phase (Pn3m space group) is preserved up to ∼ 11 mol% of DOPG in DOPG/GMO. Above 20 mol%, the SANS curves are typical of unilamellar vesicles. The thickness of the DOPG/GMO lipid bilayer (dL) decreases slightly with increasing fraction of DOPG. The addition of 15 mM of CaCl2 solution shields the electrostatic repulsions of DOPG molecules, increases slightly dL and restores the cubic structures in the mixtures up to ∼ 37 mol% of DOPG. Zeta potential shows negative surface charge. The analysis of the data provides the radius of the water nano-channels of the formed non-lamellar structures. We discuss their dimensions with respect to DNA binding. In addition, Ca2+ mediates DNA - DOPG/GMO binding. The formed hexagonal phase, HII, binds less of DNA in comparison with cubic phases (∼ 6 wt% and ∼ 20 wt% of the total amount, respectively). The studied system can be utilized as anionic QII delivery vector for genetic material.
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7
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Julin S, Nonappa, Shen B, Linko V, Kostiainen MA. DNA‐Origami‐Templated Growth of Multilamellar Lipid Assemblies. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Julin
- Biohybrid Materials Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Aalto University P. O. Box 16100 00076 Aalto Finland
| | - Nonappa
- HYBER Centre Department of Applied Physics Aalto University P. O. Box 15100 00076 Aalto Finland
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Tampere University P. O. Box 541 33101 Tampere Finland
| | - Boxuan Shen
- Biohybrid Materials Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Aalto University P. O. Box 16100 00076 Aalto Finland
| | - Veikko Linko
- Biohybrid Materials Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Aalto University P. O. Box 16100 00076 Aalto Finland
- HYBER Centre Department of Applied Physics Aalto University P. O. Box 15100 00076 Aalto Finland
| | - Mauri A. Kostiainen
- Biohybrid Materials Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Aalto University P. O. Box 16100 00076 Aalto Finland
- HYBER Centre Department of Applied Physics Aalto University P. O. Box 15100 00076 Aalto Finland
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8
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Julin S, Nonappa, Shen B, Linko V, Kostiainen MA. DNA-Origami-Templated Growth of Multilamellar Lipid Assemblies. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:827-833. [PMID: 33022870 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Lipids are important building blocks in cellular compartments, and therefore their self-assembly into well-defined hierarchical structures has gained increasing interest. Cationic lipids and unstructured DNA can co-assemble into highly ordered structures (lipoplexes), but potential applications of lipoplexes are still limited. Using scaffolded DNA origami nanostructures could aid in resolving these drawbacks. Here, we have complexed DNA origami together with a cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoly-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) and studied their self-assembly driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. The results suggest that the DNA origami function as templates for the growth of multilamellar lipid structures and that the DNA origami are embedded in the formed lipid matrix. Furthermore, the lipid encapsulation was found to significantly shield the DNA origami against nuclease digestion. The presented complexation strategy is suitable for a wide range of DNA-based templates and could therefore find uses in construction of cell-membrane-associated components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Julin
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P. O. Box 16100, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Nonappa
- HYBER Centre, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P. O. Box 15100, 00076, Aalto, Finland.,Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P. O. Box 541, 33101, Tampere, Finland
| | - Boxuan Shen
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P. O. Box 16100, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Veikko Linko
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P. O. Box 16100, 00076, Aalto, Finland.,HYBER Centre, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P. O. Box 15100, 00076, Aalto, Finland
| | - Mauri A Kostiainen
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, P. O. Box 16100, 00076, Aalto, Finland.,HYBER Centre, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P. O. Box 15100, 00076, Aalto, Finland
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9
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Lipid-Nucleic Acid Complexes: Physicochemical Aspects and Prospects for Cancer Treatment. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25215006. [PMID: 33126767 PMCID: PMC7662579 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is an extremely complex disease, typically caused by mutations in cancer-critical genes. By delivering therapeutic nucleic acids (NAs) to patients, gene therapy offers the possibility to supplement, repair or silence such faulty genes or to stimulate their immune system to fight the disease. While the challenges of gene therapy for cancer are significant, the latter approach (a type of immunotherapy) starts showing promising results in early-stage clinical trials. One important advantage of NA-based cancer therapies over synthetic drugs and protein treatments is the prospect of a more universal approach to designing therapies. Designing NAs with different sequences, for different targets, can be achieved by using the same technologies. This versatility and scalability of NA drug design and production on demand open the way for more efficient, affordable and personalized cancer treatments in the future. However, the delivery of exogenous therapeutic NAs into the patients’ targeted cells is also challenging. Membrane-type lipids exhibiting permanent or transient cationic character have been shown to associate with NAs (anionic), forming nanosized lipid-NA complexes. These complexes form a wide variety of nanostructures, depending on the global formulation composition and properties of the lipids and NAs. Importantly, these different lipid-NA nanostructures interact with cells via different mechanisms and their therapeutic potential can be optimized to promising levels in vitro. The complexes are also highly customizable in terms of surface charge and functionalization to allow a wide range of targeting and smart-release properties. Most importantly, these synthetic particles offer possibilities for scaling-up and affordability for the population at large. Hence, the versatility and scalability of these particles seem ideal to accommodate the versatility that NA therapies offer. While in vivo efficiency of lipid-NA complexes is still poor in most cases, the advances achieved in the last three decades are significant and very recently a lipid-based gene therapy medicine was approved for the first time (for treatment of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis). Although the path to achieve efficient NA-delivery in cancer therapy is still long and tenuous, these advances set a new hope for more treatments in the future. In this review, we attempt to cover the most important biophysical and physicochemical aspects of non-viral lipid-based gene therapy formulations, with a perspective on future cancer treatments in mind.
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10
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Ramalheiro A, Paris JL, Silva BFB, Pires LR. Rapidly dissolving microneedles for the delivery of cubosome-like liquid crystalline nanoparticles with sustained release of rapamycin. Int J Pharm 2020; 591:119942. [PMID: 33039495 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we developed a system for the transdermal delivery and controlled release of the hydrophobic immunosuppressive drug rapamycin, foreseeing an application in psoriasis treatment. To do so, rapamycin was encapsulated in phytantriol-based cubosome-like liquid crystalline nanoparticles stabilized with pluronic F127. The final mass percent composition of the lipid nanoparticles was 0.25% phytantriol, 0.1% pluronic F127, 4.75% ethanol and 94.9% water. These particles showed a rapamycin encapsulation efficiency above 95% and a sustained in vitrodrug release profile throughout 14 days. Subsequently the rapamycin-carrying particles were incorporated into rapidly dissolving microneedle patches composed of a polymeric matrix of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and poly(vinyl alcohol). Confocal microscopy allowed to infer the preferential distribution of the cubosome-like particles at the tip and baseplate of the microneedles. The fabricated microneedles showed successful piercing and deposition of the loaded cubosome-like particles on a skin-mimicking agarose gel. Finally, the rapamycin-loaded cubosome-like particles showed antiproliferative activity in natural killer cells in vitro. The results here presented show the potential of the developed system to deliver cubosome-like particles into the skin and promote the sustained release of rapamycin in the context of immunomodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Ramalheiro
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal; Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Juan L Paris
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| | - Bruno F B Silva
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Liliana R Pires
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal.
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11
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Sánchez-Arribas N, Martínez-Negro M, Villar EM, Pérez L, Aicart E, Taboada P, Guerrero-Martínez A, Junquera E. Biocompatible Nanovector of siRNA Consisting of Arginine-Based Cationic Lipid for Gene Knockdown in Cancer Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:34536-34547. [PMID: 32657573 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c06273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite the use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as therapeutic agents through the knockdown expression of pathogenic proteins, transportation and delivery of such siRNAs into cells continue to be under investigation. Within nonviral vectors, cationic lipids that include amino acid residues in their structures, and that have already demonstrated their suitability as plasmid DNA nanocarriers, may be also considered as potential siRNA vehicles. A double-chain cationic lipid based on the amino acid arginine mixed with a helper lipid has been the object of this biophysical study. First, ζ-potential measurements and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments confirmed the siRNA compaction, while small-angle X-ray scattering analysis (SAXS) revealed the structural pattern of the lipoplexes. Two bicontinuous cubic phases were found to coexist: the double-gyroid phase (QIIG) and the double-diamond phase (QIID), with Pn3m and Ia3d as crystallographic space groups, respectively; the siRNA is known to be located inside their bicontinuous aqueous channels. Second, in vitro studies in HeLa-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and T731-GFP cell lines (modified for GFP overexpression) showed moderate to high gene knockdown levels (determined by flow cytometry and epifluorescence microscopy) with remarkable cell viabilities (CCK-8 assay). Finally, nano-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) was used to identify the nature of the proteins adhered to the surface of the lipoplexes after incubation with human serum, simulating their behavior in biological fluids. The abundant presence of lipoproteins and serum albumin in such protein corona, together with the coexistence of the bicontinuous cubic phases, may be behind the remarkable silencing activity of these lipoplexes. The results reported herein show that the use of amino-acid-based cationic lipids mixed with a suitable helper lipid, which have already provided good results as DNA plasmid nanocarriers in cellular transfection processes, may also be a biocompatible option, and so far little investigated, in gene silencing in vitro strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Sánchez-Arribas
- Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Martínez-Negro
- Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva M Villar
- Departamento de Fı́sica de Partı́culas, Facultad de Fı́sicas e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Lourdes Pérez
- Departamento de Tecnologı́a Quı́mica y Tensioactivos, IQAC-CSIC, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emilio Aicart
- Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Taboada
- Departamento de Fı́sica de Partı́culas, Facultad de Fı́sicas e Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Andrés Guerrero-Martínez
- Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Junquera
- Departamento de Quı́mica Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Mirror Symmetry Breaking in Liquids and Their Impact on the Development of Homochirality in Abiogenesis: Emerging Proto-RNA as Source of Biochirality? Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12071098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in mirror symmetry breaking and chirality amplification in isotropic liquids and liquid crystalline cubic phases of achiral molecule is reviewed and discussed with respect to its implications for the hypothesis of emergence of biological chirality. It is shown that mirror symmetry breaking takes place in fluid systems where homochiral interactions are preferred over heterochiral and a dynamic network structure leads to chirality synchronization if the enantiomerization barrier is sufficiently low, i.e., that racemization drives the development of uniform chirality. Local mirror symmetry breaking leads to conglomerate formation. Total mirror symmetry breaking requires either a proper phase transitions kinetics or minor chiral fields, leading to stochastic and deterministic homochirality, respectively, associated with an extreme chirality amplification power close to the bifurcation point. These mirror symmetry broken liquids are thermodynamically stable states and considered as possible systems in which uniform biochirality could have emerged. A model is hypothesized, which assumes the emergence of uniform chirality by chirality synchronization in dynamic “helical network fluids” followed by polymerization, fixing the chirality and leading to proto-RNA formation in a single process.
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13
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Sarkar S, Tran N, Soni SK, Conn CE, Drummond CJ. Size-Dependent Encapsulation and Release of dsDNA from Cationic Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Cubic Phases. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:4401-4413. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sampa Sarkar
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Nhiem Tran
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Sarvesh Kumar Soni
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Charlotte E. Conn
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Calum J. Drummond
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
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14
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Porras-Gomez M, Leal C. Lipid-based Liquid Crystalline Films and Solutions for the Delivery of Cargo to Cells. LIQUID CRYSTALS REVIEWS 2019; 7:167-182. [PMID: 31942262 PMCID: PMC6961842 DOI: 10.1080/21680396.2019.1666752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A major challenge in the delivery of cargo (genes and/or drugs) to cells using nanostructured vehicles is the ability to safely penetrate plasma membranes by escaping the endosome before degradation, later releasing the payload into the cytoplasm or organelle of interest. Lipids are a class of bio-compatible molecules that self-assemble into a variety of liquid crystalline constructs. Most of these materials can be used to encapsulate drugs, proteins, and nucleic acids to deliver them safely into various cell types. Lipid phases offer a plethora of structures capable of forming complexes with biomolecules, most notably nucleic acids. The physichochemical characteristics of the lipid molecular building blocks, one might say the lipid primary structure, dictates how they collectively interact to assemble into various secondary structures. These include bilayers, lamellar stacks of bilayers, two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal arrays of lipid tubes, and even 3D cubic constructs. The liquid crystalline materials can be present in the form of aqueous suspensions, bulk materials or confined to a film configuration depending on the intended application (e.g. bolus vs surface-based delivery). This work compiles recent findings of different lipid-based liquid crystalline constructs both in films and particles for gene and drug delivery applications. We explore how lipid primary and secondary structures endow liquid crystalline materials with the ability to carry biomolecular cargo and interact with cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Porras-Gomez
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Cecilia Leal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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15
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Bouxsein NF, Leal C, McAllister CS, Li Y, Ewert KK, Samuel CE, Safinya CR. 3D Columnar Phase of Stacked Short DNA Organized by Coherent Membrane Undulations. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:11891-11901. [PMID: 31408350 PMCID: PMC6743479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We report on the discovery of a new organized lipid-nucleic acid phase upon intercalation of blunt duplexes of short DNA (sDNA) within cationic multilayer fluid membranes. End-to-end interactions between sDNA leads to columnar stacks. At high membrane charge density, with the inter-sDNA column spacing (dsDNA) comparable but larger than the diameter of sDNA, a 2D columnar phase (i.e., a 2D smectic) is found similar to the phase in cationic liposome-DNA complexes with long lambda-phage DNA. Remarkably, with increasing dsDNA as the membrane charge density is lowered, a transition is observed to a 3D columnar phase of stacked sDNA. This occurs even though direct DNA-DNA electrostatic interactions across layers are screened by diffusing cationic lipids near the phosphate groups of sDNA. Softening of the membrane bending rigidity (κ), which further promotes membrane undulations, significantly enhances the 3D columnar phase. These observations are consistent with a model by Schiessel and Aranda-Espinoza where local membrane undulations, due to electrostatically induced membrane wrapping around sDNA columns, phase lock from layer-to-layer, thereby precipitating coherent "crystal-like" undulations coupled to sDNA columns with long-range position and orientation order. The finding that this new phase is stable at large dsDNA and enhanced with decreasing κ is further supportive of the model where the elastic cost of membrane deformation per unit area around sDNA columns (∝ κh2/dsDNA4, h2 = sum of square of amplitudes of the inner and outer monolayer undulations) is strongly reduced relative to the favorable electrostatic attractions of partially wrapped membrane around sDNA columns. The findings have broad implications in the design of membrane-mediated assembly of functional nanoparticles in 3D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan F. Bouxsein
- Materials Department, Physics Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Cecília Leal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christopher S. McAllister
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Youli Li
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Kai K. Ewert
- Materials Department, Physics Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Charles E. Samuel
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R. Safinya
- Materials Department, Physics Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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16
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Leung SSW, Leal C. The stabilization of primitive bicontinuous cubic phases with tunable swelling over a wide composition range. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:1269-1277. [PMID: 30462135 PMCID: PMC6876301 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm02059k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we investigate the pseudo-ternary phase diagram of glycerol monooleate (GMO), a cationic lipid (DOTAP - 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane), and a "PEGylated" lipid (DOPE-PEG - 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000 kDa]) in excess water. We use small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) to map out a phase diagram in a regime of low DOPE-PEG content (1-5 mol%), which is pertinent for the application of lipid systems as carriers of biomolecular cargo to cells. Pure GMO is known to self-assemble into bicontinuous cubic phases of the gyroid type at low water content and of the diamond type in excess water. These complex structures have numerous advantages reaching beyond drug delivery, e.g. as protein crystallization matrices, but their formulation is challenging as very small contents of guest molecules can shift the phase behavior towards other geometries such as the lamellar phase. In this work, we show that the ternary GMO/DOTAP/DOPE-PEG system allows the stabilization of bicontinuous cubic phases in excess water over a wide composition range. The symmetry of the phase can be tuned by varying the amount of PEGylated lipid, with the primitive type dominating at low DOPE-PEG content (1-3 mol%) and the diamond phase arising at 5 mol% DOPE-PEG. In addition, we found that the diamond phase is virtually non-responsive to electrostatic swelling. In contrast, primitive bicontinuous cubic lattice dimensions swell up in equilibrium to 650 Å with increased cationic lipid content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry S W Leung
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, USA.
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17
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Takeuchi R, Ichikawa T. Improvement of lipidic bicontinuous cubic phases by the addition of a zwitterion with strong hydration ability and kosmotropicity. NEW J CHEM 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c8nj05459b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The water activity of lipidic bicontinuous cubic phases is successfully reduced by adding an imidazolium-based zwitterion with strong hydration ability and kosmotropicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rika Takeuchi
- Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho, Koganei
- Tokyo 184-8588
- Japan
| | - Takahiro Ichikawa
- Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho, Koganei
- Tokyo 184-8588
- Japan
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18
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Liu K, Zheng L, Ma C, Göstl R, Herrmann A. DNA-surfactant complexes: self-assembly properties and applications. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 46:5147-5172. [PMID: 28686247 DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00165g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
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19
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van 't Hag L, Gras SL, Conn CE, Drummond CJ. Lyotropic liquid crystal engineering moving beyond binary compositional space - ordered nanostructured amphiphile self-assembly materials by design. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 46:2705-2731. [PMID: 28280815 DOI: 10.1039/c6cs00663a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ordered amphiphile self-assembly materials with a tunable three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure are of fundamental interest, and crucial for progressing several biological and biomedical applications, including in meso membrane protein crystallization, as drug and medical contrast agent delivery vehicles, and as biosensors and biofuel cells. In binary systems consisting of an amphiphile and a solvent, the ability to tune the 3D cubic phase nanostructure, lipid bilayer properties and the lipid mesophase is limited. A move beyond the binary compositional space is therefore required for efficient engineering of the required material properties. In this critical review, the phase transitions upon encapsulation of more than 130 amphiphilic and soluble additives into the bicontinuous lipidic cubic phase under excess hydration are summarized. The data are interpreted using geometric considerations, interfacial curvature, electrostatic interactions, partition coefficients and miscibility of the alkyl chains. The obtained lyotropic liquid crystal engineering design rules can be used to enhance the formulation of self-assembly materials and provides a large library of these materials for use in biomedical applications (242 references).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie van 't Hag
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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20
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Kang M, Tuteja M, Centrone A, Topgaard D, Leal C. Nanostructured Lipid-based Films for Substrate Mediated Applications in Biotechnology. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2018; 28:10.1002/adfm.201704356. [PMID: 31080383 PMCID: PMC6508631 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201704356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Amphiphilic in nature, lipids spontaneously self-assemble into a range of nanostructures in the presence of water. Among lipid self-assembled structures, liposomes and supported lipid bilayers have long held scientific interest for their main applications in drug delivery and plasma membrane models, respectively. In contrast, lipid-based multi-layered membranes on solid supports only recently begun drawing scientists' attention. New studies on lipid films show that the stacking of multiple bilayers on a solid support yields interestingly complex features to these systems. Namely, multiple layers exhibit cooperative structural and dynamic behavior. In addition, the materials enable compartmentalization, templating, and enhanced release of several molecules of interest. Importantly, supported lipid phases exhibit long-range periodic nano-scale order and orientation that is tunable in response to a changing environment. Herein, we summarize current and pertinent understanding of lipid-based film research focusing on how unique structural characteristics enable the emergence of new applications in biotechnology including label-free biosensors, macroscale drug delivery, and substrate-mediated gene delivery. Our very recent contributions to lipid-based films, focusing on the structural characterization at the meso, nano, and molecular-scale, using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, Atomic Force Microscopy, Photothermal Induced Resonance, and Solid-State NMR will be also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjee Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Mohit Tuteja
- Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, United States
- Maryland Nanocenter, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Andrea Centrone
- Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, United States
| | - Daniel Topgaard
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Leal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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21
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Steffes VM, Murali MM, Park Y, Fletcher BJ, Ewert KK, Safinya CR. Distinct solubility and cytotoxicity regimes of paclitaxel-loaded cationic liposomes at low and high drug content revealed by kinetic phase behavior and cancer cell viability studies. Biomaterials 2017; 145:242-255. [PMID: 28889081 PMCID: PMC5610109 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Lipid-based particles are used worldwide in clinical trials as carriers of hydrophobic paclitaxel (PTXL) for cancer chemotherapy, albeit with little improvement over the standard-of-care. Improving efficacy requires an understanding of intramembrane interactions between PTXL and lipids to enhance PTXL solubilization and suppress PTXL phase separation into crystals. We studied the solubility of PTXL in cationic liposomes (CLs) composed of positively charged 2,3-dioleyloxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (DOTAP) and neutral 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) as a function of PTXL membrane content and its relation to efficacy. Time-dependent kinetic phase diagrams were generated from observations of PTXL crystal formation by differential-interference-contrast microscopy. Furthermore, a new synchrotron small-angle x-ray scattering in situ methodology applied to DOTAP/DOPC/PTXL membranes condensed with DNA enabled us to detect the incorporation and time-dependent depletion of PTXL from membranes by measurements of variations in the membrane interlayer and DNA interaxial spacings. Our results revealed three regimes with distinct time scales for PTXL membrane solubility: hours for >3 mol% PTXL (low), days for ≈ 3 mol% PTXL (moderate), and ≥20 days for < 3 mol% PTXL (long-term). Cell viability experiments on human cancer cell lines using CLPTXL nanoparticles (NPs) in the distinct CLPTXL solubility regimes reveal an unexpected dependence of efficacy on PTXL content in NPs. Remarkably, formulations with lower PTXL content and thus higher stability show higher efficacy than those formulated at the membrane solubility limit of ≈3 mol% PTXL (which has been the focus of most previous physicochemical studies and clinical trials of PTXL-loaded CLs). Furthermore, an additional high-efficacy regime is seen on occasion for liposome compositions with PTXL ≥9 mol% applied to cells at short time scales (hours) after formation. At longer time scales (days), CLPTXL NPs with ≥3 mol% PTXL lose efficacy while formulations with 1-2 mol% PTXL maintain high efficacy. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding the relationship of the kinetic phase behavior and physicochemical properties of CLPTXL NPs to efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Steffes
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Meena M Murali
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Yoonsang Park
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Bretton J Fletcher
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Kai K Ewert
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; Physics Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
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22
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Zhang L, Maity S, Liu K, Liu Q, Göstl R, Portale G, Roos WH, Herrmann A. Nematic DNA Thermotropic Liquid Crystals with Photoresponsive Mechanical Properties. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2017; 13:1701207. [PMID: 28696523 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201701207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades, water-based lyotropic liquid crystals of nucleic acids have been extensively investigated because of their important role in biology. Alongside, solvent-free thermotropic liquid crystals (TLCs) from DNA are gaining great interest, owing to their relevance to DNA-inspired optoelectronic applications. Up to now, however, only the smectic phase of DNA TLCs has been reported. The development of new mesophases including nematic, hexagonal, and cubic structures for DNA TLCs remains a significant challenge, which thus limits their technological applications considerably. In this work, a new type of DNA TLC that is formed by electrostatic complexation of anionic oligonucleotides and cationic surfactants containing an azobenzene (AZO) moiety is demonstrated. DNA-AZO complexes form a stable nematic mesophase over a temperature range from -7 to 110 °C and retain double-stranded DNA structure at ambient temperature. Photoisomerization of the AZO moieties from the E- to the Z-form alters the stiffness of the DNA-AZO hybrid materials opening a pathway toward the development of DNA TLCs as stimuli-responsive biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Key Laboratory of Sensor Analysis of Tumor Marker, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 266042, Qingdao, China
| | - Sourav Maity
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Göstl
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Portale
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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23
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Steer D, Kang M, Leal C. Soft nanostructured films for directing the assembly of functional materials. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 28:142001. [PMID: 28145900 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aa5d77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Lipids are a class of biological small molecules with hydrophilic and hydrophobic constituents forming the structural membranes in cells. Over the past century an extensive understanding of lipid biology and biophysics has been developed illuminating lipids as an intricate, highly tunable, and hierarchical soft-matter system. In addition to serving as cell membrane models, lipids have been investigated as microphase separated structures in aqueous solutions. In terms of applications lipids have been realized as powerful structural motifs for the encapsulation and cellular delivery of genetic material. More recently, lipids have also revealed promise as thin film materials, exhibiting long-range periodic nano-scale order and tunable orientation. In this review we summarize the pertinent understanding of lipid nanostructure development in bulk aqueous systems followed by the current and potential perturbations to these results induced by introduction of a substrate. These effects are punctuated by a summary of our published results in the field of lipid thin films with added nucleic acids and key results introducing hard materials into lipid nanostructured substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Steer
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, United States of America
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24
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Abstract
Lipids and nucleic acids (NAs) can hierarchically self-organize into a variety of nanostructures of increasingly complex geometries such as the 1D lamellar, 2D hexagonal, and 3D bicontinuous cubic phases. The diversity and complexity of those lipid-NA assemblies are interesting from a fundamental perspective as well as being relevant to the performance in gene delivery and gene silencing applications. The finding that not only the chemical make of the lipid-NA constructs, but their actual supramolecular organization, affects their gene transfection and silencing efficiencies has inspired physicists, chemists, and engineers to this field of research. At the moment it remains an open question how exactly the different lipid-NA structures interact with cells and organelles in order to output an optimal response. This article reviews our current understanding of the structures of different lipid-NA complexes and the corresponding cellular interaction mechanisms. The recent advances in designing optimal lipid-based NA carriers will be introduced with an emphasis on the structure-function relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjee Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Hojun Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Cecilia Leal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
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25
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Martínez-Negro M, Kumar K, Barrán-Berdón AL, Datta S, Kondaiah P, Junquera E, Bhattacharya S, Aicart E. Efficient Cellular Knockdown Mediated by siRNA Nanovectors of Gemini Cationic Lipids Having Delocalizable Headgroups and Oligo-Oxyethylene Spacers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:22113-22126. [PMID: 27508330 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b08823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to silence specific genes is one of the most promising approaches in gene therapy, but it requires efficient nanovectors for successful cellular delivery. Recently, we reported liposomal gene carriers derived from a gemini cationic lipid (GCL) of the 1,2-bis(hexadecyl dimethyl imidazolium) oligo-oxyethylene series ((C16Im)2(C2H4O)nC2H4 with n = 1, 2, or 3) and 1,2-dioleyol phosphatidylethanolamine as highly efficient cytofectins for pDNA. On the basis of the satisfactory outcomes of the previous study, the present work focuses on the utility of coliposomes of these gemini lipids with the biocompatible neutral lipid mono oleoyl glycerol (MOG) as highly potent vectors for siRNA cellular transport in the presence of serum. The (C16Im)2(C2H4O)nC2H4/MOG-siRNA lipoplexes were characterized through (i) a physicochemical study (zeta potential, cryo-transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and fluorescence anisotropy) to establish the relationship between size, structure, fluidity, and the interaction between siRNA and the GCL/MOG gene vectors and (ii) a biological analysis (flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and cell viability) to report the anti-GFP siRNA transfections in HEK 293T, HeLa, and H1299 cancer cell lines. The in vitro biological analysis confirms the cellular uptake and indicates that a short spacer, a very low molar fraction of GCL in the mixed lipid, and a moderate effective charge ratio of the lipoplex yielded maximum silencing efficacy. At these experimental conditions, the siRNA used in this work is compacted by the GCL/MOG nanovectors by forming two cubic structures (Ia3d and Pm3n) that are correlated with excellent silencing activity. These liposomal nanocarriers possess high silencing activity with a negligible cytotoxicity, which strongly supports their practical use for in vivo knockdown studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Martínez-Negro
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ana L Barrán-Berdón
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Elena Junquera
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Emilio Aicart
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Majzoub RN, Ewert KK, Safinya CR. Cationic liposome-nucleic acid nanoparticle assemblies with applications in gene delivery and gene silencing. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2016; 374:20150129. [PMID: 27298431 PMCID: PMC4920278 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2015.0129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Cationic liposomes (CLs) are synthetic carriers of nucleic acids in gene delivery and gene silencing therapeutics. The introduction will describe the structures of distinct liquid crystalline phases of CL-nucleic acid complexes, which were revealed in earlier synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering experiments. When mixed with plasmid DNA, CLs containing lipids with distinct shapes spontaneously undergo topological transitions into self-assembled lamellar, inverse hexagonal, and hexagonal CL-DNA phases. CLs containing cubic phase lipids are observed to readily mix with short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules creating double gyroid CL-siRNA phases for gene silencing. Custom synthesis of multivalent lipids and a range of novel polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lipids with attached targeting ligands and hydrolysable moieties have led to functionalized equilibrium nanoparticles (NPs) optimized for cell targeting, uptake or endosomal escape. Very recent experiments are described with surface-functionalized PEGylated CL-DNA NPs, including fluorescence microscopy colocalization with members of the Rab family of GTPases, which directly reveal interactions with cell membranes and NP pathways. In vitro optimization of CL-DNA and CL-siRNA NPs with relevant primary cancer cells is expected to impact nucleic acid therapeutics in vivo. This article is part of the themed issue 'Soft interfacial materials: from fundamentals to formulation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramsey N Majzoub
- Department of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Kai K Ewert
- Department of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Cyrus R Safinya
- Department of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Junquera E, Aicart E. Recent progress in gene therapy to deliver nucleic acids with multivalent cationic vectors. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2016; 233:161-175. [PMID: 26265376 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Due to the potential use as transfecting agents of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), multivalent cationic non-viral vectors have received special attention in the last decade. Much effort has been addressed to synthesize more efficient and biocompatible gene vectors able to transport nucleic acids into the cells without provoking an immune response. Among them, the mostly explored to compact and transfect nucleic acids are: (a) gemini and multivalent cationic lipids, mixed with a helper lipid, by forming lipoplexes; and (b) cationic polymers, polycations, and polyrotaxanes, by forming polyplexes. This review is focused on the progress and recent advances experimented in this area, mainly during the present decade, devoting special attention to the lipoplexes and polyplexes, as follows: (a) to its biophysical characterization (mainly electrostatics, structure, size and morphology) using a wide variety of experimental methods; and (b) to its biological activity (transfection efficacy and cytotoxicity) addressed to confirm the optimum formulations and viability of these complexes as very promising gene vectors of nucleic acids in nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Junquera
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Aicart
- Grupo de Química Coloidal y Supramolecular, Departamento de Química Física I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
RNAi technology is currently experiencing a revival due to remarkable improvements in efficacy and viability through oligonucleotide chemical manipulations and/or via their packaging into nanoscale carriers. At present, there is no FDA-approved system for siRNA technology in humans. The design of the next generation of siRNA carriers requires a deep understanding of how a nanoparticle's physicochemical properties truly impart biological stability and efficiency. For example, we now know that nanoparticles need to be sterically stabilized in order to meet adequate biodistribution profiles. At present, targeting, uptake, and, in particular, endosomal escape are among the most critical challenges impairing RNAi technologies. The disruption of endosomes encompasses membrane transformations (for example, pore formation) that cost significant elastic energy. Nanoparticle size and shape have been identified as relevant parameters impacting tissue accumulation and cellular uptake. In this paper, we demonstrate that the internal structure of lipid-based particles offers a different handle to promote endosomal membrane topological disruptions that enhance siRNA delivery. Specifically, we designed sterically stabilized lipid-based particles that differ from traditional liposomal systems by displaying highly ordered bicontinuous cubic internal structures that can be loaded with large amounts of siRNA. This system differs from traditional siRNA-containing liposomes (lipoplexes) as the particle-endosomal membrane interactions are controlled by elasticity energetics and not by electrostatics. The resulting "PEGylated cuboplex" has the ability to deliver siRNA and specifically knockdown genes with efficiencies that surpass those achieved by traditional lipoplex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hojun Kim
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Cecilia Leal
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1304 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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29
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Kumar M, Kumaraswamy G. Phase behaviour of the ternary system: monoolein-water-branched polyethylenimine. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:5705-5711. [PMID: 26081120 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm01082a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Addition of a branched polymer, polyethyleneimine, significantly alters the organization of a glycerol monooleate (GMO) lipid-water system. We present detailed data over a wide range of compositions (water content from 10 to 40%, relative to GMO and PEI fractions from 0 to 4%) and temperatures (25-80 °C). The PEI molecular weight effects are examined using polymers over a range from 0.8 to 25 kDa. Addition of PEI induces the formation of higher curvature reverse phases. In particular, PEI induces the formation of the Fd3m phase: a discontinuous phase comprising reverse micelles of two different sizes stacked in a cubic AB2 crystal. The formation of the Fd3m phase at room temperature, upon addition of polar, water soluble PEI is unusual, since such phases typically are formed only upon addition of apolar oils. The largest stability window for the Fd3m phase is observed for PEI with a molecular weight = 2 kDa. We discuss how PEI influences the formation and stability of high curvature phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar
- Complex Fluids and Polymer Engineering Group, Polymer Science and Engineering Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India.
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30
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Dan N. Lipid-Nucleic Acid Supramolecular Complexes: Lipoplex Structure and the Kinetics of Formation. AIMS BIOPHYSICS 2015. [DOI: 10.3934/biophy.2015.2.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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Silva JPN, Oliveira IMSC, Oliveira ACN, Lúcio M, Gomes AC, Coutinho PJG, Oliveira MECDR. Structural dynamics and physicochemical properties of pDNA/DODAB:MO lipoplexes: effect of pH and anionic lipids in inverted non-lamellar phases versus lamellar phases. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2014; 1838:2555-67. [PMID: 24976292 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2014.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB):Monoolein (MO) lipoplexes have mainly been studied within the range of high molar ratios of DODAB, with noticeable transfection efficiencies in the Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK, a.k.a. 293T) cell line. In this work, we intend to study the effect of high MO content on the structure and physicochemical properties of pDNA/DODAB:MO lipoplexes to achieve some correlation with their transfection efficiency. Static/Dynamic Light Scattering and Cryo-TEM imaging were used to characterize the size/morphology of DNA/DODAB:MO lipoplexes at different DODAB:MO contents (2:1, 1:1, 1:2) and charge ratios (CRs) (+/-). Nile Red fluorescence emission was performed to detect changes in microviscosity, hydration and polarity of DNA/DODAB:MO systems. Lipoplexes stability at physiological pH values and in the presence of anionic lipids was evaluated by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Physicochemical/structural data were complemented with transfection studies in HEK cells using the β-galactosidase reporter gene activity assay. This work reports the coexistence of multilamellar and non-lamellar inverted phases in MO-richer lipoplexes (DODAB:MO 1:2 and 1:4), leading to transfection efficiencies comparable to those of multilamellar (DODAB-richer) lipoplexes, but at higher charge ratios [CR (+/-)=6.0] and without dose-effect response. These results may be related to the structural changes of lipoplexes promoted by high MO content.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Neves Silva
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - I M S C Oliveira
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - A C N Oliveira
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - M Lúcio
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - A C Gomes
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - P J G Coutinho
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - M E C D Real Oliveira
- CFUM (Centre of Physics of the University of Minho), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
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Oliveira ACN, Martens TF, Raemdonck K, Adati RD, Feitosa E, Botelho C, Gomes AC, Braeckmans K, Real Oliveira MECD. Dioctadecyldimethylammonium:monoolein nanocarriers for efficient in vitro gene silencing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2014; 6:6977-6989. [PMID: 24712543 DOI: 10.1021/am500793y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This study describes a novel liposomal formulation for siRNA delivery, based on the mixture of the neutral lipid monoolein (MO) and cationic lipids of the dioctadecyldimethylammonium (DODA) family. The cationic lipids dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) and chloride (DODAC) were compared in order to identify which one will most efficiently induce gene silencing. MO has a fluidizing effect on DODAC and DODAB liposomes, although it was more homogeneously distributed in DODAC bilayers. All MO-based liposomal formulations were able to efficiently encapsulate siRNA. Stable lipoplexes of small size (100-160 nm) with a positive surface charge (>+45 mV) were formed. A more uniform MO incorporation in DODAC:MO may explain an increase of the fusogenic potential of these liposomes. The siRNA-lipoplexes were readily internalized by human nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (H1299) cells, in an energy dependent process. DODAB:MO nanocarriers showed a higher internalization efficiency in comparison to DODAC:MO lipoplexes, and were also more efficient in promoting gene silencing. MO had a similar gene silencing ability as the commonly used helper lipid 1,2-dioleyl-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), but with much lower cytotoxicity. Taking in consideration all the results presented, DODAB:MO liposomes are the most promising tested formulation for systemic siRNA delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Norberto Oliveira
- CBMA (Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology and ‡CFUM (Center of Physics), Department of Physics, University of Minho , Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Dan N, Danino D. Structure and kinetics of lipid-nucleic acid complexes. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2014; 205:230-9. [PMID: 24529969 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2014.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The structure and function of lipid-based complexes (lipoplexes) have been widely investigated as cellular delivery vehicles for nucleic acids-DNA and siRNA. Transfection efficiency in applications such as gene therapy and gene silencing has been clearly linked to the local, nano-scale organization of the nucleic acid in the vehicle, as well as to the global properties (e.g. size) of the carriers. This review focuses on both the structure of DNA and siRNA complexes with cationic lipids, and the kinetics of structure evolution during complex formation. The local organization of the lipoplexes is largely set by thermodynamic, equilibrium forces, dominated by the lipid preferred phase. As a result, complexation of linear lambda-phage DNA, circular plasmid DNA, or siRNA with lamellae-favoring lipids (or lipid mixtures) forms multi-lamellar L(α)(C) liquid crystalline arrays. Complexes created with lipids that have bulky tail groups may form inverted hexagonal HII(C) phases, or bicontinuous cubic Q(II)(C) phases. The kinetics of complex formation dominates the large-scale, global structure and the properties of lipoplexes. Furthermore, the time-scales required for the evolution of the equilibrium structure may be much longer than expected. In general, the process may be divided into three distinct stages: An initial binding, or adsorption step, where the nucleic acid binds onto the surface of the cationic vesicles. This step is relatively rapid, occurring on time scales of order of milliseconds, and largely insensitive to system parameters. In the second step, vesicles carrying adsorbed nucleic acid aggregate to form larger complexes. This step is sensitive to the lipid characteristics, in particular the bilayer rigidity and propensity to rupture, and to the lipid to nucleic acid (L/D) charge ratio, and is characterized by time scales of order seconds. The last and final step is that of internal rearrangement, where the overall global structure remains constant while local adjustment of the nucleic acid/lipid organization takes place. This step may occur on unusually long time scales of order hours or longer. This rate, as well, is highly sensitive to lipid characteristics, including membrane fluidity and rigidity. While the three step process is consistent with many experimental observations to date, improving the performance of these non-viral vectors requires better understanding of the correlations between the parameters that influence lipoplexes' formation and stability and the specific rate constants i.e., the timescales required to obtain the equilibrium structures. Moreover, new types of cellular delivery agents are now emerging, such as antimicrobial peptide complexes with anionic lipids, and other proteins and small-molecule lipid carriers, suggesting that better understanding of lipoplex kinetics would apply to a variety of new systems in biotechnology and nanomedicine.
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