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Abstract
Rheological studies of liquid crystalline systems based on monopalmitolein and 5 or 8% of 1,2 distearoylphosphatidylglycerol are reported. Such cubic phases have been shown to possess unusually large water channels because of their ability of accommodating up to 80 wt % of water, a feature that renders these systems suitable for crystallizing membrane proteins with large extracellular domains. Their mechanical properties are supposed to be substantially different from those of traditional cubic phases. Rheological measurements were carried out on cubic phases of both Pn3 m and Ia3 d symmetries. It was verified that these ultraswollen cubic phases are less rigid than the normal cubic phases, with the Pn3 m being softer that the Ia3 d ones. Furthermore, for the Pn3 m case, the longest relaxation time is shown to decrease logarithmically with increasing surface area per unit volume, proving the critical role of the density of interfaces in establishing the macroscopic viscoelastic properties of the bicontinuous cubic phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Speziale
- Department of Health Science & Technology , ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23 , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Reza Ghanbari
- Department of Health Science & Technology , ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23 , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Science & Technology , ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23 , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
- Department of Materials , ETH Zürich , Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10 , CH-8093 Zurich , Switzerland
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Speziale C, Zabara AF, Drummond CJ, Mezzenga R. Active Gating, Molecular Pumping, and Turnover Determination in Biomimetic Lipidic Cubic Mesophases with Reconstituted Membrane Proteins. ACS Nano 2017; 11:11687-11693. [PMID: 29111676 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b06838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms controlling molecular transport in bioinspired materials is a central topic in many branches of nanotechnology. In this work, we show that biomolecules of fundamental importance in biological processes, such as glucose, can be transported in an active, controlled, and selective manner across macroscopic lipidic cubic mesophases, by correctly reconstituting within them their corresponding membrane protein transporters, such as Staphylococcus epidermidis (GlcPSe). Importantly, by duly exploiting the symporter properties of GlcPSe of coupled glucose/H+ transport, the diffusion of glucose can further be tuned by independent physiological stimuli, such as parallel or antiparallel pH gradients, offering an important model to study molecular exchange processes in cellular machinery. We finally show that by measuring the transport properties of the lipidic mesophases with and without the GlcPSe membrane protein reconstituted within, it becomes possible to determine its intrinsic conductance. We generalize these findings to other membrane proteins from the antiporters family, such as the bacterial ClC exchanger from Escherichia coli (EcClC), providing a robust method for evaluating the turnover rate of the membrane proteins in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Speziale
- Department of Health Sciences & Technology, ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexandru Florian Zabara
- Department of Health Sciences & Technology, ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University , 124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Calum John Drummond
- School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University , 124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences & Technology, ETH Zürich , Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zürich , Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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Antognini LM, Assenza S, Speziale C, Mezzenga R. Quantifying the transport properties of lipid mesophases by theoretical modelling of diffusion experiments. J Chem Phys 2017; 145:084903. [PMID: 27586942 DOI: 10.1063/1.4961224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyotropic Liquid Crystals (LLCs) are a class of lipid-based membranes with a strong potential for drug-delivery employment. The characterization and control of their transport properties is a central issue in this regard, and has recently prompted a notable volume of research on the topic. A promising experimental approach is provided by the so-called diffusion setup, where the drug molecules diffuse from a feeding chamber filled with water to a receiving one passing through a LLC. In the present work we provide a theoretical framework for the proper description of this setup, and validate it by means of targeted experiments. Due to the inhomogeneity of the system, a rich palette of different diffusion dynamics emerges from the interplay of the different time- and lengthscales thereby present. Our work paves the way to the employment of diffusion experiments to quantitatively characterize the transport properties of LLCs, and provides the basic tools for device diffusion setups with controlled kinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca M Antognini
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Salvatore Assenza
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Speziale
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Jabłonowska E, Nazaruk E, Matyszewska D, Speziale C, Mezzenga R, Landau EM, Bilewicz R. Interactions of Lipidic Cubic Phase Nanoparticles with Lipid Membranes. Langmuir 2016; 32:9640-8. [PMID: 27550742 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The interactions of liquid-crystalline monoolein (GMO) cubic phase nanoparticles with various model lipid membranes spread at the air-solution interface by the Langmuir technique were investigated. Cubosomes have attracted attention as potential biocompatible drug delivery systems, and thus understanding their mode of interaction with membranes is of special interest. Cubosomes spreading at the air-water interface as well as interactions with a monolayer of 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) compressed to different surface pressures were studied by monitoring surface pressure-time dependencies at constant area. Progressive incorporation of the nanoparticles was shown to lead to mixed monolayer formation. The concentration of cubosomes influenced the mechanism of incorporation, as well as the fluidity and permeability of the resulting lipid membranes. Brewster angle microscopy images reflected the dependence of the monolayer structure on the cubosomes presence in the subphase. A parameter Csat was introduced to indicate the point of saturation of the lipid membrane with the cubosomal material. This parameter was found to depend on the surface pressure showing that the cubosomes disintegrate in prolonged contact with the membrane, filling available voids in the lipid membrane. At highest surface pressures when the layer is most compact, the penetration of cubosomal material is not possible and only some exchange with the membrane lipid becomes the route of including GMO into the layer. Finally, comparative studies of the interactions between lipids with various headgroup charges with cubosomes suggest that at high surface pressure an exchange of lipid component between the monolayer and the cubosome in its intact form may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ewa Nazaruk
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw , Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Matyszewska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw , Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Chiara Speziale
- Department of Health Sciences & Technology, ETH Zurich , 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Sciences & Technology, ETH Zurich , 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ehud M Landau
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Renata Bilewicz
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw , Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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Aleandri S, Speziale C, Mezzenga R, Landau EM. Design of Light-Triggered Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Mesophases and Their Application as Molecular Switches in "On Demand" Release. Langmuir 2015; 31:6981-6987. [PMID: 26039728 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Here, we present the design and assembly of a new light-responsive functional lyotropic liquid crystal system using host-guest lipidic mesophases (LMPs). Light as an external stimulus has many advantages in comparison to other stimuli: it is milder than acids or bases, and variation of intensity and duration can provide a high level of pharmacological control. The LMPs are composed of monoolein (MO) and oleic acid (OA) as host lipids and a small amount of a judiciously synthesized lipid bearing an azobenzene photoactive unit as a guest. While preserving the structure and stability of the host lipidic aggregates, the guest lipids render them specific functionalities. Single-step and sequential light-triggered release and retention of the embedded dye molecules are demonstrated, thereby achieving exquisite temporal, spatial, and dosage control of the release, opening up the possibility of using such lipidic biomaterials as effective matrices in therapy, when a continuous release of active drugs might be toxic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Aleandri
- †Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Speziale
- ‡Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23 CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- ‡Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23 CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ehud M Landau
- †Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Rahanyan-Kägi N, Aleandri S, Speziale C, Mezzenga R, Landau EM. Stimuli-responsive lipidic cubic phase: triggered release and sequestration of guest molecules. Chemistry 2014; 21:1873-7. [PMID: 25512248 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201405580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
New stimuli-responsive nanomaterials, made up of host-guest lipidic cubic phases (LCPs) are presented. These biocompatible, stable, transparent and water-insoluble LCPs are composed of monoolein (MO) as a neutral host, and small amounts of one of three judiciously designed and synthesized designer lipids as guest that preserve the structure and stability of LCPs, but render them specific functionalities. Efficient pH- and light-induced binding, release and sequestration of hydrophilic dyes are demonstrated. Significantly, these processes can be performed sequentially, thereby achieving both temporal and dosage control, opening up the possibility of using such LCPs as effective carriers to be used in drug delivery applications. Specifically, because of the inherent optical transparency and molecular isotropy of LCPs they can be envisaged as light-induced drug carriers in ophthalmology. The results presented here demonstrate the potential of molecular design in creating new functional materials with predicted operating mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelli Rahanyan-Kägi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich (Switzerland)
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