Tethering functionality to lipid interfaces by a fast, simple and controllable post synthesis method

Publication date: Available online 22 May 2019Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: BiointerfacesAuthor(s): Carola Hofmann, Guenter Roth, Thomas Hirsch, Axel Duerkop, Antje J. BaeumnerAbstractHypothesis: Liposomes require careful control of the surface design to ensure colloidal stability in complex matrices and target-specific binding to desired receptor units. Ideally, surface functionalization should be smart and controllable in terms of composition which is seldomly achieved by conventional methods. Therefore, a new strategy (insertion method) was developed and compared to the standard method (modification post-synthesis) using the model receptor biotin.Experiments: Dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-biotin (DPPE-biotin) was used in both procedures, lipopeptide-biotin and cholesterol-biotin were tested additionally for insertion into the intact lipid bilayer. The insertion method was optimized regarding incubation time, temperature and vesicle stability. The biotinylated vesicles of both functionalization methods were characterized with respect to their size, ζ-potential and binding functionality.Findings: Standard incorporation resulted in large variations in insertion-efficiency, high batch-to-batch differences, and an incorporation limit of 4 mol%. Best results were obtained through effortless insertion of the lipopeptide-biotin at room temperature. The concentration-controlled functionalization of liposomes (up to 10 mol%) could easily be monitored by the ζ-potentia...
Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research