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    Adsorption of cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles on model membranes

    Year: 2008

    Journal: SOFT MATTER, 2008, 20100827

    Authors: Vandoolaeghe P., Rennie A. R., Campbell R. A., Thomas R. K., Hook F., Fragneto G., Tiberg F., Nylander T.

    Last authors: Nylander, Tommy

    Organizations: Department of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, Box 124, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden. Department of Physics, Uppsala University, Box 530, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden. Division of Solid State Physics, Lund University, Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Institut Laue-Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. Camurus AB, Ideon Science Park Gamma 1, SE-223 70 Lund, Sweden.

    Country: Sweden

    The interactions of lipid based cubic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (Cubosome (R)) with surface supported model membranes constituted of dioleylphosphatidylcholine ( DOPC) have been studied in situ by use of ellipsometry, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and neutron reflectivity. The systems investigated were cubic phase dispersions of glycerol monooleate (GMO) stabilised by a non-ionic block copolymer, Pluronic (R) F-127. The interaction between the cubic nanoparticles and the lipid bilayer is a dynamic process where the nanoparticles initially adsorb at the bilayer surface. Interfacial lipid exchange takes place where GMO is delivered into the bilayer and DOPC is extracted into the nanoparticle (34% loss). A subsequent release of the adsorbates can be triggered when the solution concentration exceeds 0.002 mg ml(-1). The release shows that the attractive interaction between the cubic nanoparticles and lipid bilayer is unstable after sufficient exchange of material takes place. This instability is indicative of a local phase separation at the interface between the bilayer and the nanoparticles, which causes desorption of nanoparticles. Some particles remain attached to the bilayer even hours after the initial interaction. The ability to trigger the release of the nanoparticles through increasing the solution concentration offers exciting potential in the design of drug delivery aids.