Michela Pisani

Self-assembled ternary complexes of neutral liposomes, deoxyribonucleic acid, and bivalent metal cations. Promising vectors for gene transfer?

By means of synchrotron x-ray diffraction we demonstrate the self-assembled formation of the neutral ternary dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine-deoxyribonucleic acid (plasmid)−Me2+ (Me=Ca and Mn) complexes in the liquid-crystalline Lα phase. We also report an attempt of an in vitro transfection on mouse fibroplast NIH 3T3 cell lines, which shows the capability of these complexes to transfect DNA. Based on the reported results, efficient encapsulation of DNA plasmids in these ternary neutral complexes may represent an important alternative to current systemic gene approaches.

Neutral liposomes containing crown ether-lipids as potential DNA vectors.

Three crown ether derivatives, 1,2-O-dioleoyl-3-O-{2-[(12-crown-4)methoxy]ethyl}-sn-glycerol (12C4L), 1,2-O-dioleoyl-3-O-{2-[(15-crown-5)methoxy]ethyl}-sn-glycerol (15C5L) and 2,3-naphtho-15-crown-5 (NAP5), have been incorporated into 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatydilcholine (POPC) liposomes. The size of the crown ether and the lipophilic moiety of 12C4L, 15C5L and NAP5 influence the stability and the properties of the extruded POPC liposomes determined at 25°C in buffered aqueous solution at pH7.4. The investigated liposomes are zwitterionic for POPC headgroups but can be turned into cationic aggregates in the presence of divalent cations. The capability of these systems to complex DNA has been demonstrated by SAXS experiments.

Self-Assembled Liposome-DNA-Metal Complexes Related to DNA Delivery

ABSTRACT We have carried out a systematic structural study of novel liquid-crystal phases of self-assembled neutral lipid-DNA-metal cation complexes in water solution. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments have given new insight into the structures of these ternary complexes. We have shown that different divalent metal cations are equally active in promoting the DNA condensation into the ternary complex when different lipid and DNA species are used. In addition, strong indication has been found that the phase of the complexes reflects the structure and symmetry of the parent lipid phase. These achievements provide an important structure-composition correlation that may drive the best design of these materials for future applications as non-viral DNA carriers in gene therapy.

Metal cation induced cubic phase in poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine aqueous dispersions.

Metal cations (Mn(2+) or Ca(2+)) in aqueous dispersions of mixtures of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized DOPE (DOPE-PEG(350)) induce, above a certain amount of the PEG lipid component, a phase transition from the inverted hexagonal phase H(II) to the bicontinuous inverted cubic phase Q(224) with space group Pn3m. The process is driven by the decrease of free elastic energy due to the Gaussian curvature of the cubic phase. The structural characterization of the phase behavior over the whole explored range of DOPE-PEG/DOPE weight ratio (3-25%) is reported, focusing on the role of the metal cation in the formation of the 3D cubic lattice. This result may represent a significant progress toward a design-based approach to drug delivery.

Effect of hydration on the structure of oriented lipid membranes investigated by in situ time-resolved energy dispersive x-ray diffraction

In situ time-resolved energy dispersive x-ray diffraction (EDXD) was applied to investigate the effect of hydration on the structure of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP)-oriented membranes. The measurements allowed a very high density time sampling of the evolution of the structural properties of the DOTAP bilayer such as the lamellar d-spacing, the membrane thickness, and the size of the interbilayer water region. Time-resolved EDXD has been found to provide important information on the role played by free water molecules on the structure and fluidity of lipid bilayer.

Liposomes containing mannose-6-phosphate-cholesteryl conjugates for lysosome-specific delivery

Lysosomes are promising targets for cancer and enzyme replacement therapy. In this area of interest we present a novel liposomal nanocarrier containing mannose 6-phosphate-cholesteryl conjugates and show its ability to reach the lysosomes by means of confocal and fluorescence microscopy measurements.

Biophysical characterization of complexes of DNA with mixtures of the neutral lipids 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-hexanoylamine or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-dodecanoylamine and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine in the presence of bivalent metal cations for DNA transfection.

Neutral lipids have received up to now a little attention as genetic material carriers, despite some valuable features, such as the absence of toxicity and the high stability in serum of their complexes with DNA. We have prepared two quaternary complexes of DNA and mixtures of 1, 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-hexanoylamine (6PE) or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-dodecanoylamine (12PE) with DOPC in aqueous dispersions of bivalent metal cations (PE/DOPC-DNA-M(2+)). The aim was to evaluate the effect of the amide moiety on the transfection efficiency. These complexes form in a self-assembled manner, the DNA condensation being promoted by the metal cations. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the structure of the complexes, which exhibit the lamellar symmetry of the L(α)(c) phase. The size and surface charge of the complexes have also been measured, and promising results of DNA transfections in vitro have been reported.

Liposome-based gene delivery systems containing a steroid derivative: computational and small angle X-ray diffraction study

In this study, the structural properties and the phase behaviour of mixed composition neutral liposomes containing a functionalized steroid are reported. With the aim to design neutral liposomes able to coordinate cations and to complex DNA, we synthesized cholesteryl-2-(picolinamido)-phenylcarbamate (CHOLp) containing an N-aryl picolinamide group as chelating agent linked to the steroid structure via a carbamate moiety. The phase behaviour of mixtures of the functionalized cholesterol (CHOLp) and dioleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction. Simultaneously, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of DOPC/CHOLp bilayers as a function of CHOLp molar fractions were carried out to investigate the specific effects of the polar steroid on the structural and dynamic properties of these zwitterionic bilayers. The molecular modelling studies have been performed both in absence and in presence of bivalent cations salts in order to assess the CHOLp ability to coordinate metal ions. The results show good stability of the resulting DOPC/CHOLp bilayers which is improved by the presence of salt. This is particularly evident at low amount of CHOLp where a high order of the lipid tails can be observed, suggesting stabilization of the corresponding DOPC liposomes. This feature can be ascribed to the polar nature and structural properties of the ligand. In fact, due to the presence of the aromatic moieties, CHOLp combines two different behaviours, namely a propensity to realize both intermolecular π-stacking interactions and cation–π bonding mainly evident in CaCl2. The last feature confirms for CHOLp a role as a cation-mediated complexation agent for DNA. The X-ray diffraction data on the capability of DOPC/CHOLp liposomes to complex DNA was also reported.

Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Nanosystems as Drug Delivery Agents for 5-Fluorouracil: Structure and Cytotoxicity

Lyotropic cubic liquid-crystalline systems have received increasing attention due to their unique microstructural and physicochemical properties as efficient nanocarriers for drug delivery. We report the preparation and characterization of bulk phases and cubosome dispersions of phytantriol loaded with the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil, in neutral and anionic forms. In both cases, a Pn3m cubic phase was observed. The phytantriol phase behavior can be influenced by the addition of ionic agents, and, to this purpose, a positively charged lipid, such as N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride salt (DOTAP), was included in the studied formulations. It was found to induce a variation of the spontaneous membrane curvature of the phytantriol lipid bilayer, generating a transition from the Pn3m to the Im3m cubic phase. When 5-fluorouracil, in its anionic form (5-FUs), was encapsulated in these latter systems, a further transition to the HII hexagonal phase was observed as a consequence of the formation of a complex phytantriol/DOTAP/5-FUs. The physicochemical characterization was performed with various complementary techniques including synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared and UV resonance Raman spectroscopies. Encapsulation of 5-fluorouracil in the corresponding nanodispersions was evaluated, and their in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed in MDA-MB-231 cell line. Phytantriol cubosomes containing 5-fluorouracil showed a higher toxicity compared with the bare drug solution, and hence they represent potential nanocarriers in the delivery of 5-fluorouracil for cancer therapy.

Selective induction of apoptosis in MCF7 cancer-cell by targeted liposomes functionalised with mannose-6-phosphate

Abstract Liposomes are versatile platforms to carry anticancer drugs in targeted drug delivery; they can be surface modified by different strategies and, when coupled with targeting ligands, are able to increase cellular internalisation and organelle-specific drug delivery. An interesting strategy of antitumoral therapy could involve the use of lysosomotropic ligand-targeted liposomes loaded with molecules, which can induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), leakage of cathepsins into the cytoplasm and subsequent apoptosis. We have previously demonstrated the ability of liposomes functionalised with a mannose-6-phosphate to reach lysosomes; in this research we compare the behaviour of M6P-modified and non-functionalised liposomes in MCF7 tumour cell and in HDF normal cells. With this aim, we first demonstrated by Western blotting the overexpression of mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor (M6P/IGF-II) receptor in MCF7. Then, we prepared calcein-loaded liposomes and we revealed the increased uptake of M6P-functionalised liposomes in MCF7 cells respect to HDF cells by flow cytometry analysis. Finally, we loaded functionalised and not functionalised liposomes with N-hexanoyl-d-erythro-sphingosine (C6Cer), able to initiate LMP-induced apoptosis; after having studied the stability of both vesicles in the presence of serum by Dynamic Light Scattering and Spectrophotometric turbidity measurements, we showed that ceramide-loaded M6P-liposomes significantly increased apoptosis in MCF7 with respect to HDF cells.