Vesicle-micelle transition in aqueous mixtures of the cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactants

The vesicle-micelle transition in aqueous mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DODAB and C(18)TAB) cationic surfactants, having respectively double and single chain, was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), steady-state fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and surface tension. The experiments performed at constant total surfactant concentration, up to 1.0 mM, reveal that these homologous surfactants mix together to form mixed vesicles and/or micelles, depending on the relative amount of the surfactants. The melting temperature T(m) of the mixed DODAB-C(18)TAB vesicles is larger than that for the neat DODAB in water owing to the incorporation of C(18)TAB in the vesicle bilayer. The surface tension decreases sigmoidally with C(18)TAB concentration and the inflection point lies around x(DODAB) approximately 0.4, indicating the onset of micelle formation owing to saturation of DODAB vesicles by C(18)TAB molecules. When x(DODAB)>0.5 C(18)TAB molecules are mainly solubilised by the vesicles, but when x(DODAB)<0.25 micelles are dominant. Fluorescence data of the Nile Red probe incorporated in the system at different surfactant molar fractions indicate the formation of micelle and vesicle structures. These structures have apparent hydrodynamic radius R(H) of about 180 and 500-800 nm, respectively, as obtained by DLS measurements.     

Cationic liposomes in mixed didodecyldimethylammonium bromide and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide aqueous dispersions studied by differential scanning calorimetry, Nile Red fluorescence, and turbidity

The thermotropic phase behavior of cationic liposomes in mixtures of two of the most investigated liposome-forming double-chain lipids, dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), turbidity, and Nile Red fluorescence. The dispersions were investigated at 1.0 mM total surfactant concentration and varying DODAB and DDAB concentrations. The gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition temperatures (Tm) of neat DDAB and DODAB in aqueous dispersions are around 16 and 43 degrees C, respectively, and we aim to investigate the Tm behavior for mixtures of these cationic lipids. Overall, DDAB reduces the Tm of DODAB, the transition temperature depending on the DDAB content, but the Tm of DDAB is roughly independent of the DODAB concentration. Both DSC and fluorescence measurements show that, within the mixture, at room temperature (ca. 22 degrees C), the DDAB-rich liposomes are in the liquid-crystalline state, whereas the DODAB-rich liposomes are in the gel state. DSC results point to a higher affinity of DDAB for DODAB liposomes than the reverse, resulting in two populations of mixed DDAB/DODAB liposomes with distinctive phase behavior. Fluorescence measurements also show that the presence of a small amount of DODAB in DDAB-rich liposomes causes a pronounced effect in Nile Red emission, due to the increase in liposome size, as inferred from turbidity results.     

Vesicle-micelle transition in mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride and bromide with nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants

We have investigated the effect of mixing spontaneously formed dispersions of the cationic vesicle-forming dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride and bromide (DODAX, with X being anions Cl- (C) or Br- (B)) with solutions of the micelle-forming nonionic ethylene oxide surfactants penta-, hepta-, and octaethyleneglycol mono-n-dodecyl ether, C12E(n) (n = 5, 7, and 8), and the zwitterionic 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)propane sulfonate (HPS). We used for this purpose differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), turbidity, and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate the vesicle-micelle (V-M) transition yielded by adding C12E(n) and HPS to 1.0 mM vesicle dispersions of DODAC and DODAB. The addition of these surfactants lowers the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition temperature (T(m)) of DODAC and DODAB, and the transition becomes less cooperative, that is, the thermogram transition peak shifts to lower temperature and broadens to disappear when the V-M transition is complete, the vesicle bilayer becomes less organized, and the T(m) decreases, in agreement with measurements of the fluorescence quantum yield of trans-diphenylpolyene (t-DPO) fluorescence molecules incorporated in the vesicle bilayer. Turbidity data indicate that the V-M transition comes about in three stages: first surfactants are solubilized into the vesicle bilayer; after saturation, the vesicles are ruptured, and, finally, the vesicles are completely solubilized and only mixed micelles are formed. The critical points of bilayer saturation and vesicle solubilization were obtained from the turbidity and fluorescence curves, and are reported in this communication. The solubility of DODAX is stronger for C12E(n) than it is for HPS, meaning that C12E(n) solubilizes DODAX more efficiently than does HPS. The surfactant solubilization depends slightly on the counterion, and varies according to the sequence C12E5 > C12E7 > C12E8 > HPS.     

Temperature-triggered fusion of vesicles composed of right-handed and left-handed amphiphilic helical peptides

Vesicles prepared from a mixture of (Sar)(25)-b-(L-Leu-Aib)(6) (SLL) and (Sar)(25)-b-(D-Leu-Aib)(6) (SDL) fused with themselves upon heating to 90 °C. The vesicles also fused with (Sar)(28)-b-(L-Leu-Aib)(8) vesicles upon heating to 90 °C. The temperature-triggered fusion was due to the phase transition of the mixed membrane of SLL and SDL at 90 °C and should be driven by the bending energy stored in the stereocomplex membrane upon taking a vesicular structure.     

F127反相微乳液中纳米AgCl粒子的可控合成和AgCl/F127-PMMA有机/无机杂化膜的研究

在大分子F127为表面活性剂的反相微乳液体系中,合成AgCl纳米粒子。然后通过聚合制备AgCl/F127-PMMA有机/无机杂化膜,用于苯/环己烷混合物的渗透汽化分离。利用电导率仪、紫外可见光谱及透射电镜研究微乳液的增溶水量(ω)对微乳液结构、胶束中AgCl粒子的生成和形貌的影响。结果表明:合成的AgCl粒子粒径小于10 nm;增加微乳液的ω,生成的AgCl粒子变大。聚合后制备的AgCl/F127-PMMA有机/无机杂化膜中,AgCl粒子能保持较好的分散性。50wt%苯/环己烷混合物的渗透汽化结果表明,在合适的ω下,所制备的AgCl/F127-PMMA有机/无机杂化膜能克服常规高分子膜的trade-off现象,表现出较好的分离性能。     

Mixed micelles of binary triblock polymer mixtures in pure water at 30 °C

This is the first report on the mixed micelles of binary triblock polymer (TBP) mixtures. The steady-state fluorescence and viscosity measurements have been carried out for the various binary combinations of TBP (i.e., P103 + F127/P84/L64/P104/P123) in pure water at 30 °C. All the TBP components selected for the study show clear micelle formation process. The pyrene fluorescence has been used to determine the critical micelle concentration. As micelle-forming TBP can also be termed as nonionic surfactants; therefore, their mixed micelle formation has been evaluated by applying the regular solution theory. It has been observed that this theory very well predicts the nature of mixed micelles. The P103 + F127/P84/L64 binary mixtures undergo mixed micelle formation due to the synergistic interactions while P103 + P104/P123 show antagonistic behavior. The results clearly show that the mixtures with greater number of poly(ethylene oxide) units undergo favorable mixing.     

High-throughput discovery of novel steric stabilizers for cubic lyotropic liquid crystal nanoparticle dispersions

High-throughput methodologies have been employed to establish structure-property relationships and assess the effectiveness of nonionic steric stabilizers for inverse bicontinuous cubic lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticulate dispersions of monoolein and phytantriol. The ability of the stabilizers to disperse the lipids was compared with that of the commonly employed triblock poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer Pluronic F127, which was used as a positive control. The poly(ethylene oxide) stearate class of stabilizers (commercially known as Myrj) were discovered to be effective as steric stabilizers for cubosomes, while retaining the internal nanostructure of the "parent" bulk phase. In particular, Myrj 59, with an average of 100 poly(ethylene oxide) units, was more effective than F127 at dispersing phytantriol, forming stable phytantriol cubosome dispersions at a concentration of 0.1 wt %, 5-fold lower than that achievable with Pluronic F127. The discovery of this new effective class of stabilizers for cubosomes, specifically enabled by high-throughput approaches, broadens the versatility of components from which to construct these interesting potential drug delivery and medical imaging nanoparticles.     

Electromotive force study on interaction between a triblock copolymer and cationic surfactants in water

The interaction between a poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer F127 and three cationic surfactants with varying alkyl chain length in water were investigated in detail by electromotive force (EMF) studies. The cationic surfactants investigated are hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), myristytrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and lauryltrimethylammonium bromide (LTAB) which have carbon numbers of 16, 14, and 12 in the alkyl chain, respectively. Obvious binding was detected by EMF measurements between F127 and HTAB. For MTAB, the binding has also been detected with a weaker strength than that of HTAB. The LTAB/F127 mixed system exhibits the weakest binding, presumably due to the too short alkyl chain. This indicates that the binding between cationic surfactants and F127 is mainly dominated by the hydrophobic/hydrophobic interaction. In addition, the interaction also shows considerable dependence on the concentration of F127 and solution parameters such as the salinity.     

Dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide vesicles prepared by the surfactant removal method

Dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) is a double chain vesicle-forming cationic surfactant, whereas octa-ethyleneglycol mono-n-dodecyl ether (C12E8) is a single chain micelle-forming nonionic surfactant. At room temperature (ca. 22 degrees C) C12E8 molecules self-assemble in water as micelles while DODAB is insoluble. A mixture of DODAB and C12E8, however, can be soluble in water at room temperature depending on the relative amount of the compounds. We report the formation of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) by dialyzing at room temperature a mixture of 1.0 mM DODAB with 10 mM C12E8 in water. Extended bilayers are formed as well in equilibrium with vesicles. Such structures are viewed by a cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) image.     

Investigation of the micropolarity in reverse micelles of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants using 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide as absorption probe

The micropolarities of the reverse micelle (RM) interior of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants of the alkyl ether type (poly(ethylene oxide)[4] lauryl ether (C12E4, Brij 30)), alkyl-aryl ethers (poly(ethylene oxide)[4] nonylphenyl ether (C9PhiE4), poly(ethylene oxide)[5] nonylphenyl ether (C9PhiE5), and poly(ethylene oxide)[5] octylphenyl ether (C8PhiE5)), and poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymers (Pluronics P123, F127) were investigated as a function of the water content by applying the absorption probe technique, using 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (NP) as a probe. The change in the micellar aggregate micropolarity in different solvents (cyclohexane, decane, n-butanol, and n-butyl acetate) at various water contents has been investigated. The research was focused on the determination of the effects of surfactant structure and solvent type on the hydration degrees of the PEO chains in the region at the core limit, where the NP probe was located. All results regarding the polarities in RM and PEO/water calibration mixtures have been expressed in terms of Kosower's Z values, using the linear dependence of E(NP) on Kosower's Z. The PPO/butanol mixtures have also been used for RM in butanol as a reference system. The data revealed that local polarity in RM is dependent on the surfactant type, block copolymer composition, solvent nature, and water content. At the same water content, the results clearly indicate a lower hydration degree of triblock copolymers, as compared to the surfactants of the alkyl ether and alkyl-aryl ether type, but for P123 and F127 Pluronics in n-butanol the hydration is higher owing to the behavior of butanol as cosurfactant and to its hydration.     

Syntheses of ordered mesoporous silica by new hybrid template

Ordered mesoporous silica with macroscopic shape has been prepared with a hybrid template of gel and poly(ethylene oxide)₁₀₆–poly(propylene oxide)₇₀–poly(ethylene oxide)₁₀₆ (pluronic F127) surfactant, where both water-soluble agar gel and pluronic F127 significantly affect the mesoporous structure and morphology of silica. The thermal analysis revealed the noticeable interaction between agar and F127, which contributes to the formation of homogenous hybrid template. In the hybrid template, agar gel contributed to the maintenance of morphology structure, while F127 was responsible for the formation of ordered porous structure in silica solids.     

Adsorption behavior of DODAB/DPPC vesicles on silica

The interaction between composite dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) bilayer vesicles in the gel state and silica is investigated over the 0-20% DODAB range from determination of adsorption curves, silica sedimentation, particle sizing and zeta-potentials. At 1 mg/mL silica, 0% DODAB, pH 6.3, over the 0-150 mM NaCl range of ionic strengths, high affinity adsorption curves were barely affected by ionic strength and all of them exhibited limiting adsorption values above the level expected for single bilayer deposition. At 1 mg/mL silica, 2% DODAB, pH 6.3 and 1 mM NaCl, high affinity adsorption curves fortuitously presented limiting adsorption indicative of one bilayer deposition on each silica particle. At %DODAB<2% or %DODAB>2%, limiting adsorption was above and below the level expected for bilayer deposition, respectively. Increasing %DODAB in the vesicle composition negatively modulated the limiting adsorption on silica despite the increasing surface charge on vesicles and electrostatic attraction between vesicles and particles. The results point out the difficulty of closed vesicle disruption (required for bilayer deposition from vesicles) when the bilayer is tightly packed in the rigid gel state and might be of interest for analytical applications of immobilized vesicles on silica.     

Aqueous block copolymer-surfactant mixtures and their ability in solubilizing chlorinated organic compounds. A thermodynamic and SANS study

Within the topic of surfactant enhanced solubilization of additives sparingly soluble in water, volumetric, solubility, conductivity, and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on mixtures composed of alpha,omega-dichloroalkane, surfactant, copolymer, and water were carried out at 298 K. The triblock copolymers (ethylene oxide)132(propylene oxide)50(ethylene oxide)132 (F108) and (ethylene oxide)76(propylene oxide)29(ethylene oxide)76 (F68) were chosen to investigate the role of the molecular weight keeping constant the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio. The selected surfactants are sodium decanoate (NaDec) and decyltrimethylammonium bromide (DeTAB) with comparable hydrophobicity and different charged heads. The alpha,omega-dichloroalkanes were chosen as contaminant prototypes. For the water + surfactant + copolymer mixtures, both the volume and the SANS results straightforwardly evidenced that (1) monomers of NaDec and copolymer unimers generate small mixed aggregates, (2) monomers of DeTAB combined with copolymer unimers do not form aggregates, and (3) unimeric copolymer is solubilized into NaDec and DeTAB micelles. The alpha,omeaga-dichloroalkanes presence induces the F108 aggregation even at very low copolymer composition. The addition of surfactant disintegrates the F108 aggregates and, consequently, the additive is expelled into the aqueous phase. Once F108 is in the unimeric state, it forms copolymer-micelle aggregates which incorporate the oil. In the case of F68 both the volumetric and the SANS data reveal that the additive does not alter the copolymer unimeric state. Moreover, they show that for the aqueous DeTAB-F68 system the additive trapping in both the copolymer-micelle aggregate and the pure micelles takes place being enhanced in the former aggregate in agreement with solubility experiments. For the NaDec-F68 mixtures, an additional solubilization process in the premicellar copolymer-surfactant microstructures occurs. SANS and conductivity data show that the additive incorporation into the mixed and the pure micelles does not essentially influence the structural properties of the aggregates.     

Colloid stability of lipid/polyelectrolyte decorated latex

The colloid stability of supramolecular assemblies composed of the synthetic cationic lipid dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) supported on polystyrene amidine (PSA) microspheres was evaluated via turbidimetry kinetics, dynamic light scattering for particle sizing, zeta-potential analysis, and determination of DODAB adsorption on CMC-covered particles. At 0.1 g L(-1) CMC and 2 x 10(11) PSA particles/mL, CMC did not induce significant particle flocculation, and a vast majority of CMC-covered single particles were present in the dispersion so that this was the condition chosen for determining DODAB concentration (C) effects on particle size and zeta potentials. At 0.35 mM DODAB, charge neutralization, maximal size, and visible precipitation indicated extensive flocculation and minimal colloid stability for the DODAB/CMC/PSA assembly. At 0.1 g L(-1) CMC, isotherms of high affinity for DODAB adsorption on CMC-covered particles presented a plateau at a limiting adsorption of 700 x 10(17) DODAB molecules adsorbed per square meter PSA which was well above bilayer deposition on a smooth particle surface. The polyelectrolyte layer on hydrophobic particles was swelled and fluffy (ca. 11-nm hydrodynamic thickness), and maximal adsorption of DODAB lipid onto this layer produced a compressed composite cationic film with 20 mV of zeta potential and about 10-nm mean thickness. The assembly of cationic lipid/CMC layer/polymeric particle was stable only well above charge neutralization of the polyelectrolyte by the cationic lipid, at relatively large lipid concentrations (at and above 1 mM DODAB) with charge neutralization leading to extensive particle aggregation.     

Interaction of sodium cholate with dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride vesicles in aqueous dispersion

Mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) cationic vesicle dispersions with aqueous micelle solutions of the anionic sodium cholate (NaC) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, turbidity and light scattering. Within the concentration range investigated (constant 1.0 mM DODAC and varying NaC concentration up to 4 mM), vesicle → micelle → aggregate transitions were observed. The turbidity of DODAC/NaC/water depends on time and NaC/DODAB molar concentration ratio R. At equilibrium, turbidity initially decreases smoothly with R to a low value (owing to the vesicle–micelle transition) when R = 0.5–0.8 and then increases steeply to a high value (owing to the micelle–aggregate transition) when R = 0.9–1.0. DSC thermograms exhibit a single and sharp endothermic peak at T_m ≈ 49 °C, characteristic of the melting temperature of neat DODAC vesicles in water. Upon addition of NaC, T_m initially decreases to vanish around R = 0.5, and the main transition peak broadens as R increases. For R > 1.0 two new (endo- and exothermic) peaks appear at lower temperatures indicating the formation of large aggregates since the dispersion is turbid. All samples are non-birefringent. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) data indicate that both DODAC and DODAC/NaC dispersions are highly polydisperse, and that the mean size of the aggregates tends to decrease as R increases.     

Interaction between zero-charged catanionic vesicles and PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymers

We investigate the interaction between zero-charged catanionic vesicles and PEO–PPO–PEO (poly(ethylene oxide–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide)) triblock copolymers. The 25-mg mL^?1 aqueous solution of tetradecyltrimethylammonium laurate (TTAL) contains closely packed uni- and multi-lamellar vesicles and shows viscoelastic properties with a dominant elastic modulus (G′) over a viscous modulus (G″). When a small amount of F127 ((EO)₉₇(PO)₆₉(EO)₉₇) or F68 ((EO)₇₆(PO)₂₉(EO)₇₆) was added, an improvement of the viscoelasticity was observed at suitable polymer concentrations. Freeze–fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) observations on an F68-containing system revealed interesting aggregate transition from vesicles to flexible tubules and back to vesicles. The improvement of the viscoelasticity of the vesicular solution containing F68 or F127 can be explained by the formation of tubule and polymer–vesicle associates, while no such phenomenon was noticed for P123 ((EO)₁₉(PO)₆₉(EO)₁₉) which has the highest propylene oxide (PO) content and the strongest ability to self-associate in aqueous solution. In all the cases, vesicles will be destroyed and phase separation can be observed at high polymer contents (>5-mg mL^?1).     

Dissipation-enhanced quartz crystal microbalance studies on the experimental parameters controlling the formation of supported lipid bilayers

We report on the investigations of the transformation of spherically closed lipid bilayers to supported lipid bilayers in aqueous media in contact with SiO(2) surfaces. The adsorption kinetics of small unilamellar vesicles composed of dimyristoyl- (DMPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) mixtures on SiO(2) surfaces were investigated using a dissipation-enhanced quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) as a function of buffer (composition and pH), lipid concentration (0.01-1.0 mg/mL), temperature (15-37 degrees C), and lipid composition (DMPC and DMPC/DPPC mixtures). The lipid mixtures used here possess a phase transition temperature (T(m)) of 24-33 degrees C, which is close to the ambient temperature or above and thus considerably higher than most other systems studied by QCM-D. With HEPES or Tris.HCl containing sodium chloride (150 mM) and/or calcium chloride (2 mM), intact vesicles adsorb on the surface until a critical density ((c)) is reached. At close vesicle contact the transformation from vesicles to supported phospholipid bilayers (SPBs) occurs. In absence of CaCl(2), the kinetics of the SPB formation process are slowed, but the passage through (c) is still observed. The latter disappears when buffers with low ionic strength were used. SPB formation was studied in a pH range of 3-10, yet the passage through (c) is obtained only for pH values above to the physiological pH (7.4-10). With an increasing vesicle concentration, (c) is reached after shorter exposure times. At a vesicle concentration of 0.01-1 mg/mL, vesicle fusion on SiO(2) proceeds with the same pathway and accelerates roughly proportionally. In contrast, the pathway of vesicle fusion is strongly influenced by the temperature in the vicinity of T(m). Above and around the T(m), transformation of vesicles to SPB proceeds smoothly, while below, a large number of nonruptured vesicles coexist with SPB. As expected, the physical state of the membrane controls the interaction with both surface and neighboring vesicles.     

Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) dispersions containing pluronics: from particle preparation to temperature-triggered aggregation

In this work the preparation mechanism, properties and temperature-triggered aggregation of poly(D, L-lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA) dispersions are investigated. The dispersions were prepared by interfacial deposition in aqueous solution containing Pluronic L62 (EO(6)PO(30)EO(6)) or F127NF (EO(101)PO(56)EO(101)), where EO and PO are ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, respectively. PLGA dispersions were also prepared in the absence of added Pluronic for comparison. The PLGA particles were characterized using SEM, photon correlation spectroscopy and electrophoretic mobility measurements. It was found that the hydrodynamic diameter (d) increased with PLGA concentration used in the organic solvent phase ( C PLGA(o) ). The value for d was proportional to C(PLGA)(o) (1/3). The value for d increased upon addition of 0.04 M NaNO(3) which demonstrated the importance of electrostatic interactions during particle formation. Electrophoretic mobility measurements were conducted as a function of pH and the data used to estimate the Pluronic layer thicknesses on the PLGA particles. The layer thickness was greatest for the PLGA particles prepared in the presence of Pluronic F127NF. PLGA dispersions containing Pluronic L62 exhibited temperature-triggered aggregation in the presence of 0.15 M NaNO(3). It was found that the critical temperature for dispersion aggregation (T(crit)) was comparable to the cloud point temperature ( T(cp)) for the parent Pluronic L62 solution. Conditions were established for achieving temperature-triggered aggregation at body temperature for PLGA particle/Pluronic L62 dispersions under physiological ionic strength and pH conditions. The PLGA/Pluronic L62 mixtures studied may have potential for use as injectable biodegradable implants for controlled release applications.     

Preparation and characterization of thermosensitive pluronic F127-b-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) mixed micelles

The mixed micelles composed of pluronic F127-b-poly(?-caprolactone) (F127-CL) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) or polylactic acid (PLA) were fabricated for application as promising drug carriers. F127-CL copolymers were characterized by (1)H NMR, FT-IR, GPC, DSC, XRD and POM. They can self-assemble into micelles in water by solvent evaporation method. The thermo-responsivities of the pure and mixed micelles were investigated. The drug release behaviors were investigated in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) and acetate buffer solution (ABS), respectively, at 37°C. The hemolysis and coagulation assay and the tumor cell growth inhibition assays were further evaluated. The morphologies of pure micelles underwent from the coexistence of the rods and spheres to the spheres with increasing the lengths of CL. The micelle behaviors were influenced with the addition of BSA and PLA. Both pure and mixed micelles of F127-CL with CL length of 200 show thermo-responsivities from 25 to 45°C, while form larger aggregations at high temperature. The hemolysis and coagulation assays showed that the micelles possess good blood compatibility. The cytotoxicity results showed that the copolymer was a safe carrier and the encapsulated doxorubicind.HCl remained its potent anti-tumor effect. The in vitro release profiles displayed a sustained release of DOX.HCl from the micelles. The block copolymers can be great potential as a nanocontainer in drug delivery systems.     

Aggregation behavior of aqueous dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide/monoolein mixtures: a multitechnique investigation on the influence of composition and temperature

A recently described non-viral gene delivery system [dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB)/monoolein (MO)] has been studied in detail to improve knowledge on the interactions between lamellar (DODAB) and non-lamellar-forming (MO) lipids, as a means to enhance their final cell transfection efficiency. Indeed, the morphology, fluidity, and size of these cationic surfactant/neutral lipid mixtures play an important role in the ability of these systems to complex nucleic acids. The different techniques used in this work, namely dynamic light scattering (DLS), fluorescence spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), light microscopy (LM), and surface pressure-area isotherms, allowed fully characterization of the phase behavior and aggregate morphology of DODAB/MO mixtures at different molar ratios. Overall, the results indicate that the final morphology of DODAB/MO aggregates depends on the balance between the tendency of DODAB to form zero-curvature bilayer structures and the propensity of MO to form non-bilayer structures with negative curvature. These results also show that in the MO-rich region, an increase in temperature has a similar effect on aggregate morphology as an increase in MO concentration.