Salt-induced aggregation in cationic liposome aqueous suspensions resulting in multi-step self-assembling complexes

The interaction of uni-univalent salt with cationic liposomes in aqueous suspension has been investigated by means of dynamic light scattering measurements and the hydrodynamic radius of the resulting aggregates has been evaluated for different ionic strengths. We observe the simultaneous presence of two different steady-state structures, in the 100–500 nm and 5 μm range, respectively, whose relative concentrations depend on the salt content. This behavior differs from that observed in usual charge stabilized colloidal suspensions and that giving rise to lipoplex formation in presence of polynucleotides. This peculiar behavior is briefly discussed in the light of Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) colloidal stability theory.