Abstract
We examine the effect of hydrophobic gold nanoparticles in concentrations 0.5, 1, 5 w% on 1-Stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (SOPC) model systems. To this aim, we used advanced experimental techniques, such as differential scanning calorimetry and infrared spectroscopy. An estimation of the bending elasticity modulus (kc) of vesicles with Au is achieved using the thermally induced shape fluctuation analysis. The obtained results support the hypothesis that Au nanoparticles penetrate into the region of hydrophobic tails of the phospholipid membrane. Furthermore, they strongly influence the phase behavior of the system, but within the error range, they do not affect the elastic properties of the lipid membrane. IR spectroscopy results indicate that the subsequent addition of Au nanoparticles to the lipid system results in gradual increase of the relative intensity of PO and CO stretching and CH2 scissoring bands, while the band positions are unaffected. We establish the existence of a threshold concentration of AuNPs above which SOPC/AuNPs membranes lose stability. The results of this study provide an in-depth picture of the effect of Au nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties of the lipid membrane. We expect them to contribute significantly to future nanomedical drug-delivery applications.
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