Polymer-hybridized liposomes anchored with alkyl grafted poly(asparagine)

Abstract

Polymer-hybridized liposomes (PHLs) of saturated lecithin were formed by association of poly(asparagines) grafted with alkyl chains (PAsn-g-Cn). The thermal, physical, and surface properties of the polymer-hybridized liposomes were examined with varying polymer concentration, alkyl chain length (C 8, C 12, C 18, C 22), and degree of substitution (DS) in the polymer. The inclusion of the polymer raised the membrane fluidity of liposomes. By the incorporation of small amount of polymer, the membrane rigidity of liposomes dropped sharply and then increased close to the original level as the polymer concentrations increased in the cases of PAsn-g-C 18 and PAsn-g-C 22. Also, the membrane rigidity and stability of PHLs increased with alkyl chain length at the same polymer concentration. The surface charge of PHL associated with PAsn-g-C 22 was changed by DS of alkyl chains. The polymer bearing long alkyl chains (C 12, C 18, C 22) formed PHLs well at low polymer concentration and the number of disk-shaped polymer–lipid mixed micelles increased with polymer concentration. The anchored polymers induced shifts in gel-to-liquid crystal transition temperature (Tc) of the vesicles and Tc varied with polymer concentration, alkyl chain length, and DS of the polymer.