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In continuation of previous work, we present a new promising DNA carrier, OO4, a highly effective peptide-mimicking lysine-based cationic lipid. The structural characteristics of the polynucleotide carrier system OO4 mixed with the commonly used co-lipid DOPE and the saturated phospholipid DPPE have been studied in two-dimensional and three-dimensional model systems to understand their influence on the physical–chemical properties. The phase behavior of pure OO4 and its mixtures with DOPE and DPPE was studied at the air–water interface using a Langmuir film balance combined with infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy. In bulk, the self-assembling structures in the presence and absence of DNA were determined by small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering. The amount of adsorbed DNA to cationic lipid bilayers was measured using a quartz crystal microbalance. The choice of the co-lipid has an enormous influence on the structure and capability of binding DNA. DOPE promotes the formation of nonlamellar lipoplexes (cubic and hexagonal structures), whereas DPPE promotes the formation of lamellar lipoplexes. The correlation of the observed structures with the transfection efficiency and serum stability indicates that OO4/DOPE 1:3 lipoplexes with a DNA-containing cubic phase encapsulated in multilamellar structures seem to be most promising.

Small : nano micro 17(46), 2102975 (2021). doi:10.1002/smll.202102975, Published by Wiley-VCH, Weinheim

Journal of the Chemical Society / Faraday transactions Faraday transactions : physical chemistry and chemical physics physical chemistry and chemical physics 20(25), 17393 - 17405 (2018). doi:10.1039/C8CP01922C, Based on previous work, the influence of the chain composition on the physical–chemical properties of five new transfection lipids (TH10, TT10, OH10, OT10 and OO10) containing the same lysine-based head group has been investigated in aqueous dispersions. For this purpose, the chain composition has been gradually varied from saturated tetradecyl (T, C$_{14:0}$) and hexadecyl (H, C$_{16:0}$) chains to longer but unsaturated oleyl (O, C$_{18:1}$) chains with double bonds in the cis configuration. In this work, the lipid dispersions have been investigated in the absence and presence of the helper lipid DOPE and calf thymus DNA by small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) supplemented by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopy (FTRS). Lamellar and inverted hexagonal mesophases have been observed in single-component systems. In the binary mixtures, the aggregation behaviour changes with an increasing amount of DOPE from lamellar to cubic. The lipid mixtures with DNA show a panoply of mesophases. Interestingly, TT10 and OT10 form cubic lipoplexes, whereas OO10 complexes the DNA sandwich-like between lipid bilayers in a lamellar lipoplex. Surprisingly, the latter is the most effective lipoplex., Published by Royal Soc. of Chemistry, Cambridge

Physical chemistry, chemical physics 20(10), 6936 - 6944 (2018). doi:10.1039/C8CP00047F, Based on previous work, the influence of the chain composition on the physical–chemical properties of five new transfection lipids (TH10, TT10, OH10, OT10 and OO10) containing the same lysine-based head group has been investigated in aqueous dispersions. For this purpose, the chain composition has been gradually varied from saturated tetradecyl (T, C$_{14:0}$) and hexadecyl (H, C$_{16:0}$) chains to longer but unsaturated oleyl (O, C$_{18:1}$) chains with double bonds in the cis configuration. In this work, the lipid dispersions have been investigated in the absence and presence of the helper lipid DOPE and calf thymus DNA by small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) supplemented by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopy (FTRS). Lamellar and inverted hexagonal mesophases have been observed in single-component systems. In the binary mixtures, the aggregation behaviour changes with an increasing amount of DOPE from lamellar to cubic. The lipid mixtures with DNA show a panoply of mesophases. Interestingly, TT10 and OT10 form cubic lipoplexes, whereas OO10 complexes the DNA sandwich-like between lipid bilayers in a lamellar lipoplex. Surprisingly, the latter is the most effective lipoplex, Published by RSC Publ., Cambridge

Physical chemistry, chemical physics 19(30), 20271 - 20280 (2017). doi:10.1039/C7CP03107F, Cationic lipids are considered as non-viral carriers for genetic material used in gene therapy. They have no carcinogenic potential and cause low immune response compared to existing viral systems. The protonation degree of these cationic lipids is a crucial parameter for the binding behavior of polynucleotides (e.g., DNA). Newly synthesized peptide-mimic lysine-based amino-functionalized lipids have been investigated in 2D models as monolayers at the air–liquid interface. Standard surface pressure – area isotherms have been measured to prove the layer stability. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TRXF) has been used as a surface sensitive analytical method to estimate the amount of counterions at the head groups. Using a standard sample as a reference, the protonation degree of these cationic lipids can be quantified on buffers with different pH values. It is found that the protonation degree depends linearly on the packing density of the lipid monolayer., Published by RSC Publ., Cambridge

The aggregation behavior of various zwitterionic helper phospholipids, such as DOPE, DOPC, and DPPC, in combination with two new cationic lipids, namely TH4 and OH4 (second generation of malonic acid diamides) in different molar ratios was studied with regard to their physical–chemical properties. Additionally, lipoplexes prepared from these lipid mixtures were characterized with respect to the transfection efficacy using an EGFP-assay. The lipid mixtures with the fluid cationic lipid OH4 and DOPE have shown comparable transfection efficiency with Lipofectamine 2000®. Furthermore, this report demonstrates the huge influence of the helper lipid on the transfection efficiency. Thereby, alkyl chain fluidity, lipid miscibility and charge density have an important influence on an efficient gene transfer. Practical applications: Although lipofection is a topic of gene therapy since 1989, finding an effective lipid system with new cationic lipids is still a process of trial and error. There is much unknown about the process of lipoplex formation as well as the release of the genetic cargo. Aim of the presented work is to find physical–chemical parameters which are connected with an effective gene transfer. This report demonstrates the influence of the cationic and helper lipid on the transfection efficiency. Thereby, alkyl chain fluidity, lipid miscibility and charge density have an important influence on an efficient gene transfer.

As a continuation of previous work, the self-assembly process of cationic lipid formulations in the presence and absence of DNA was investigated with respect to binary lipid mixtures suitable as polynucleotide carrier systems. The lipid blends consist of one malonic-acid-based cationic lipid with a varying alkyl chain pattern, either N-{6-amino-1-[N-(9Z)-octadec-9-enylamino]-1-oxohexan-(2S)-2-yl}-N′-{2-[N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl}-2-hexadecylpropandiamide (OH4) or N-[6-amino-1-oxo-1-(N-tetradecylamino)hexan-(2S)-2-yl]-N′-{2-[N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl}-2-hexadecylpropandiamide (TH4), and one neutral co-lipid, either 1,2-di-[(9Z)-octadec-9-enoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPE) or 1,2-di-(hexadecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). Although the cationic lipids exhibit only slight differences in their structure, the DNA transfer efficiency varies drastically. Therefore, self-assembly was studied in 3D systems by small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as in 2D systems by infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) on Langmuir films. The investigated lipid mixtures show quite different self-assembly in the absence of DNA, with varying structures from vesicles (OH4/DOPE; TH4/DOPE) and tubes (TH4/DOPE) to discoid structures (OH4/DPPC; TH4/DPPC). Twisted ribbons and sheets, which were stabilized due to hydrogen-bond networks, were found in all investigated lipid mixtures in the absence of DNA. The addition of DNA leads to the formation of lamellar lipoplexes for all the investigated lipid compositions. The lipoplexes differ in crucial parameters, such as the lamellar repeat distance and the spacing between the DNA strands, indicating differences in the binding strength between DNA and the lipid composition. The formation of associates with an ideal charge density might emerge as a key parameter for efficient DNA transfer. Furthermore, the structures observed for the different lipid compositions in the absence of DNA prepare the way for other applications besides gene therapy.

The artificial phospholipid Pad-PC-Pad was analyzed in 2D (monolayers at the air/water interface) and 3D (aqueous lipid dispersions) systems. In the gel phase, the two leaflets of a Pad-PC-Pad bilayer interdigitate completely and the the hydrophobic bilayer region has a thickness comparable to the length of a single phospholipid acyl chain. This leads to a stiff membrane with no spontaneous curvature. Forced into a vesicular structure, Pad-PC-Pad shows a faceted geometry and in its extreme form, tetrahedral vesicles were found as predicted a decade ago. Above the main-transition temperature, a non-interdigitated Lα phase with fluid chains has been observed. The addition of cholesterol leads to a slight decrease of the main-transition temperature and a gradual decrease of the transition enthalpy until the transition vanishes at 40 mol% cholesterol in the mixture. Additionally, cholesterol pulls the chains apart and a non-interdigitated gel phase is observed. In monolayers, cholesterol has an ordering effect on liquid-expanded phases and disorders condensed phases. The wavenumbers of the methylene stretching vibration indicate the formation of a liquid-ordered raft phase in mixtures with 40 mol% cholesterol.

Amyloid formation is related to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. In the molecular onset of the diseases, soluble peptides adopt conformations that are rich in β-sheet and ultimately form aggregates. How this process is triggered or influenced by membrane binding, or how the membrane integrity is disturbed by the peptide binding and conformational transition is still under debate. In the present study, we systematically examine the effects of β-sheet prone model peptides on zwitterionic and negatively charged lipids in both mono- and bilayers and in various lipid phase states by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, and small and wide angle X-ray scattering. No difference in the interaction of the peptides with zwitterionic or negatively charged lipids was observed. Furthermore, the interaction of β-sheet prone model peptides leaves the lipid structure largely unaffected. However, the lipid phase state decides upon the mode of interaction. Peptides insert into liquid-expanded layers and interact only with the head groups of liquid-condensed lipid layers. Using a zoo of complementary techniques and critically examining preparation procedures we are able to obtain an unambiguous picture of peptide binding to membranes.