On Fusogenicity of Positively Charged Phased-Separated Lipid Vesicles: Experiments and Computational Simulations

Abstract

This paper studies the fusogenicity of cationic liposomes in relation to their surface distribution of cationic lipids and utilizes membrane phase separation to control this surface distribution. It is found that concentrating the cationic lipids into small surface patches on liposomes, through phase-separation, can enhance liposome’s fusogenicity. Further concentrating these lipids into smaller patches on the surface of liposomes led to an increased level of fusogenicity. These experimental findings are supported by numerical simulations using a mathematical model for phase-separated charged liposomes. Findings of this study may be used for design and development of highly fusogenic liposomes with minimal level of toxicity.

Keywords

• membrane phase separation
• fusogenic liposomes
• cationic lipids
• fluorescence microscopy
• computational modeling