Effect of the electrostatic charge on the mechanism inducing liposome solubilization: a kinetic study by synchrotron...

The anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used to induce the initial steps of the solubilization of liposomes. The structural transformations as well as the kinetics associated with this initial period were studied by means of time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) using a synchrotron radiation source. Neutral and electrically charged (anionic and cationic) liposomes were used to investigate the effect of the electrostatic charges on the kinetics of these initial steps. The mechanism that induces the solubilization process consisted of adsorption of surfactant on the bilayers and desorption of mixed micelles from the liposomes surface to the aqueous medium. In all cases the time needed for desorption of the first mixed micelles was shorter than that for complete adsorption of the surfactant on the liposomes surface. The present work demonstrates that adsorption of the SDS molecules on negatively charged liposomes was slower and release of mixed micelles from the surface of these liposomes was faster than for neutral liposomes. In contrast, in the case of positively charged liposomes, the adsorption and release processes were, respectively, faster and slower than those for neutral vesicles.