Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Realistic Membrane Modeling Using Complex Lipid Mixtures in Simulation Studies
Published on: September 1, 2023
Spectroscopic characterization of DMPC/DOTAP cationic liposomes and their interactions with DNA and drugs
Jean-François Labbé1, Francis Cronier, René C-Gaudreault
1Département de Chimie, Centre de Recherche sur la Fonction, Structure et Ingénierie des Protéines, Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Abstract:
Gene and synthetic drug-delivery vectors have been developed and characterized to treat several genetic diseases and cancers. Our study aims at characterizing cationic liposomes containing the zwitterionic phospholipid DMPC and the cationic lipid DOTAP as well as their interactions with two types of DNA and a new class of antineoplastic agents derived from arylchloroethylureas (CEU). Results obtained using FTIR spectroscopy as well as (31)P and (2)H NMR indicate that DMPC and DOTAP form cationic liposomes in a highly disordered fluid phase at a molar ratio of 1:1. In addition, the FTIR results indicate that the presence of DNA or CEUs within the liposomes does not significantly affect the conformational order of both the DMPC and DOTAP acyl chains. Our results therefore provide a detailed characterization of complexes between cationic liposomes and both DNA and drugs and indicate that these complexes are stable and fluid assemblies.
