Polysaccharide-anchored fatty acid liposome

Area of Science:

• Liposome technology
• Biomaterials science
• Surface chemistry

Background:

• Oleic acid (OA) liposomes are widely used but can be unstable.
• Chitosan derivatives offer potential for liposome modification.
• Understanding interfacial interactions is crucial for liposome formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize N-palmitoyl chitosan (ChP) anchored oleic acid (OA) liposomes.
• To investigate the effect of ChP anchoring on liposome properties.
• To elucidate the interaction mechanism between ChP and OA at the air-water interface.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of N-palmitoyl chitosan (ChP) with varying degrees of acylation (DA).
• Preparation of OA liposomes and ChP-anchored OA (OAChP) liposomes.
• Characterization using atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface tension measurements, and physicochemical property analysis.

Main Results:

• AFM confirmed the presence of a ChP layer on OA liposomes, showing a "peeling off" effect.
• Surface tension increased with ChP anchoring, indicating OA monomer removal from the air-water interface.
• Increased minimum area per headgroup (A(min)) confirmed OA monomer interaction with ChP hydrophobic moieties.
• ChP anchoring reduced liposome size by approximately 30 nm and improved liposome integrity and rigidity.

Conclusions:

• N-palmitoyl chitosan effectively anchors to oleic acid liposomes.
• ChP anchoring enhances liposome stability, reduces size, and improves structural integrity.
• This modification presents a promising strategy for developing advanced liposomal formulations.