Study of cationic vesicles under physiological conditions

• Grant number: 15/06071-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Eloi da Silva Feitosa
• Grantee: Aline Maximiano dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The stability of vesicles depends on the balance between the electrostatic repulsion of the polar head and the hydrophobic interaction of the non-polar tails of the amphiphilic molecules. The composition of the amphiphilic molecules and the presence of additives are factors which can change the organization in supramolecular aggregates, such as, vesicles. In this study will be monitored the formation process and stability of vesicles formed from cationic amphiphiles of dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide and chloride (DODAC and DODAB) and dimethyldidodecylammonium bromide (DDAB) in NaCl physiological solution and in the presence of non-ionic solutes, for instance, glucose, sucrose and urea through the following techniques: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential and turbidity measurement. Preliminary data indicates stability of these vesicles in the presence of these solutes under physiological conditions, enabling the formulation of physiological solution containing the cationic lipid vesicles to possible medical use, for example, as bactericide or osmotic controller. The results will be compared to those amphiphilic monolayers on subphase containing the same neutral and ionic solutes.