Novel fusogenic liposomes for fluorescent cell labeling and membrane modification.
Efficient delivery of biomolecules into membranes of living cells as well as cell surface modifications are major biotechnological challenges. Here, novel liposome systems based on neutral and cationic lipids in combination with lipids modified by aromatic groups are introduced for such applications. The fusion efficiency of these liposome systems was tested on single cells in culture like HEK293, myofibroblasts, cortical neurons, human macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and even on tissue. Fusogenic liposomes enabled highly efficient incorporation of molecules into mammalian cell membranes within 1 to 30 min at fully unchanged cell growth conditions and did not affect cell behavior. We hypothesize that membrane fusions were induced in all cases by the interaction of the positively charged lipids and the delocalized electron system of the aromatic group generating local dipoles and membrane instabilities. Selected applications ranging from basic research to biotechnology are envisaged here.
Csiszár
Agnes
A
Institute of Bio- and Nanosystems, IBN-4, Biomechanics, and Institute of Solid State Research, IFF-5, Neutron Scattering, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
Hersch
Nils
N
Dieluweit
Sabine
S
Biehl
Ralf
R
Merkel
Rudolf
R
Hoffmann
Bernd
B
D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes