Lipopeptide-based micellar and liposomal carriers: Influence of surface charge and particle size on cellular uptake into blood brain barrier cells.

Lipopeptide-based micelles and liposomes were found to differ in cell recognition and uptake mode into blood brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells. Here we analyse the role of size and surface charge of micelles and liposomes composed of different lipopeptide sequences with respect to uptake into human brain capillary (HBMEC) and aortic (HAoEC) endothelial cells. Comparable to the dipalmitoylated apolipoprotein E-derived P2A2, lipopeptides of cationic poly-arginine (P2Rn), poly-lysine (P2Kn) and an anionic glutamic-acid sequence (P2En) self assemble into micelles (12-14nm in diameter) with high surface charge density, and bind to small (SUVs, about 24nm in diameter) and large (LUV, about 100nm in diameter) liposomes at variable lipid to peptide ratios. The interaction pattern of the resulting particles with endothelial cells is highly variable as revealed by confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) and fluorescence assisted cell sorting (FACS) studies. Micelles and SUVs with high P2A2 density are efficiently and selectively internalized into HBMEC. P2Kn micelles strongly accumulate in both the cytosol and at the cell membrane, while the interaction of liposomes tagged with a low amount of P2A2 and P2Kn with the cells was reduced. Anionic micelles seem to dissociate in the presence of cells and P2En molecules incorporate into the cellular membrane whereas the negatively charged liposomes hardly interact with cells. Surprisingly, all poly-R-based particles show high selectivity for HBMEC compared to HAoEC, independent of particle size and peptide surface density. The P2Rn-mediated internalization is highly efficient and partially clathrin-dependent. The oligo-R lipopeptide is considered to be most promising to selectively transport different drug carriers into the blood brain barrier.

Brain endothelial cell targeting via a peptide-functionalized liposomal carrier for xenon hyper-CEST MRI.

A nanoparticulate carrier system is used to efficiently deliver a contrast agent for highly sensitive xenon Hyper-CEST MRI. The carrier system not only improves the biocompatibility and solubility of the contrast agent, it also allows selective cell targeting as demonstrated by the discrimination of human brain capillary and aortic endothelial cells.

Anchoring dipalmitoyl phosphoethanolamine to nanoparticles boosts cellular uptake and fluorine-19 magnetic resonance signal.

Magnetic resonance (MR) methods to detect and quantify fluorine ((19)F) nuclei provide the opportunity to study the fate of cellular transplants in vivo. Cells are typically labeled with (19)F nanoparticles, introduced into living organisms and tracked by (19)F MR methods. Background-free imaging and quantification of cell numbers are amongst the strengths of (19)F MR-based cell tracking but challenges pertaining to signal sensitivity and cell detection exist. In this study we aimed to overcome these limitations by manipulating the aminophospholipid composition of (19)F nanoparticles in order to promote their uptake by dendritic cells (DCs). As critical components of biological membranes, phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) were studied. Both microscopy and MR spectroscopy methods revealed a striking (at least one order of magnitude) increase in cytoplasmic uptake of (19)F nanoparticles in DCs following enrichment with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE). The impact of enriching (19)F nanoparticles with PE on DC migration was also investigated. By manipulating the nanoparticle composition and as a result the cellular uptake we provide here one way of boosting (19)F signal per cell in order to overcome some of the limitations related to (19)F MR signal sensitivity. The boost in signal is ultimately necessary to detect and track cells in vivo.

Characterization of cell-penetrating lipopeptide micelles by spectroscopic methods.

The transport of bioactive compounds to the site of action is a great challenge. A promising approach to overcome application-related problems is the development of targeting colloidal transport systems, such as micelles which are equipped with uptake mediating moieties. Here, we investigated a set of novel lipopeptides which exhibit a surfactant-like structure due to attachment of two palmitoyl chains to the N-terminus of cationic or anionic amino acid sequences. We analyzed the association behavior of these lipopeptides by using 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF)-labeled derivatives as a fluorescent probe and different spectroscopic methods such as fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). The photophysical properties as well as the diffusion and rotational movements of the CF-labeled lipopeptides were exploited to determine the cmc and the size of the micelles consisting of lipopeptides. We could distinguish cationic and anionic lipopeptides by their association behavior and by studying the interactions with mouse brain capillary endothelial cells (b.end3). The cationic derivatives turned out to be very strong surfactants with a very low cmc in the micromolar range (0.5-14 µM). The unique combination of micelle-forming property and cell-penetrating ability can pave the road for the development of a novel class of efficient drug carrier systems.

Visualizing brain inflammation with a shingled-leg radio-frequency head probe for 19F/1H MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides the opportunity of tracking cells in vivo. Major challenges in dissecting cells from the recipient tissue and signal sensitivity constraints albeit exist. In this study, we aimed to tackle these limitations in order to study inflammation in autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We constructed a very small dual-tunable radio frequency (RF) birdcage probe tailored for (19)F (fluorine) and (1)H (proton) MR mouse neuroimaging. The novel design eliminated the need for extra electrical components on the probe structure and afforded a uniform -field as well as good SNR. We employed fluorescently-tagged (19)F nanoparticles and could study the dynamics of inflammatory cells between CNS and lymphatic system during development of encephalomyelitis, even within regions of the brain that are otherwise not easily visualized by conventional probes. (19)F/(1)H MR Neuroimaging will allow us to study the nature of immune cell infiltration during brain inflammation over an extensive period of time.