For drug delivery purposes, the ability to conveniently attach a targeting moiety that will deliver drugs to cells and then enable controlled release of the active molecule after localization is desirable. Towards this end, we designed and synthesized clickable and photocleavable lipid analog 1 to maximize the efficiency of bioconjugation and triggered release. This compound contains a dibenzocyclooctyne group for bioorthogonal derivatization linked via a photocleavable 2-nitrobenzyl moiety at the headgroup of a synthetic lipid backbone for targeting to cell membranes. To assess delivery and release using this system, we report fluorescence-based assays for liposomal modification and photocleavage in solution as well as through surface immobilization to demonstrate successful liposome functionalization and photoinduced release. In addition, fluorophore delivery to and release from live cells was confirmed and characterized using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis in which 1 was delivered to cells, derivatized and photocleaved. Finally, drug delivery studies were performed using an azide-tagged analog of camptothecin, a potent anti-cancer drug that is challenging to deliver due to poor solubility. In this case, the ester attachment of the azide tag acted as a caging group for release by intracellular esterases rather than through photocleavage. This resulted in a dose-dependent response in the presence of liposomes containing delivery agent 1, confirming the ability of this compound to stimulate delivery to the cytoplasm of cells.
Artificial systems for controlled membrane fusion applicable for drug delivery would ideally use triggers that are orthogonal to biology. To apply the strain-promoted alkyneazide cycloaddition (SPAAC) to drive membrane fusion, ODIBO lipid 1 was designed, synthesized and studied alongside ADIBO-lipids 2–4 to assess fusion with liposomes containing azido-lipid 5. Lipids 1–2 were first shown to be effective for liposome derivatization. Next, fusion was evaluated using liposomes containing 1 and varying ratios of PC and PE via a FRET dilution fusion assay, and a 1/1 PC/PE ratio yielded the greatest signal change attributed to fusion. Finally, lipids 1–4 were compared, and 1 yielded the greatest triggering of fusion, while 2–4 yielded varying efficacies depending on the structural features of each lipid. Fusion was further validated through STEM studies showing larger multilamellar assemblies after liposome mixing. This work provides a platform for triggered fusion towards drug delivery applications and an understanding of the effects of lipid structure and membrane composition on fusion.
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