%0 Journal Article
%T Self assembly of amphiphilic C60 fullerene derivatives into nanoscale supramolecular structures
%A Ranga Partha
%A Melinda Lackey
%A Andreas Hirsch
%A S Ward Casscells
%A Jodie L Conyers
%J Journal of Nanobiotechnology
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1477-3155-5-6
%X Electron microscopy results indicate the formation of bilayer membranes with a width of ~6.5 nm, consistent with previously reported molecular dynamics simulations. Cryo-EM indicates the formation of large (400 nm diameter) multilamellar, liposome-like vesicles and unilamellar vesicles in the size range of 50¨C150 nm diameter. In addition, complex networks of cylindrical, tube-like aggregates with varying lengths and packing densities were observed. Under controlled experimental conditions, high concentrations of spherical vesicles could be formed. In vitro results suggest that these supra-molecular structures impose little to no toxicity. Cytotoxicity of 10¨C200 ¦ÌM buckysomes were assessed in various cell lines. Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding cellular internalization of these nanoparticle aggregates.In this current study, we have designed a core platform based on a novel amphiphilic fullerene nanostructure, which readily assembles into supra-molecular structures. This delivery vector might provide promising features such as ease of preparation, long-term stability and controlled release.Nanotherapeutics has become an increasingly important field of research [1], along with the design and development of novel multifunctional carrier vectors such as nanoparticles [2-4], lipoproteins, micelles, dendrimers [5], nanoshells [6], functionalized nanotubes [7] and polymeric microspheres [8]. Over the past 25 years, conventional phospholipid-based liposomes have been utilized for a variety of biomedical applications ranging from targeted drug delivery [9], diagnostic imaging [10], gene therapy [11] to biosensors [12]. Structural dynamics of the bilayers that constitute liposomal vesicles has been well studied and today, a number of commercially available liposomes are readily used in healthcare applications [13,14]. Liposomes that mimic biological membranes are typically comprised of glycerol-based phospholipids which contain a hydrophilic/polar head-group and one
%U http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/5/1/6