Self assembly of amphiphilic C60 fullerene derivatives into nanoscale supramolecular structures

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 50–150 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 10–200 μM 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