Revisiting the Dissolution of Cellulose in NaOH as "Seen" by X-rays.

Cotton production is reaching a global limit, leading to a growing demand for bio-based textile fibers produced by other means. Textile fibers based on regenerated cellulose from wood holds great potential, but in order to produce fibers, the components need to be dissolved in suitable solvents. Furthermore, the dissolution process of cellulose is not yet fully understood.

Adjuvants Based on Synthetic Mycobacterial Cord Factor Analogues: Biophysical Properties of Neat Glycolipids and Nanoself-Assemblies with DDA.

Synthetic mycobacterial cord factor analogues, e.g., trehalose 6,6'-dibehenate (TDB), are highly promising adjuvants due to their strong immunopotentiating capabilities, but their biophysical properties have remained poorly characterized.

Conserved Molecular Superlattices in a Series of Homologous Synthetic Mycobacterial Cell-Wall Lipids Forming Interdigitated Bilayers.

Synthetic analogues of the cell-wall lipid monomycoloyl glycerol (MMG) are promising as next-generation vaccine adjuvants. In the present study, the thermotropic phase behavior of an array of synthetic MMG analogues was examined by using simultaneous small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering under excess water conditions. The MMG analogues differed in the alkyl chain lengths and in the stereochemistry of the polar glycerol headgroup or of the lipid tails (native-like versus alternative compounds).

Nano-Self-Assemblies Based on Synthetic Analogues of Mycobacterial Monomycoloyl Glycerol and DDA: Supramolecular Structure and Adjuvant Efficacy.

The mycobacterial cell-wall lipid monomycoloyl glycerol (MMG) is a potent immunostimulator, and cationic liposomes composed of a shorter synthetic analogue (MMG-1) and dimethyldioctadecylammonium (DDA) bromide represent a promising adjuvant that induces strong antigen-specific Th1 and Th17 responses. In the present study, we investigated the supramolecular structure and in vivo adjuvant activity of dispersions based on binary mixtures of DDA and an array of synthetic MMG-1 analogues (MMG-2/3/5/6) displaying longer (MMG-2) or shorter (MMG-3) alkyl chain lengths, or variations in stereochemistry of the polar headgroup (MMG-5) or of the hydrophobic moiety (MMG-6). Synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering experiments and cryo transmission electron microscopy revealed that DDA:MMG-1/2/5/6 dispersions consisted of unilamellar and multilamellar vesicles (ULVs/MLVs), whereas a coexistence of both ULVs and hexosomes was observed for DDA:MMG-3, depending on the DDA:MMG molar ratio.

Delivery of siRNA Complexed with Palmitoylated α-Peptide/β-Peptoid Cell-Penetrating Peptidomimetics: Membrane Interaction and Structural Characterization of a Lipid-Based Nanocarrier System.

Proteolytically stable α-peptide/β-peptoid peptidomimetics constitute promising cell-penetrating carrier candidates exhibiting superior cellular uptake as compared to commonly used cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). The aim of the present study was to explore the potential of these peptidomimetics for delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to the cytosol by incorporation of a palmitoylated peptidomimetic construct into a cationic lipid-based nanocarrier system. The optimal construct was selected on the basis of the effect of palmitoylation and the influence of the length of the peptidomimetic on the interaction with model membranes and the cellular uptake.

Mechanistic profiling of the siRNA delivery dynamics of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Understanding the delivery dynamics of nucleic acid nanocarriers is fundamental to improve their design for therapeutic applications. We investigated the carrier structure-function relationship of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) consisting of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocarriers modified with the cationic lipid dioleoyltrimethyl-ammoniumpropane (DOTAP). A library of siRNA-loaded LPNs was prepared by systematically varying the nitrogen-to-phosphate (N/P) ratio.