Steric environment around acetylcholine head groups of bolaamphiphilic nanovesicles influences the release rate of encapsulated compounds.

Two bolaamphiphilic compounds with identical acetylcholine (ACh) head groups, but with different lengths of an alkyl chain pendant adjacent to the head group, as well as differences between their hydrophobic skeleton, were investigated for their ability to self-assemble into vesicles that release their encapsulated content upon hydrolysis of their head groups by acetylcholinesterase (AChE). One of these bolaamphiphiles, synthesized from vernolic acid, has an alkyl chain pendant of five methylene groups, while the other, synthesized from oleic acid, has an alkyl chain pendant of eight methylene groups. Both bolaamphiphiles formed stable spherical vesicles with a diameter of about 130 nm.

Cationic vesicles from novel bolaamphiphilic compounds.

Effective targeted drug delivery by cationic liposomes is difficult to achieve because of their rapid clearance from the blood circulation. Bolaamphiphiles that form monolayer membrane may provide vesicles with improved stability, as shown for archaeosomes. We investigated a series of bolaamphiphiles with acetylcholine head groups and systematic structural changes in their hydrophobic domain for their ability to form stable nanovesicles.