�Catanionic� vesicles, prepared by mixing cationic and anionic surfactants, have a range of attractive features. They are easy to prepare since they are spontaneously formed in a single step upon addition of surfactants to water (no requirement of intense shear); they are unilamellar and show sizes in the nanoscale range (~ 100-150 nm diameters); and they are highly stable, i.e., they retain their size and shape for months. In comparison, unilamellar liposomes based on phospholipids are cumbersome to synthesize, requiring multiple steps and intense shear (extrusion or sonication); moreover, they have limited stability, especially when stored at room temperature. Despite the many advantages, catanionic vesicles are not frequently used in the pharmaceutical industry because of concerns over their cytotoxicity. Currently, a limited amount of data exists in the literature, which together suggest that typical catanionic surfactant vesicles are indeed toxic to cells. However, to our knowledge,  cytotoxicity of catanionic vesicles in comparison to liposomes has not been systematically explored. To address this gap in our understanding, we have begun a systematic study of vesicle toxicity towards mammalian (MCF-7) cells. A range of vesicles made from different cationic and anionic surfactants are being studied. We have examined several variables in the context of cytotoxicity, including the surfactant tail length, the nature of the surfactant tail (saturated vs. unsaturated), the net charge on the vesicles, and the surfactant ratio. An eventual goal is to develop a class of biocompatible catanionic vesicles that can be utilized for biomedical applications.

Are catanionic surfactant vesicles toxic to biological cells?

246th National Meeting (2013)

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