Enhanced photodynamic leishmanicidal activity of hydrophobic zinc phthalocyanine within archaeolipids containing liposomes.

In this work, the in vitro anti-Leishmania activity of photodynamic liposomes made of soybean phosphatidylcholine, sodium cholate, total polar archaeolipids (TPAs) extracted from the hyperhalophile archaea Halorubrum tebenquichense and the photosensitizer zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPcAL) was compared to that of ultradeformable photodynamic liposomes lacking TPAs (ZnPcUDLs). We found that while ZnPcUDLs and ZnPcALs (130 nm mean diameter and -35 mV zeta potential) were innocuous against promastigotes, a low concentration (0.01 µM ZnPc and 7.6 µM phospholipids) of ZnPcALs irradiated at a very low-energy density (0.2 J/cm(2)) eliminated L. braziliensis amastigotes from J774 macrophages, without reducing the viability of the host cells. In such conditions, ZnPcALs were harmless for J774 macrophages, HaCaT keratinocytes, and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Therefore, topical photodynamic treatment would not likely affect skin-associated lymphoid tissue. ZnPcALs were extensively captured by macrophages, but ZnPcUDLs were not, leading to 2.5-fold increased intracellular delivery of ZnPc than with ZnPcUDLs. Despite mediating low levels of reactive oxygen species, the higher delivery of ZnPc and the multiple (caveolin- and clathrin-dependent plus phagocytic) intracellular pathway followed by ZnPc would have been the reason for the higher antiamastigote activity of ZnPcALs. The leishmanicidal activity of photodynamic liposomal ZnPc was improved by TPA-containing liposomes.

Structural features of ultradeformable archaeosomes for topical delivery of ovalbumin.

The ultradeformable archaeosomes (UDA, made of total polar archaeolipids (TPA) extracted from the extreme halophile archaea Halorubrum tebenquichense:soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC):sodium cholate (NaChol), 3:3:1 w:w), are promising topical adjuvants showing high deformability, an essential property for intact skin penetration up to the viable epidermis/dermis. To gain insights on UDA structure, the interactions between TPA, SPC and the edge activator NaChol, were assessed by electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) and confocal fluorescence microscopy of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV). The non covalent heterodimers NaChol-SPC, NaChol-phosphatidylglycerophosphate methyl ether (PGPMe), NaChol-sulfated diglycosyl diphytanyl-glycerol diether (SDGD5) and SPC-PGPMe detected in the gas phase by ESI-MS after direct infusion of UDA, together with the homogeneous partition of FASTDiO and DiIC18 in GUV suggested that in these proportions, lipids and NaChol were miscible. We propose therefore, a model where in UDA the SPC diluted sufficient enough in the rich PGPMe TPA, so as to the low lateral mobility of molecules (typical of rich in PGPMe bilayers) was no longer experienced. We also found that 50µm deep within in vitro human skin canyons, the fluorescence of Alexa fluor 647-ovalbumin in UDL was ∼1.5 folds higher than in UDA, indicating a potential steric hindrance of the voluminous structure of PGPMe UDA bilayer, to the penetration of a particulate cargo such as the 7nm diameter ovalbumin. According to these observations, a further reduction in PGPMe - a lipid playing no immune role - content could help to improve the performance of UDA as topical adjuvants.

M cells prefer archaeosomes: an in vitro/in vivo snapshot upon oral gavage in rats.

The archaeolipids (lipids extracted from archaebacterias) are non saponificable molecules that form self sealed mono or bilayers (archaeosomes-ARC). Different to liposomes with bilayers made of conventional glycerophospholipids, the bilayer of ARC posses a higher structural resistance to physico chemical and enzymatic degradation and surface hydrophobicity. In this work we have compared the binding capacity of ARC exclusively made of archaeols containing a minor fraction of sulphoglycophospholipids, with that of liposomes in gel phase on M-like cells in vitro. The biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical (99m)Tc-DTPA loaded in ARC vs that of liposomes upon oral administration to Wistar rats was also determined. The fluorescence of M-like cells upon 1 and 2h incubation with ARC loaded with the hydrophobic dye Rhodamine-PE (Rh-PE) and the hydrophilic dye pyranine (HPTS) dissolved in the aqueous space, was 4 folds higher than upon incubation with equally labeled liposomes. Besides, 15% of Rh-PE and 13 % of HPTS from ARC and not from liposomes, were found in the bottom wells, a place that is equivalent to the basolateral pocket from M cells. This fact suggested the occurrence of transcytosis of ARC. Finally, 4 h upon oral administration, ARC were responsible for the 22.3 % (3.5 folds higher than liposomes) shuttling of (99m)Tc-DTPA to the blood circulation. This important amount of radioactive marker in blood could be a consequence of an extensive uptake of ARC by M cells in vivo, probably favored by their surface hydrophobicity. Taken together, these results suggested that ARC, proven their adjuvant capacity when administered by parenteral route and high biocompatibility, could be a suitable new type of nanoparticulate material that could be used as adjuvants by the oral route.