Work

Mechanisms of Self-Assembly of Giant Unilamellar Vesicles in the Army Liposome Formulation (ALF) Family of Vaccine Adjuvants

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: (A) Sizes of TIMs range from overall aggregated structural sizes of ~1 µm to mega sizes of ≥200 µm. (B) Stable TIM structures occur when a fusion process is stopped by depletion of a fusogenic lipid during an evolving fusing of a lipid bilayer membrane. (C) TIMs consist of long-term stable (>2 years), but also metastable, tightly aggregated tear-drop or spherical incomplete GUVs tethered to visible masses of underlying vesicles that are not individually visible. (D) The TIMs and GUVs all contain phospholipid and cholesterol (when present) as bulk lipids. (E) Lyophilized liposomes lacking QS21 saponin, but which still contain MPLA (ALF55lyo), also self-assemble to form GUVs and TIMs. (F) Cholesterol is a required component in nanoliposomes for generation of GUVs and TIMs by addition of QS21. (G) Cholesterol is not required for production of GUVs and TIMs in ALFlyo, but cholesterol greatly reduces and narrows the polydisperse vesicle distribution.

Source: Pharmaceutics

DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics17091092

Authors: Calin Nicolescu, Essie Komla, Mangala Rao, Gary R. Matyas, Carl R. Alving

Institutions: Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Language: English

Topic: Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499