Tsuji Gakushi, Sunami Takeshi, Ichihashi Norikazu
Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
J Biosci Bioeng. 2018 Oct;126(4):540-545. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2018.04.019. Epub 2018 May 21.
Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are large vesicles bounded by a single lipid bilayer, which have been used in various applications as artificial, cell-like compartments. The water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion-transfer method has been attracting attention as a method to prepare GUVs that can efficiently encapsulate macromolecules. For efficient GUV production by this method, non-physiological, high concentrations of sugars are usually required in the inner solution of the GUVs. These sugars limit the utility of the GUVs for a wide range of applications. In this study, we investigated various compositions of the inner and outer solutions to achieve efficient production without high concentrations of sugars through the w/o emulsion-transfer method. Firstly, we adjusted the osmotic pressure and density of the outer solution with NaCl and succeeded in increasing the proportion of GUVs and the absolute number in the prepared liposome population. Secondly, we increased the density of the inner solution with cytochrome c, but the proportion of GUVs and absolute number of vesicles did not increase. Thirdly, we increased the density of the inner and outer solutions with glycerol, which is membrane permeable and can be removed from GUVs, and succeeded in increasing the GUV proportion. These results provide useful information for the efficient preparation of GUVs that enclose a physiologically-relevant environment by the w/o emulsion-transfer method.
巨型单层囊泡(GUVs)是由单个脂质双层界定的大囊泡,已被用作各种应用中的人工细胞样隔室。油包水(w/o)乳液转移法作为一种制备能够有效包封大分子的GUVs的方法而备受关注。为了通过这种方法高效生产GUVs,通常需要在GUVs的内部溶液中使用非生理性的高浓度糖类。这些糖类限制了GUVs在广泛应用中的效用。在本研究中,我们研究了内部和外部溶液的各种组成,以通过w/o乳液转移法在不使用高浓度糖类的情况下实现高效生产。首先,我们用氯化钠调节外部溶液的渗透压和密度,并成功提高了GUVs的比例以及制备的脂质体群体中的绝对数量。其次,我们用细胞色素c提高内部溶液的密度,但GUVs的比例和囊泡的绝对数量并未增加。第三,我们用甘油提高内部和外部溶液的密度,甘油可透过膜且可从GUVs中去除,我们成功提高了GUVs的比例。这些结果为通过w/o乳液转移法高效制备包含生理相关环境的GUVs提供了有用信息。