Assembly and Characterization of Biocompatible Coenzyme Q -Enriched Lipid Nanoparticles.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ ) is a strongly hydrophobic lipid that functions in the electron transport chain and as an antioxidant. CoQ was conferred with aqueous solubility by incorporation into nanoparticles containing phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I. These particles, termed CoQ nanodisks (ND), contain 1.0 mg CoQ /5 mg PtdCho/2 mg apoA-I (97% CoQ solubilization efficiency). UV/Vis absorbance spectroscopy of CoQ ND revealed a characteristic absorbance peak centered at 275 nm. Incorporation of CoQ into ND resulted in quenching of apoA-I tryptophan fluorescence emission. Gel filtration chromatography of CoQ ND gave rise to a single major absorbance peak and HPLC of material extracted from this peak confirmed the presence of CoQ . Incubation of cultured cells with CoQ ND, but not empty ND, resulted in a significant increase in the CoQ content of mitochondria as well as enhanced oxidative phosphorylation, as observed by a ~24% increase in maximal oxygen consumption rate. Collectively, a facile method to solubilize significant quantities of CoQ in lipid nanoparticles has been developed. The availability of CoQ ND provides a novel means to investigate biochemical aspects of CoQ uptake by cells and/or administer it to subjects deficient in this key lipid as a result of inborn errors of metabolism, statin therapy, or otherwise.