Yoon Bo Kyeong, Jackman Joshua A
School of Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, Republic of Korea.
School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2025 Jun;340:103465. doi: 10.1016/j.cis.2025.103465. Epub 2025 Mar 1.
Medium-chain fatty acids (FAs) and monoglycerides (MGs) with saturated 6- to 12‑carbon long tails are single-chain lipid amphiphiles that demonstrate significant application merits. Key examples include their antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and emerging viral threats as well as innovations in oral pharmaceutics and biorenewable chemical production. These diverse functionalities are enabled by FA and MG self-assembly and their interactions with biological membranes. However, an integrated viewpoint connecting interfacial science principles to the broader application scope remains lacking. The objective of this review is to cover the latest progress in medium-chain FA and MG research and to build connections between molecular self-assembly, membrane interactions, and applications. By taking a bottom-up nanoarchitectonics perspective, we first examine molecular self-assembly principles, including ionization properties and formation of colloidal nanostructures such as micelles and vesicles. We then discuss membrane interaction concepts and experimental findings that illustrate how medium-chain FAs and MGs distinctly interact with phospholipid membranes. Based on this foundation, we highlight cutting-edge applications in medicine, agriculture, drug delivery, and sustainability, linking these advances to interfacial science concepts. In addition, we emphasize the growing convergence of experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches and offer a forward-looking perspective on future research needs and application opportunities.
具有饱和6至12个碳原子长链的中链脂肪酸（FAs）和甘油单酯（MGs）是单链脂质两亲物，具有显著的应用价值。关键例子包括它们对耐药细菌和新出现的病毒威胁的抗菌活性，以及口服药剂学和生物可再生化学品生产方面的创新。这些多样的功能是由脂肪酸和甘油单酯的自组装及其与生物膜的相互作用实现的。然而，将界面科学原理与更广泛应用范围联系起来的综合观点仍然缺乏。本综述的目的是涵盖中链脂肪酸和甘油单酯研究的最新进展，并建立分子自组装、膜相互作用和应用之间的联系。通过采用自下而上的纳米结构观点，我们首先研究分子自组装原理，包括电离性质和胶体纳米结构（如胶束和囊泡）的形成。然后，我们讨论膜相互作用概念和实验结果，这些结果说明了中链脂肪酸和甘油单酯如何与磷脂膜发生独特的相互作用。在此基础上，我们重点介绍了在医学、农业、药物递送和可持续性方面的前沿应用，将这些进展与界面科学概念联系起来。此外，我们强调实验、理论和计算方法的日益融合，并对未来的研究需求和应用机会提供前瞻性的观点。
