PEO-b-PPO star-shaped polymers enhance the structural stability of electrostatically coupled liposome/polyelectrolyte complexes

We propose a strategy to counteract the salt-driven disassembly of multiliposomal complexes made by electrostatic co-assembly of anionic small unilamellar liposomes and cationic star-shaped polyelectrolytes (made of quaternized poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (qPDMAEMA₁₀₀)_3.1). The combined action of (qPDMAEMA₁₀₀)_3.1 and a nonionic star-shaped polymer (PEO₁₂-b-PPO₄₅)₄, which comprises diblock copolymer arms uniting a poly(ethylene oxide) PEO inner block and a poly(propylene oxide) PPO terminal block, leads to a stabilization of these complexes against disintegration in saline solutions. Hereby, the anchoring of the PPO terminal blocks to the lipid bilayer and the bridging between several liposomes are at the origin of the promoted structural stability. Two-focus fluorescence correlation spectroscopy verifies the formation of multiliposomal complexes with (PEO₁₂-b-PPO₄₅)₄. The polyelectrolyte and the amphiphilic polymer work synergistically, as the joint action still assures some membrane integrity, which is not seen for the mere (PEO₁₂-b-PPO₄₅)₄—liposome interaction alone.