Liposomes and L-cysteine: a potential antioxidant therapy

PERROTTA, RAMIRO; SIRI, MACARENA; ALONSO, SILVIA DEL VALLE; CHIARAMONI, NADIA SILVIA

Sierra de la Ventana

Congreso; XLIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Biofísica; 2014

Sociedad Argentinia de Biofísica

Glutathione is the main mechanism of eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells. GSH is synthesized de novo in a two-step enzymatic process in which glutamine and cysteine are covalently linked. In this process cysteine is the rate limiting reactant and the component that provides GSH with antioxidant activity, as cysteine's sulfhydryl bond is oxidized during the reduction of ROS (1). With the main goal to induce glutathione in cells and reduce ROS damage in several diseases such as cystic fibrosis or viral infections, we developed lipid transporters that can encapsulate L-cysteine. These transporters were formulated with three different acyl chain length lipids (DMPC-DPPC-DSPC) mixed with L-cysteine in a molar ratio 1:0.5 respectively. In order to characterize these systems we studied the hydrophobic defects in the bilayer surface and the lipid-aminoacid interaction by FTIR. For further characterization we evaluated the particle size, surface charge and release profile. We found that L-cysteine interacts with the liposome surface increasing their negative charge and stabilizing them. Finally, cytotoxicity was evaluated in Caco2 cell line. No toxic effects were observed. In conclusion, lipid transporters studied herein are good candidates to deliver L-cysteine and therefore could reduce ROS damage.