221
Thomas Mavromoustakos et al. (eds.), Supramolecules in Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2207, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0920-0_17,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
Chapter 17
Association of the Thermodynamics with the Functionality
of Thermoresponsive Chimeric Nanosystems
Nikolaos Naziris, Athanasios Skandalis, Thomas Mavromoustakos,
Stergios Pispas, and Costas Demetzos
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive nanosystems are an emerging technology in the field of therapy and are very promising
for various applications, including targeted drug delivery. In this chapter, our scope is to integrate two
different methodologies, namely differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic light scattering
(DLS), in order to rationally approach the functional behavior of thermoresponsive chimeric/mixed liposomes and interpret their thermoresponsiveness on a thermodynamic basis. In particular, chimeric bilayers
comprised of the phospholipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and two differentin- composition thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-bpoly(lauryl acrylate) (PNIPAM-b-PLA) 1 or 2 were built by a conventional evaporation technique,
followed by DSC, and chimeric liposomes of DPPC and PNIPAM-b-PLA 1 were developed and studied
by DLS, after preparation and after a simple heating protocol. The results from both methodologies indicate the composition- and concentration-dependent lyotropic effect of the foreign copolymer molecule on
the properties and functionality of the lipidic membrane.
Key words Differential scanning calorimetry, Dynamic light scattering, Chimeric nanosystems,
Phospholipid, Thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers
1 Introduction
Thermoresponsive nanosystems have gained considerable attention over the last few years, with applications in various fields of
therapy, including drug delivery, diagnosis of diseases, as well as
promising field of theranostics. Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles
are developed by incorporating functional biomaterials, such as
certain polymers, inside classic nanoplatforms, such as liposomes,
in order to build chimeric/mixed nanosystems, which belong to
the class of advanced drug delivery nanosystems (aDDnSs) [1–3].
In this approach, targeted and controlled drug delivery is achieved,
where the nanocarrier functionality is activated by endogenous or
Thomas Mavromoustakos et al. (eds.), Supramolecules in Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2207, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0920-0_17,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
Chapter 17
Association of the Thermodynamics with the Functionality
of Thermoresponsive Chimeric Nanosystems
Nikolaos Naziris, Athanasios Skandalis, Thomas Mavromoustakos,
Stergios Pispas, and Costas Demetzos
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive nanosystems are an emerging technology in the field of therapy and are very promising
for various applications, including targeted drug delivery. In this chapter, our scope is to integrate two
different methodologies, namely differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic light scattering
(DLS), in order to rationally approach the functional behavior of thermoresponsive chimeric/mixed liposomes and interpret their thermoresponsiveness on a thermodynamic basis. In particular, chimeric bilayers
comprised of the phospholipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and two differentin- composition thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-bpoly(lauryl acrylate) (PNIPAM-b-PLA) 1 or 2 were built by a conventional evaporation technique,
followed by DSC, and chimeric liposomes of DPPC and PNIPAM-b-PLA 1 were developed and studied
by DLS, after preparation and after a simple heating protocol. The results from both methodologies indicate the composition- and concentration-dependent lyotropic effect of the foreign copolymer molecule on
the properties and functionality of the lipidic membrane.
Key words Differential scanning calorimetry, Dynamic light scattering, Chimeric nanosystems,
Phospholipid, Thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers
1 Introduction
Thermoresponsive nanosystems have gained considerable attention over the last few years, with applications in various fields of
therapy, including drug delivery, diagnosis of diseases, as well as
promising field of theranostics. Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles
are developed by incorporating functional biomaterials, such as
certain polymers, inside classic nanoplatforms, such as liposomes,
in order to build chimeric/mixed nanosystems, which belong to
the class of advanced drug delivery nanosystems (aDDnSs) [1–3].
In this approach, targeted and controlled drug delivery is achieved,
where the nanocarrier functionality is activated by endogenous or