Functionalized Phospholipid Molecular Platform: Use for Production of Cationic Fluorescent Lipids

Fluorescent amphiphilic phospholipids (neutral or cationic) in which fluorescent probes are contained in the lipid domain were synthesized via phosphoramide intermediates possessing two distinct lipid chains. One of these lipid chains is -functionalized with an azide or alkyne group, and this is subsequently used to introduce a fluorescent probe by Huisgen cycloaddition. Five different fluorescent probes (naphthalimide, dansyl, fluoresceine, Nile red, and coumarin) were considered in this study. These neutral and cationic fluorescent lipids were included at a 1% molar ratio with a selected cationic lipid (KLN47) to produce liposomal solutions that were characterized by dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements.