Interactions between cationic liposomes and drugs or biomolecules

Multiple uses for synthetic cationic liposomes composed of dioctadecyldimet hylammonium bromide (DODAB) bilayer vesicles are presented. Drugs or biomol ecules can be solubilized or incorporated in the cationic bilayers. The cat ionic liposomes themselves can act as antimicrobial agents causing death of bacteria and fungi at concentrations that barely affect mammalian cells in culture. Silica particles or polystyrene microspheres can be functionalize d by coverage with DODAB bilayers or phospholipid monolayers. Negatively ch arged antigenic proteins can be carried by the cationic liposomes which gen erate a remarkable immunoadjuvant action. Nucleotides or DNA can be physica lly adsorbed to the cationic liposomes to be transferred to mammalian cells for gene therapy. An overview of the interactions between DODAB vesicles a nd some biomolecules or drugs clearly points out their versatility for usef ul applications in a near future.