Size Dependent Interactions of Nanoparticles with Lung Surfactant Model Systems and the Significant Impact on Surface Potential

The relationship between a model pulmonary surfactant system and various sized nanoparticles was investigated in this study. Diplamitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) is the main lipid constituent of lung surfactant and has the ability to reach very high surface pressures (around 70 mN/m) upon compression. Due to these properties it was used as a model to simulate the lung surfactant film in vitro. The first objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between DPPC and various sized nanoparticles within the subphase through surface pressure—area isotherms. The second objective was to measure the surface potential of the different preparations (conducted on a mini-Langmuir trough) and to determine if an optimal nanoparticle size exists possessing a greater affinity for the DPPC film compared to other sizes. The results from the pressure area isotherms indicate that the interaction between DPPC and the nanoparticles is stable and that the 235 nm particles may represent an optimal size. Furthermore, the results from the surface potential experiments confirm that an interaction of the nanoparticles with the monolayer exists as indicated by surface-pressure area isotherms. Any even moderate interaction between nanoparticles and lung surfactant film might reduce or increase the surface potential of the surfactant film, and this might impact the deposition of the nanoparticles or other ligands which may be positively or negatively charged drugs within the surfactant film. Thus changes in surface potential due to nanoparticle interactions have to be taken into account for future drug targeting studies using nano-sized drug carriers.