Abstract |
Oil bodies (OBs) are specialised organelles ubiquitously detected in plant oil seeds, which serve as lipid storage compartments. OBs consist of a hydrophobic core of triacylglycerol (TAGs), surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids (PLs) embedded with some specific proteins with a size ranging from 0.5 to 2 μm. In this work, we report an easy method to reconstitute OBs starting from their constituents and to encapsulate lipophilic molecules, i.e. the fluorescent fluorescein isothiocyanate ( FITC) and carboxyfluorescein (CF), into reconstituted OBs. This methods allowed us to produce OBs 4- to 10-fold smaller (50-200 nm) than the native one and to obtain a good recovery (about 40%) of both the fluorescent compounds used in the present work. The properties of reconstituted OBs were investigated by a combination of Brewster angle microscopy, scanning force microscopy, ζ-potential techniques. OBs were stable and formed ordered monolayers when patterned on hydrophobic substrates whereas they showed a higher tendency to aggregate into larger, coalescing OBs when were deposited onto hydrophilic substrates or at the air/water interface. Furthermore, we verified the uptake of FITC-loaded OBs by the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Our results indicated that OBs could be envisaged as novel carriers to deliver hydrophobic bioactive compounds.
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Authors | Stefania Bonsegna, Simona Bettini, Rosanna Pagano, Antonella Zacheo, Viviana Vergaro, Giovanna Giovinazzo, Gabriella Caminati, Stefano Leporatti, Ludovico Valli, Angelo Santino |
Journal | Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
(Appl Biochem Biotechnol)
Vol. 163
Issue 6
Pg. 792-802
(Mar 2011)
ISSN: 1559-0291 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 20853067
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Air
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Corylus
(chemistry)
- Humans
- Inclusion Bodies
(metabolism)
- Intracellular Space
(metabolism)
- Lipids
(chemistry)
- Microscopy, Atomic Force
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Plant Oils
(metabolism)
- Prunus
(chemistry)
- Seeds
(chemistry)
- Static Electricity
- Water
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