Self-healable and reversible liposome leakage by citrate-capped gold nanoparticles: probing the initial adsorption/desorption induced lipid phase transition

We herein report that the adsorption/desorption of citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) transiently causes leakage in fluid phase DOPC liposomes, while the liposomes do not leak with AuNPs capped with mercaptopropionic acid (MPA). Leakage also fails to occur for gel phase DPPC liposomes. Citrate-capped (but not MPA-capped) AuNPs raise the phase transition temperature of DPPC. We conclude that citrate-capped AuNPs interact with the PC liposomes very strongly, inducing a local fluid-to-gel lipid phase transition for DOPC. Leakage takes place during this transition, and the membrane integrity is resumed after the transition. Citrate-capped AuNPs allow stronger van der Waals forces than MPA-capped AuNPs with PC liposomes, since the latter are separated from the liposome surface by the ∼0.3 nm MPA layer.