Biofunctionalized surfactant mesophases as polyvalent inhibitors of cholera toxin

Abstract

The cubic lyotropic mesophase composed of the ganglioside GM1 and the synthetic surfactant phytantriol has been employed as a scaffold to prepare a polyvalent inhibitor of cholera toxin (CT). Surfactant mixtures containing up to 20% (w/w) GM1/phytantriol afforded a hydrated insoluble gel-like material, which retained an inverse cubic phase (Q) structure in excess water and at 22 °C, as confirmed using small-angle X-ray scattering. The GM1-functionalized mesophases bind up to 98.8% of CT from solution containing 100 ng/mL of CT with a dissociation constant (K d) of 67-73 nM. The estimated IC50 values for the mesophase systems were 0.1-0.27 μM. The inhibitory effect of the mesophases may be en..