Nanoaggregates of micropurified lipopolysaccharide identified using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurement, and TLR4 signaling activity.

Nanoaggregates composed of selected glycoforms from Escherichia coli 055:B5 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were prepared by combining sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, zinc-imidazole reverse staining, zinc chelation after cutting gel slices, elution with either 0.5% triethylamine (TEA) or 0.4% to 0.5% surfactant (SDS or deoxycholate [DOC]) from extrusion-generated gel microparticles, and centrifugal diafiltration after appropriate surfactant dilution. Dynamic light scattering allows detecting these aggregates, giving a size distribution from 10 to 100nm in diameter. The formation of the aggregates prepared with selected DOC-eluted LPS glycoforms was notably improved over those prepared with TEA-eluted glycoforms. As the O-side chain length increased in the composition of the former aggregates, there was a gradual decrease in the electrophoretic mobility (from -1.2 to 0.0110(-8)m(2)/Vs), giving a calculated zeta potential from -15 to 0.1mV at pH6.8. These aggregates were further characterized for their abilities to elicit agonistic effects on human Toll-like receptor 4, as shown by in vitro activation of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) in engineered HEK293 cells.