Lipid-Coated Polyplexes Prepared via 3D Printed Microfluidic Chip Enhance Cellular Uptake and Reduce Cytotoxicity

Timothy Gomez – PhD student, University of Greenwich; Simon Richardson – Reader, University of Greenwich; Dennis Douroumis – Professor, University of Nicosia; Costas Demetzos – Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Introduction:

Lipopolyplexes have emerged as promising non-viral nanocarriers for nucleic acid delivery, combining the favorable properties of polymers and lipids within a single nanostructure¹. However, their structural organization and performance depend on the formulation process. In this study, polyplexes were developed using a custom-designed 3D-printed microfluidic chip and coated with lipids in a post-processing step to form lipopolyplexes. The resulting nanocomplexes were evaluated in vitro to assess biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and intracellular trafficking.