Behavior of Microbubbles on Air-Aqueous Interfaces

Langmuir. 2024 Nov 5;40(44):23259-23267. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c02546. Epub 2024 Oct 25.

Abstract

Animal-derived lung surfactants have saved millions of lives of preterm neonates with neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). However, a replacement for animal-derived lung surfactants has been sought for decades due to its high manufacturing cost, inaccessibility in low-income countries, and failure to show efficacy when nebulized. This study investigated the use of lipid-coated microbubbles as potential replacements for exogenous lung surfactants. Three different formulations of microbubbles (DPPC with/out PEG40-stearate and poractant alfa) were prepared, and their equilibrium and dynamic surface tensions were tested on a clean air-saline interface or a simulated air-lung fluid interface using a Langmuir-Blodgett trough. In dynamic surface measurements, microbubbles reduced the minimum surface tension compared with the equivalent composition lipid suspension: e.g., PEG-free microbubbles had a minimum surface tension of 4.3 mN/m while the corresponding lipid suspension and poractant alfa had 20.4 (p ≤ 0.0001) and 21.8 mN/m (p ≤ 0.0001), respectively. Two potential mechanisms for the reduction of surface tension were found: Fragmentation of the foams created by microbubble coalescence; and clustering of microbubbles in the aqueous subphase disrupting the interfacial phospholipid monolayer. The predominant mechanism appears to depend on the formulation and/or the environment. The use of microbubbles as a replacement for exogenous lung surfactant products thus shows promise and further work is needed to evaluate efficacy in vivo.

MeSH terms

  • 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / chemistry
  • Air*
  • Microbubbles*
  • Phospholipids / chemistry
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Pulmonary Surfactants / chemistry
  • Surface Tension*
  • Water* / chemistry

Substances

  • Water
  • Pulmonary Surfactants
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Phospholipids
  • 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine