Coarse-grain Molecular Dynamics Study of Fullerene Transport across a Cell Membrane

The study of the ability of drug molecules to enter cells through the membrane is of vital importance in the field of drug delivery. In cases where the transport of the drug molecules through the membrane is not easily accomplishable, other carrier molecules are used. Spherical fullerene molecules have been postulated as potential carriers of highly hydrophilic drugs across the plasma membrane. Here we report the coarse-grain molecular dynamics study of the translocation of C60 fullerene and its derivatives across a cell membrane modeled as a 1, 2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) bilayer. Simulation results indicate that pristine fullerene molecules enter the bilayer quickly and reside within it. The addition of polar functionalized groups makes the fullerenes less likely to reside within the bilayer but increases their residence time in bulk water. Addition of polar functional groups to one half of the fullerene surface, in effect creating a Janus particle, offers the most promise in developing fullerene models that can achieve complete translocation through the membrane bilayer.