Molecular Insights into Cholesterol Concentration Effects on Planar and Curved Lipid Bilayers for Liposomal Drug Delivery

Liposomal carriers provide a flexible and effective strategy for delivering therapeutics across a broad spectrum of diseases. Cholesterol is frequently included in these systems to improve membrane rigidity and limit permeability. Despite its widespread use, the optimal cholesterol-to-lipid proportion for achieving stable and efficient liposome performance remains to be fully determined. In this work, we apply all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to explore how different cholesterol concentrations influence the structural and dynamic characteristics of 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) bilayers, considering both planar and curved membrane geometries. Bilayers with cholesterol molar ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% were simulated, and key biophysical parameters including area per lipid (APL), membrane thickness, leaflet interdigitation, and deuterium order parameters (SCD) were analyzed. In planar bilayers, increasing cholesterol concentration led to a progressive decrease in APL from approximately 60 ^° A ² to 40 ^° A ² , accompanied by increased membrane thickness and lipid ordering, consistent with cholesterol’s classical condensing effect. In contrast, curved bilayers exhibited a cholesterol-induced expansion effect, particularly in the inner leaflet, where APL increased from approximately 60 ^° A ² to 90 ^° A ² with rising cholesterol levels. SCD profiles showed that cholesterol enhanced tail ordering up to 40% concentration, beyond which the effect plateaued or slightly declined, suggesting structural saturation or packing frustration. Membrane thickness displayed a monotonic increase in planar bilayers but followed a nonlinear trend in curved systems due to curvature-induced stress. These findings highlight that cholesterol’s influence on membrane properties is highly dependent on bilayer geometry and asymmetry. While planar bilayers exhibit predictable responses, curved systems reveal nonclassical behaviors that challenge traditional models of cholesterol-lipid interactions. This work provides molecular-level insights and establishes a computational framework for the rational design of liposomal systems, emphasizing the need to account for curvature and asymmetry in membrane engineering.