Effect of membrane charge density on the protein corona of cationic liposomes: Interplay between cationic charge and surface area

Here we investigate the effect of membrane charge density on the protein corona that forms upon exposure of cationic liposomes to human plasma. We show that the protein corona around cationic liposomes is not uniquely defined by membrane charge density, but it is deeply affected by both the overall cationic charge and the available surface area. Remarkably, changes in protein composition are largely removed when a correcting quantity accounting for the ratio between the cationic charge and the surface area of different cationic liposome formulations is considered.