SAXS Characterization of LNPs: Unveiling Structural Features and Gene Transfection Efficiency

In this study, the authors measured the proportion of internal defects in LNPs based on areas with varying electron densities and presented structural models of different types of LNPs carrying mRNA cargo (as shown in Fig. 6B). Interestingly, LNPs with multilamellar and faceted structures, as well as a lamellar lipid phase, showed higher gene transfection rates [99]. It is difficult to determine whether these structural features induced by the cholesterol derivative or the cholesterol derivative component itself are responsible for the improved transfection. SAXS is becoming a popular technique for characterizing LNPs. SAXS data can determine LNP size and structure and indicate whether LNPs contain ordered structures such as multilamellar lipid packing and cholesterol crystallites.