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Ionizable lipids / U-510
U-510 chemical structure
Verified structure drawingResearch use only
CAT. NO. DCL0016Featured

U-510

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Product overview

Description & Application

U-510 is a three-tail Janus dendritic ionizable lipid containing an N-methyl tertiary amine, a hydroxypropyl head segment, an ester linker and three C8 ether-linked hydrophobic tails. In an intravenous luciferase-mRNA study in BALB/c mice, it showed a spleen-biased organ-expression profile within the U-509–U-512 series. The authors reported 52% spleen-targeting efficiency in the context of liver and spleen luminescence at 3 hours after 0.5 mg/kg mRNA; this is not a percentage of transfected spleen cells or injected dose. The U-510 LNP formulation had a reported size of 113 nm, PDI of 0.146, apparent LNP pKa of 6.38 and encapsulation efficiency of 87.88%. It supports preclinical evaluation of splenic mRNA expression rather than maximum whole-animal expression.

Related products & formulation components

ProductRole
U-502 · DCL0014Janus lipid comparison
U-503 · DCL0015Janus lipid comparison
DSPC · DC57005Phospholipid component
Cholesterol · DCD-041Sterol component
DMG-PEG2000 · DC40169PEG-lipid component
ALC-0315 · DC42537Matched study benchmark
ParameterValue
Catalog numberDCL0016
Product nameU-510
AliasesU510; U 510; Janus lipid U-510
Molecular formulaC39H79NO6
Molecular weight658.06 g/mol
SMILESCCCCCCCCOCC(COCCCCCCCC)(COCCCCCCCC)COC(=O)CCCCCN(C)CCCO
Purity / availability>95% by ELSD-HPLC
CAS No.Not available
FormNeutral parent; no counterion or solvate depicted
StorageUnopened pure lipid: −20 °C, up to 1 year. Follow the batch expiry / retest date.

1. Selection and comparison

Primary expression endpoint: luciferase signal in 6–8-week-old BALB/c mice, IV, 0.5 mg/kg Fluc mRNA, 3 h, n = 3. U-502 and U-503 are the co-leading expression candidates. U-510 is selected for its organ-expression profile, not the highest total output. U-502 is prioritized for the breadth of follow-up evidence; the study does not establish a significant difference between U-502 and U-503.

CandidateSelection rationaleMatched in vivo resultStructural distinctionAdditional evidence
U-502 · DCL0014Co-leading systemic expression; numerically slightly higher than U-503 in Fig. 2fModestly above ALC-0315; bracket *P < 0.05Six C8 tails; two tertiary amines / two hydroxylsRepresentative H&E and cell delivery panels included
U-503 · DCL0015Co-leading systemic expressionModestly above ALC-0315; bracket *P < 0.05Six C10 tails; same head as U-502Serum / CCK-8 series included; no product-specific H&E or eGFP panel
U-510 · DCL0016Spleen-expression selectivity candidateAuthor-reported 52% spleen targeting in organ-radiance comparison; lower total expression than Group 1Three C8 tails; one tertiary amine / one hydroxylSerum / CCK-8 series included; no product-specific H&E or eGFP panel
U-509Alternative splenic-expression candidateHigher absolute spleen radiance than U-510 in Fig. 2g; liver radiance also higherThree C6 tails; same head as U-510Not selected for the first release; distinct absolute-output endpoint
U-506Useful headgroup comparatorBelow ALC-0315 in the reported IV screenSix C8 tails; one tertiary amine / one hydroxylRepresentative H&E and cell delivery panels included

Source: Main §§2.9, 3.3–3.5; Fig. 2 pp. 5–7.

2. Formulation and component mass table

Standardized order: U-510 / DSPC / cholesterol / DMG-PEG2000 = 50:10:38.5:1.5 mol%. This is the same composition as the source’s ionizable lipid / cholesterol / DSPC / DMG-PEG2000 order. Total = 100 mol%.

ComponentCompany productMW (g/mol)mol%Mass at 10 µmol total (mg)Mass fraction (%)
U-510DCL0016658.06503.290355.34
DSPCDC57005790.15100.790213.29
CholesterolDCD-041.html386.6538.51.488625.04
DMG-PEG2000DC401692507.001.50.37606.33

Calculated planning quantities. DMG-PEG2000 uses the agreed catalog MW of 2507 g/mol. These component masses are derived from the stated molar composition; the inconsistent source stock concentrations are not used.

ComponentMW (g/mol)mol%µmolmgMass %

Enable JavaScript for the interactive calculator; the static 10 µmol calculation appears above.

mg = total µmol × mol% ÷ 100 × MW ÷ 1000. RNA quantity, N/P, solvent volume and process loss are not inferred.

Source: Main §2.3 p. 2; component MWs are product/structure calculation inputs.

3. Preparation and reproducibility

ParameterReported method
Organic phaseFour lipid components in anhydrous ethanol, dissolved by ultrasound; 150 µL organic aliquot used.
Aqueous phase50 µg mRNA from a 10 µg/µL stock added to 450 µL citrate buffer, pH 4; 450 µL aqueous aliquot described. Citrate concentration not specified.
MixingLaboratory-built microfluidic mixer; stated aliquots 150 µL ethanol phase and 450 µL aqueous phase (1:3 by volume). Flow rates not disclosed.
PurificationAdd mixed product to 10 mL PBS; concentrate with 100 kDa MWCO ultrafiltration tube at 5000 rpm to approximately 500 µL.
Final filtration220 nm membrane filter.
N/P and lipid:RNA mass ratioNot reported. Do not derive a definitive value from the conflicting stock concentrations.
RNA preparationT7 in vitro transcription followed by capping and purification; modified-nucleoside chemistry is not specified.

Source: Main §§2.2–2.3 p. 2.

Concentration discrepancy: the method lists ionizable lipid / cholesterol / DSPC / DMG-PEG2000 concentrations of 20 / 1.54 / 4 / 0.6 mM, inconsistent with the stated molar ratio. The 50:38.5:10:1.5 ratio is retained as reported; the stock recipe needs clarification before reproduction.

4. Formulated-particle properties

LNPSize (nm)PDIApparent pKaEncapsulation (%)
U-5101130.1466.3887.88
ALC-0315 benchmark1190.1376.3090.02

SI Table S1 gives single summary values without uncertainty or replicate counts. Size/PDI: DLS; encapsulation: RiboGreen. Apparent LNP pKa: TNS fluorescence at half-maximal signal, using 150 mM NaCl and 10 mM each sodium borate, citrate and phosphate. No numerical zeta potential is reported.

Source: SI Table S1; Main §§2.4 and 2.6 pp. 2–3.

5. In vivo mRNA delivery

The authors report 52% spleen-targeting efficiency for U-510 in the context of comparing liver and spleen radiance (Fig. 2g; §3.3). The denominator is not explicitly defined. This number is not a percentage of transfected spleen cells, RNA uptake or injected dose.

U-509 has higher absolute spleen radiance in the same panel; U-510 is emphasized for its relative organ-expression profile. Both have lower total expression than the six-tail Group 1 leads. No splenic cell subtype or receptor-targeting mechanism was established.

CargoModelRouteDoseTimeReplication
Fluc mRNABALB/c mice, 6–8 weeksIntravenous0.5 mg/kg mRNA3 hn = 3

Source: Main §2.9 p. 3; Fig. 2 p. 5; §3.3 pp. 6–7.

6. Cell delivery and mechanism

U-510 was not one of the representative eGFP transfection or lysosomal-colocalization samples in Fig. 4a,b. Those panels examine U-502, U-506 and U-511; their numerical cell-delivery results are not assigned to U-510.

Source: Main §§2.5, 2.8 and 3.5; Fig. 4 p. 7.

7. Tolerability

All 16 formulations were included in the serum cytokine and liver/kidney-marker panels: IV 0.5 mg/kg, serum collected at 6 h; n = 3. The authors report values similar to ALC-0315. These are acute comparative observations, not a long-term safety evaluation.

CCK-8 testing covered HEK293 and DC2.4 cells using 1 µg mRNA per well and a 24-hour exposure. Fig. 4c is presented as a viability assessment, but its y-axis is labeled “Concentration (IU/L)”; exact viability percentages are not assigned from that inconsistent axis.

The representative H&E panel does not include U-510; the histology results for U-502, U-506 and U-511 are not transferred to this product.

Source: Main §2.10 p. 3; Fig. 3 p. 6; Fig. 4c and §3.4 p. 7.

8. Structure and observed SAR

U-510 contains 1 tertiary amine(s), 1 hydroxyl group(s), 1 ester linker(s), and 3 C8 ether-linked tails. The ether tail linkages and ester core connections are distinguished; a measured degradation half-life is not reported.

Observed SAR: Group 1 C8 and C10 tails (U-502/U-503) outperform its C6 and C12 analogues under the IV screen. Across groups, both head structure and tail count change, so their causal effects cannot be isolated. Group 3 shows a different liver/spleen expression profile.

Design hypotheses: tail length, dendron number and headgroup hydroxyl/amine balance are useful variables for further matched comparisons. Improved membrane fusion or protonation from six tails is a proposed explanation, not independently proven by this screen.

Source: Main Scheme 1 p. 3; Fig. 2 pp. 5–7; SI Figs S28–S30 pp18–19.

9. Source discrepancies and missing data

IssueInterpretation
Organic concentrationsThe stated component order is ionizable lipid / cholesterol / DSPC / DMG-PEG2000 = 50:38.5:10:1.5 mol%. The listed concentrations 20 / 1.54 / 4 / 0.6 mM do not reproduce that ratio. The cholesterol value is not silently changed to 15.4 mM.
RNA phase volumeThe method adds 50 µg RNA from a 10 µg/µL stock to 450 µL citrate buffer, then withdraws 450 µL of aqueous solution. Whether 450 µL is buffer or final volume is not fully resolved.
Missing process parametersN/P, total lipid:RNA mass ratio, citrate molarity, total microfluidic flow rate and individual flow rates are not reported.
Source labelsFig. 2g caption calls the subgroup “fourth group”, while the plotted labels are U-509–U-512 (Group 3). SI synthesis paragraphs contain copied compound-number errors; Scheme 1 and labeled analytical figures establish the identities.
Mass-spectrometry discrepanciesSI captions mix calculated masses with m/z and contain inconsistent values. U-502 Fig. S6 caption says found 1130.034, while embedded spectrum text says 1300.0340. The supplied peak values do not accurately match calculated [M+H]+ for the depicted structures. No exact-mass agreement or analytical validation is claimed.
InterpretationShort mouse studies and cell assays do not establish human safety, long-term tolerability or receptor-mediated targeting. Apparent LNP pKa is not the intrinsic pKa of the isolated molecule.

10. References and evidence

Liu C, Jiang Y, Xue W, Liu J, Wang Z, Li X. Janus dendritic ionizable lipids with fine designed headgroup and tails to improve mRNA delivery efficiency. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 2025;120:118080. doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2025.118080. Main article: 8 pages. Supporting Information: synthesis, Figs. S1–S50 and Table S1.

Download evidence table (CSV)

Values shown are literature-reported results for the cited formulation and study conditions. They do not guarantee performance of the supplied product in other formulations or experiments.

LNPFormulation & PerformanceDetailed study evidence and component calculationsRead online →
Laboratory planning

Solution Calculators

The product molecular weight is prefilled when available and remains editable. Confirm solvent compatibility and solubility before preparation.

Mass = concentration × volume × molecular weight
Enter any three values to calculate the fourth.
C₁V₁ = C₂V₂
Enter any three values to calculate the fourth.
Preparing stock solutions

Quick preparation table

Solvent volumes update from the molecular weight above.

Mass1 mM5 mM10 mM
10 mg15.1962 mL3.0392 mL1.5196 mL
25 mg37.9905 mL7.5981 mL3.7990 mL
50 mg75.9809 mL15.1962 mL7.5981 mL
100 mg151.9618 mL30.3924 mL15.1962 mL
250 mg379.9046 mL75.9809 mL37.9905 mL

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Handling guidance

Shipping, storage and sampling

How is the lipid shipped, and how should I store it?
We ship the pure lipid with ice packs. On receipt, store the unopened product at −20 °C for up to 1 year, protected from light and moisture. Allow the sealed vial to reach room temperature before opening to avoid condensation. Keep the vial tightly closed after use. Follow the expiry or retest date on the supplied batch documentation.
Pure lipid or solution — which should I choose?
Our standard supply format is the pure lipid, without ethanol. Prepare an ethanol stock solution when needed for your formulation. Gentle warming and brief sonication may help dissolution. Confirm complete dissolution before use. If you require a prepared solution, contact us with the solvent and target concentration. The 1-year storage guidance applies to the unopened pure lipid; solution storage depends on the solvent and preparation conditions.
How should I measure a small amount of oily or viscous lipid?
Ionizable lipids may be oily liquids or viscous semisolids, so material can be lost during repeated weighing or transfer. For a small pack, dissolve the entire quantity and aliquot it volumetrically. For example, dissolve 25 mg lipid and adjust to a final solution volume of 1 mL to prepare a 25 mg/mL stock; 100 µL then contains 2.5 mg. Use an accurate pipette and confirm solvent compatibility and complete dissolution. For larger quantities, direct weighing with an analytical balance may be more practical.
Can you support formulation optimization and scale-up?
Yes. Share the RNA cargo, target tissue, administration route, formulation method and assay plan. Our team can discuss starting molar ratios, N/P ratio and scale-up requirements for research workflows.