Chitosan microparticles for oral vaccination: preparation, characterization and preliminary in vivo uptake studies in murine Peyer's patches

Simulation-Aided Optimal Microfluidic Sorting for Monodispersed Microparticles

In order to avoid performing too many experiments by a trial-and-error approach, this study used the simulation method to investigate the optimum geometry of a microfluidic chip for sorting droplets. Under the framework of the double T-junction hybrid channel, geometry factors such as (i) the distance between the two junctions, (ii) the size of the second junction, and (iii) the size of the broadened channel were analyzed. How these factors impacted the separation process and device performance were examined and discussed to optimize the double T-junction channel design. Results indicated that the best separation performance occurred when the separation layer thickness was 8~15% of the upstream main channel width. This simulation analysis helped the optimum channel geometry design in the microfluidic chip for droplet sorting to prepare uniform microparticles.

Formulation of meningococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine-loaded microparticles with robust innate immune recognition

Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis associated with a high mortality rate. Capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are a major virulence factor and form the basis for serogroup designation and protective vaccines. The current polysaccharide meningococcal vaccines are available but are very expensive and require chemical conjugation. Here, we report a novel meningococcal vaccine formulation consisting of meningococcal CPS polymers encapsulated in albumin-based biodegradable microparticles that slowly release antigen and induce robust innate immune responses. Vaccines that elicit innate immunity are reported to have enhanced and protective adaptive immune responses. In this study, the meningococcal CPS-loaded microparticles, but not the empty microparticles, induced the release of IL-8, TNF-α and IL-1β, enhanced phagocytic capacity and induced robust autophagy in macrophages. The novel meningococcal vaccine microparticles are robustly taken up by macrophages and elicit strong innate immune responses that enhance antigen presentation which is a prerequisite for inducing adaptive immunity.

Polyelectrolyte complex of carboxymethyl starch and chitosan as protein carrier: oral administration of ovalbumin

A novel carboxymethyl starch (CMS)/chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was proposed as an excipient for oral administration of ovalbumin. The dissolution of ovalbumin from monolithic tablets (200 mg, 2.1 × 9.6 mm, 50% loading) obtained by direct compression was studied. When CMS was used as an excipient, more than 70% of the loaded ovalbumin remained undigested after 1 h of incubation in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) with pepsin. The complete dissolution, after transfer of tablets into simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) with pancreatin, occurred within a total time of about 6 h. Higher protection (more than 90% stability in SGF) and longer dissolution (more than 13 h) were obtained with 50% CMS/50% chitosan physical mixture or with PEC excipients. A lower proportion of chitosan was needed for PEC than for the CMS/chitosan mixture to obtain a similar dissolution profile. The high protection against digestion by pepsin, the various release times and the mucoadhesion properties of these excipients based on CMS favor the development of suitable carriers for oral vaccinations.

Oral vaccination based on DNA-chitosan nanoparticles against Schistosoma mansoni infection

The development of a vaccine would be essential for the control of schistosomiasis, which is recognized as the most important human helminth infection in terms of morbidity and mortality. A new approach of oral vaccination with DNA-chitosan nanoparticles appears interesting because of their great stability and the ease of target accessibility, besides chitosan immunostimulatory properties. Here we described that chitosan nanoparticles loaded with plasmid DNA encoding Rho1-GTPase protein of Schistosoma mansoni, prepared at different molar ratios of primary amines to DNA phosphate anion (N/P), were able to complex electrostatically with DNA and condense it into positively charged nanostructures. Nanoparticles were able to maintain zeta potential and size characteristics in media that simulate gastric (SGF) and intestinal fluids (SIF). Further in vivo studies showed that oral immunization was not able to induce high levels of specific antibodies but induced high levels of the modulatory cytokine IL-10. This resulted in a significative reduce of liver pathology, although it could not protect mice of infection challenge with S. mansoni worms. Mice immunized only with chitosan nanoparticles presented 47% of protection against parasite infection, suggesting an important role of chitosan in inducing a protective immune response against schistosomiasis, which will be more explored in further studies.

The oral delivery of proteins using interpolymer polyelectrolyte complexes

In spite of the numerous barriers inherent in the oral delivery of therapeutically active proteins, research into the development of functional protein-delivery systems is still intense. The effectiveness of such oral protein-delivery systems depend on their ability to protect the incorporated protein from proteolytic degradation in the GI tract and enhance its intestinal absorption without significantly compromising the bioactivity of the protein. Among these delivery systems are polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) which are composed of polyelectrolyte polymers complexed with a protein via coulombic and other interactions. This review will focus on the current status of PECs with a particular emphasis on the potential and limitations of multi- or inter-polymer PECs used to facilitate oral protein delivery.

Chitosan nanoparticles act as an adjuvant to promote both Th1 and Th2 immune responses induced by ovalbumin in mice

The study was conducted to investigate the promoted immune response to ovalbumin in mice by chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) and its toxicity. CNP did not cause any mortality or side effects when mice were administered subcutaneously twice with a dose of 1.5 mg at 7-day intervals. Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were immunized subcutaneously with 25 μg ovalbumin (OVA) alone or with 25 μg OVA dissolved in saline containing Quil A (10 μg), chitosan (CS) (50 μg) or CNP (12.5, 50 or 200 μg) on days 1 and 15. Two weeks after the secondary immunization, serum OVA-specific antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell activity, and production and mRNA expression of cytokines from splenocytes were measured. The serum OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibody titers and Con A-, LPS-, and OVA-induced splenocyte proliferation were significantly enhanced by CNP (P < 0.05) as compared with OVA and CS groups. CNP also significantly promoted the production of Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and Th2 (IL-10) cytokines and up-regulated the mRNA expression of IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-10 cytokines in splenocytes from the immunized mice compared with OVA and CS groups. Besides, CNP remarkably increased the killing activities of NK cells activity (P < 0.05). The results suggested that CNP had a strong potential to increase both cellular and humoral immune responses and elicited a balanced Th1/Th2 response, and that CNP may be a safe and efficacious adjuvant candidate suitable for a wide spectrum of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines.

Preparation of aminoglycoside-loaded chitosan nanoparticles using dextran sulphate as a counterion

PURPOSE

To prepare aminoglycoside (AG) (streptomycin, gentamicin and tobramycin) loaded chitosan nanoparticles with high drug incorporation efficiency and test the in vivo oral efficacy of streptomycin (SM) loaded chitosan nanoparticles in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) chronic infection mouse model.

METHOD

Dextran sulphate (a polyanion) was used to shield the positive charge of AG and increase the drug incorporation in the chitosan nanoparticle. By varying the concentration of each component, the formulation of SM-loaded chitosan nanoparticle was optimized by monitoring the drug incorporation efficacy and particle size. The mechanism of the nanoparticle formation was suggested and the preparation method was applied to two other aminoglycosides (AG): gentamicin (GM) and tobramycin (TM). The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by particle diameter, drug incorporation efficacy, drug loading efficacy and zeta potential. The in vitro drug release from these nanoparticles was carried out in pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 buffer. Preliminary in vivo oral efficacy studies of SM-loaded chitosan nanoparticles was performed in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) chronic infection mouse model.

RESULTS

The optimal concentration of streptomycin (SM)/dextran sulphate/chitosan/tripolyphosphate (TPP) for SM nanoparticles preparation was 2/1.2/2/0.8 mg mL(-1). Through calculation, the optimal concentrations of dextran sulphate are 2.5 mg mL(-1) and 2.4 mg mL(-1) for 2 mg mL(-1) gentamicin and tobramycin, respectively (Table 1). The resulting AG chitosan nanoparticles had a high drug incorporation efficacy with particle sizes in the nanometre range. The in vitro drug release studies showed that more than 60% drug is retained inside the nanoparticles in pH 1.2 buffer after 6 h. The preliminary in vivo results indicated that oral SM chitosan nanoparticles induced one log 10 reduction (p < 0.01) in growth of the bacilli and were as effective as subcutaneously injected aqueous SM solution at the same concentration (100 mg kg(-1)).

CONCLUSION

Dextran sulphate can significantly increase AG incorporation into the chitosan nanoparticles. The concentration of each component was critical in preparing AG-loaded chitosan nanoparticles. The chitosan nanoparticles designed in this study may provide a promising oral drug delivery formulation for AG which usually, in tuberculosis treatment, is administrated as an injectible preparation.

In vivo evidence of oral vaccination with PLGA nanoparticles containing the immunostimulant monophosphoryl lipid A

Although oral vaccination has numerous advantages over the commonly used parenteral route, degradation of vaccine and its low uptake in the lymphoid tissue of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract still impede their development. In this study, the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) and the immunostimulant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) were incorporated in polymeric nanoparticles based on poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). These polymeric carriers were orally administered to BALB/c mice (Bagg albino, inbred strain of mouse) and the resulting time-dependent systemic and mucosal immune responses towards OVA were assessed by measuring the OVA-specific IgG and IgA titers using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PLGA nanoparticles were spherical in shape, around 320 nm in size, negatively charged (around -20 mV) and had an OVA and MPLA payload of 9.6% and 0.86%, respectively. A single immunization with formulation containing (OVA + MPLA) incorporated in PLGA nanoparticles induced a stronger IgG immune response than that induced by OVA in PBS solution or OVA incorporated into PLGA nanoparticles. Moreover, significantly higher IgA titers were generated by administration of (OVA + MPLA)/PLGA nanoparticles compared to IgA stimulated by control formulations, proving the capability of inducing a mucosal immunity. These findings demonstrate that co-delivery of OVA and MPLA in PLGA nanoparticles promotes both systemic and mucosal immune responses and represents therefore a suitable strategy for oral vaccination.

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 shedding in cattle by addition of chitosan microparticles to feed

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) is a significant human pathogen that resides in healthy cattle. It is thought that a reduction in the prevalence and numbers of EHEC in cattle will reduce the load of EHEC entering the food chain. To this end, an intervention strategy involving the addition of chitosan microparticles (CM) to feed in order to reduce the carriage of this pathogen in cattle was evaluated. Experiments with individual Holstein calves and a crossover study found that the addition of CM to feed decreased E. coli O157:H7 shedding. In the crossover study, CM resulted in statistically significant reductions in the numbers recovered from rectal swab samples (P < 0.05) and the duration of shedding (P < 0.05). The effects of feeding CM to calves differed, indicating that the optimal levels of CM may differ between animals or that other factors are involved in the interaction between CM and E. coli O157:H7. In vitro studies demonstrated that E. coli O157:H7 binds to CM, suggesting that the reduction in shedding may result at least in part from the binding of positively charged CM to negatively charged E. coli cells. Additional studies are needed to determine the impact of CM feeding on animal production, but the results from this study indicate that supplementing feed with CM reduces the shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.

Repeated oral administration of chitosan/DNA nanoparticles delivers functional FVIII with the absence of antibodies in hemophilia A mice

BACKGROUND

Current treatment of hemophilia A is expensive and involves regular infusions of factor (F)VIII concentrates. The supply of functional FVIII is further compromised by the generation of neutralizing antibodies. Thus, the development of an alternative safe, cost effective, non-invasive treatment that circumvents immune response induction is desirable.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility of oral administration of chitosan nanoparticles containing FVIII DNA to provide sustainable FVIII activity in hemophilia A mice.

METHODS

Nanoparticles were characterized for morphology, DNA protection and transfection efficiency. Oral administration of nanoparticles containing canine FVIII in C57Bl/6 FVIII(-/-) hemophilia A mice was evaluated for biodistribution, plasma FVIII activity and phenotypic correction. Sustainable FVIII expression was elucidated after repeated nanoparticle administration. Immune responses to repeated oral nanoparticle administration were also investigated.

RESULTS

Chitosan nanoparticles had a particle size range of 200-400 nm and protected DNA from endonuclease and pH degradation. In addition, nanoparticles transfected HEK 293 cells resulted in expression of eGFP, luciferase and FVIII. Hemophilia A mice that ingested chitosan nanoparticles demonstrated transient canine FVIII expression reaching > 100 mU 1 day after treatment, together with partial phenotypic correction. The delivered FVIII plasmid DNA was detected in the intestine and, to a lesser extent, in the liver. Importantly, repeated weekly administrations restored FVIII activity. Furthermore, inhibitors and non-neutralizing FVIII antibodies were not detectable.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeat oral administration of FVIII DNA formulated in chitosan nanoparticles resulted in sustained FVIII activity in hemophilic mice, and thus may provide a non-invasive alternative treatment for hemophilia A.

In vitro uptake of lysozyme-loaded liposomes coated with chitosan biopolymer as model immunoadjuvants

Chitosan binds to negatively charged soy lecithin liposomes by an electrostatic interaction driven by its cationic amino group. This interaction allows developing stable coated vesicles suitable as a targeted carrier and controlled release system for drugs and vaccines. In this work, we studied the effect of chitosan-coated liposomes on the uptake and antigen presentation of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) in Peyer's patches peritoneal macrophages isolated from mice. Chitosan-coated liposomes were characterized according to size, zeta potential, and antigen-loading and release properties. Results showed an increase in the positive net charge and size of the liposomes as the concentration of chitosan was increased, suggesting an electrostatic interaction and an effective coating, followed by fluorescence microscopy. About 85% of the antigen loaded remained in the chitosan-coated liposomes after release studies for 4 hours in phosphate-buffered saline. After 4 hours of preincubation with a T-cell hybridoma line cocultured with murine peritoneal macrophages, only trace amounts of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were detected in the cocultures treated with HEL alone, whereas cocultures treated with HEL-liposomes had an important production of IL-2, and the HEL chitosan-coated liposomes had already reached maximum IL-2 expression. Confocal microscopy studies showed that chitosan-coated liposomes had a higher uptake rate of the fluorescently labeled HEL than uncoated liposomal vesicles after 30 minutes of incubation with the peritoneal macrophages. Since uptake by macrophage cells is the first step in vaccination, our results suggest that the chitosan-coated liposomal system is a potential candidate as an immunoadjuvant for vaccine delivery systems.

Preparation of monodisperse chitosan microcapsules with hollow structures using the SPG membrane emulsification technique

We describe herein successful preparations of monodisperse chitosan microcapsules with hollow structures using the SPG membrane emulsification technique. Two preparation procedures were examined in this study. In the first method, monodisperse calcium alginate microspheres were prepared and then coated with unmodified chitosan. Subsequently, tripolyphosphate treatment was conducted to physically cross-link chitosan and solubilize the alginate core at the same time. In the second method, photo-cross-linkable chitosan was coated onto the monodisperse calcium alginate microspheres, followed by UV irradiation to chemically cross-link the chitosan shell and tripolyphosphate treatment to solubilize the core. For both methods, it was determined that the average diameters of the chitosan microcapsules depended on those of the calcium alginate microparticles and that the microcapsules have hollow structures. In addition, the first physical cross-linking method using tripolyphosphate was found to be preferable to obtain the hollow structure, compared with the second method using chemical cross-linking by UV irradiation. This was because of the difference in the resistance to permeation of the solubilized alginate through the chitosan shell layers.

Traffic of poly(lactic acid) nanoparticulate vaccine vehicle from intestinal mucus to sub-epithelial immune competent cells

Mucosal immunization is designed to induce strong immune responses at portal of pathogen entry. Unfortunately, mechanisms underlying the fate of the vaccine vector co-administered with antigens are still partially uncovered and limit further development of mucosal vaccines. Hence, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanoparticles being a versatile vaccine vehicle, we have analyzed the fate of these PLA nanoparticles during their uptake at intestinal mucosal sites, both in vivo and ex vivo, to decipher the mechanisms involved during this process. We first designed specific fluorescent PLA nanoparticles exhibiting strong colloidal stability after encapsulation of either 6-coumarin or CellTrace BODIPY before monitoring their transport through mucosa in the mouse ligated ileal loop model. The journey of the particles appears to follow a three-step process. Most particles are first entrapped in the mucus. Then, crossing of the epithelial barrier takes place exclusively through M-cells, leading to an accumulation in Peyer's patches (PP). Lastly, we noticed specific interaction of these PLA nanoparticles with underlying B cells and dendritic cells (DCs) of PP. Furthermore, we could document that DCs engulfing some nanoparticles could exhibit a TLR8+ specific expression. Specific targeting of these two cell types strongly supports the use of PLA nanoparticles as a vaccine delivery system for oral use. Indeed, following oral gavage of mice with PLA nanoparticles, we were able to observe the same biodistribution patterns, indicating that these nanoparticles specifically reach immune target required for oral immunization.

Chitosan-based delivery systems for protein therapeutics and antigens

Therapeutic peptides/proteins and protein-based antigens are chemically and structurally labile compounds, which are almost exclusively administered by parenteral injections. Recently, non-invasive mucosal routes have attracted interest for administration of these biotherapeutics. Chitosan-based delivery systems enhance the absorption and/or cellular uptake of peptides/proteins across mucosal sites and have immunoadjuvant properties. Chitosan is a mucoadhesive polysaccharide capable of opening the tight junctions between epithelial cells and it has functional groups for chemical modifications, which has resulted in a large variety of chitosan derivatives with tunable properties for the aimed applications. This review provides an overview of chitosan-based polymers for preparation of both therapeutic peptides/protein and antigen formulations. The physicochemical properties of these carrier systems as well as their applications in protein and antigen delivery through parenteral and mucosal (particularly nasal and pulmonary) administrations are summarized and discussed.

Non-viral gene delivery using nanoparticles

Although the potential benefits of gene therapy for the treatment of acquired and inherited genetic diseases have been demonstrated through preclinical studies, the results of human gene therapy trials have been disappointing. Recombinant viruses are the primary vectors of choice because of their ability to protect genetic materials, cross cellular membranes, escape from endosomes and transport their genetic materials into the nucleus. Unfortunately, viral vectors have been unable to gain widespread clinical application because of their toxicity and immunogenicity. Consequently, the need for safer alternatives has led to the development of liposomes, cationic polyplexes, microparticles and nanoparticles. Although these alternative vectors have shown promise, degradable nanoparticles are the only non-viral vectors that can provide a targeted intracellular delivery with controlled release properties. Furthermore, the potential advantage of degradable nanoparticles over their non-degradable counterparts is the reduced toxicity and the avoidance of accumulation within the target tissue after repeated administration. In this article, current non-viral gene delivery devices are reviewed with a special emphasis on nanoparticle gene delivery systems. Also, the authors highlight their philosophy and efforts on the development of l-tyrosine-based polyphosphate nanoparticle-based non-viral gene delivery systems and assess the potential benefits and shortcomings of their approach.

Transport of chitosan-DNA nanoparticles in human intestinal M-cell model versus normal intestinal enterocytes

Oral vaccination is one of the most promising applications of polymeric nanoparticles. Using two different in vitro cellular models to partially reproduce the characteristics of intestinal enterocytes and M-cells, this study demonstrates that nanoparticle transport through the M-cell co-culture model is 5-fold that of the intestinal epithelial monolayer, with at least 80% of the chitosan-DNA nanoparticles uptaken in the first 30 min. Among the properties of nanoparticles studied, ligand decoration has the most dramatic effect on the transcytosis rate: transferrin modification enhances transport through both models by 3- to 5-fold. The stability of the nanoparticles also affects transport kinetics. Factors which de-stabilize the nanoparticles, such as low charge (N/P) ratio and addition of serum, result in aggregation and in turn decreases transport efficiency. Of these stability factors, luminal pH is of great interest as an increase in pH from 5.5 to 6.4 and 7.4 leads to a 3- and 10-fold drop in nanoparticle transport, respectively. Since soluble chitosan can act as an enhancer to increase paracellular transport by up to 60%, this decrease is partially attributed to the soluble chitosan precipitating near neutral pH. The implication that chitosan-DNA nanoparticles are more stable in the upper regions of the small intestine suggests that higher uptake rates may occur in the duodenum compared to the ileum and the colon.

Low molecular weight chitosan in DNA vaccine delivery via mucosa

It is acknowledged that low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC) is advantageous over high molecular weight chitosan (HMWC) in the biodegradability. In this report, the potential of LMWC in DNA vaccine delivery via mucosa was evaluated. Firstly, the effects of molecular weight of chitosan on the physicochemical properties and in vitro transfection efficiency of chitosan/DNA polyplexes were investigated. Secondly, the capabilities of the polyplexes based on LMWC to elicit serum IgG antibodies and to attenuate the development of atherosclerosis after intranasal vaccination were compared with the polyplexes based on HMWC in the rabbit model. Finally, the intramucosal transport of the double-labeled polyplexes was observed by confocal microscopy. The results indicated that LMWC had lower binding affinity to DNA and mediated higher transfection efficiency. Intranasal vaccination with LMWC/DNA polyplexes could elicit significant systemic immune responses, modulate the plasma lipoprotein profile and attenuate the progression of atherosclerosis. Those aspects were comparable to those obtained by HMWC/DNA polyplexes. As revealed by confocal images, LMWC/DNA polyplexes remained stable during interaction with the nasal mucosa, and were internalized by nasal epithelial cells, which was similar to the case of HMWC/DNA polyplexes. In conclusion, LMWCs have potential applications in DNA vaccine delivery via mucosa.

Veterinary vaccines: alternatives to antibiotics?

The prevention of infectious diseases of animals by vaccination has been routinely practiced for decades and has proved to be one of the most cost-effective methods of disease control. However, since the pioneering work of Pasteur in the 1880s, the composition of veterinary vaccines has changed very little from a conceptual perspective and this has, in turn, limited their application in areas such as the control of chronic infectious diseases. New technologies in the areas of vaccine formulation and delivery as well as our increased knowledge of disease pathogenesis and the host responses associated with protection from disease offer promising alternatives for vaccine formulation as well as targets for the prevention of bacterial disease. These new vaccines have the potential to lessen our reliance on antibiotics for disease control, but will only reach their full potential when used in combination with other intervention strategies.

Chitosan and its antimicrobial potential--a critical literature survey

Chitosan, an aminopolysaccharide biopolymer, has a unique chemical structure as a linear polycation with a high charge density, reactive hydroxyl and amino groups as well as extensive hydrogen bonding. It displays excellent biocompatibility, physical stability and processability. The term 'chitosan' describes a heterogeneous group of polymers combining a group of physicochemical and biological characteristics, which allow for a wide scope of applications that are both fascinating and as yet uncharted. The increased awareness of the potentials and industrial value of this biopolymer lead to its utilization in many applications of technical interest, and increasingly in the biomedical arena. Although not primarily used as an antimicrobial agent, its utility as an ingredient in both food and pharmaceutical formulations lately gained more interest, when a scientific understanding of at least some of the pharmacological activities of this versatile carbohydrate began to evolve. However, understanding the various factors that affect its antimicrobial activity has become a key issue for a better usage and a more efficient optimization of chitosan formulations. Moreover, the use of chitosan in antimicrobial systems should be based on sufficient knowledge of the complex mechanisms of its antimicrobial mode of action, which in turn would help to arrive at an appreciation of its entire antimicrobial potential.

Microfluidic emulsification and sorting assisted preparation of monodisperse chitosan microparticles

A microfluidic device for generating monodisperse chitosan microparticles and separating the desired particle from smaller particles created as a byproduct of this process was described. The purpose of this study is to separate the satellite droplets from their parent droplets to enhance the size uniformity of the desired microparticles. A double T-junction design was first employed to control the emulsification and the separation, respectively. The results show that the size and gap of the parent droplets are tunable by adjusting the water and oil flow rates. A separation ratio of the satellite droplets of more than 99% was observed. The proposed microfluidic chip is capable of generating relatively uniform micro-droplets with well controllable diameter, and it has the added advantages of being a simple, low cost, and high throughput process. In the future this apparatus can be used to fabricate size-controlled monodisperse microparticles to act as drug carriers for biotechnology and biomedicine applications.

Chitosan Phthalate Microspheres for Oral Delivery of Insulin: Preparation, Characterization, andIn VitroEvaluation

Chitosan phthalate polymer was synthesized and its microspheres were prepared by emulsion phase separation technique. The characterization of microspheres was determined by means of FTIR spectroscopy, electron microscopy, particle size, and zeta potential. The insulin was loaded to the microspheres by passive absorption technique. The peptic and tryptic enzymes degradation of insulin in microspheres was investigated. The in vitro release behavior of the microspheres was investigated under different pH conditions (pH 2.0 and pH 7.4). The degree of phthalate substitution in the synthesized polymer was 20%. The prepared microspheres were spherical with an average diameter 46.34 micro m. The insulin-loading capacity was 62%. Chitosan phthalate microspheres protect the insulin from gastric enzymes degradation that may enhance the oral stability of insulin. The encapsulated insulin was quickly released in a phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4), whereas a small amount of insulin was released under acidic condition (0.1N HCl; pH 2.0) because under acidic conditions, carboxylic groups present in the system exist in nonionized form and are poorly hydrophilic. However, in alkaline conditions, it exists in ionized form and is considerably hydrophilic. The results suggest that chitosan phthalate microspheres may be used as a potential carrier for oral insulin delivery.

Chitosan microspheres containing the natural urucum pigment

An increasing trend in the food and pharmaceutical industries is toward replacing synthetic additives with natural products. However, in this regard, difficulties may be encountered due to the instability of such compounds. Encapsulation has become an important process to protect natural pigments. This paper reports on the encapsulation of the natural urucum pigment with chitosan using different techniques and its release under different pH conditions. The material loaded with pigment was evaluated by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and thermal analysis. Chitosan was found to be an effective encapsulating agent for urucum pigment. No investigations have previously been reported on the relation of chitosan to the stability of encapsulated natural pigments.

Controlled Drug Delivery Systems Based on Thiolated Chitosan Microspheres

The aim of the present study was to verify the potential of chitosan-thio-butyl-amidine (TBA) microspheres as carrier systems for controlled drug delivery. In this study microspheres were prepared utilizing water in oil (w/o) emulsification solvent evaporation technique. A concentration of 0.5% of chitosan-TBA conjugate displaying 100 microM thiol groups per gram polymer was used in the aqueous phase of the emulsion in order to prepare microspheres. The obtained non-aggregated free-flowing microspheres were examined with conventional light microscope as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microscopic images indicated that the prepared chitosan-TBA microspheres were of spherical shape and smooth surface while microparticles obtained from the unmodified chitosan were of porous structure and non-spherical shape. Particle size distribution was determined to be in the range from 1 to 59 microm. The free thiol group content of chitosan-TBA microspheres prepared with an aqueous phase of pH 2, 5, and 6.5 were determined to be 71.4, 49.4, and 8.2 microM/g polymer, respectively. Furthermore, results attained from in vitro release studies with fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled dextran (FITC-dextran) loaded chitosan-TBA microspheres showed a controlled release rate for more than three hours while the control reached the maximum peak level of release already within an hour. According to these results, chitosan-TBA microspheres seem to be a promising tool in transmucosal drug delivery for poorly absorbed therapeutic agents.

Chitosan Microparticles as Oral Delivery System for Tetanus Toxoid

Systemic and local immune response against Chitosan encapsulated tetanus toxoid (CS-TT) microparticles is studied, prepared by ionic cross-linking using Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP). Final formulation was evaluated in terms of release of TT in 0.1 N HCl and PBS (pH 7.4), sedimentation profile and stability. CS-TT microparticles, TT in PBS and plain CS microparticles were orally administered to mice and TT (adsorbed) was administered through intramuscular route. Sera were analyzed for anti-TT IgG and intestinal lavage, faeces, intestinal washings for anti-TT IgA levels using an ELISA. Entrapment efficiency of about 100% was obtained. A dose dependent immune response was observed in mice vaccinated with Chitosan-TT microparticles. A strong enhancement of the systemic and local immune response against TT were found when compared with oral feeding of TT in PBS. The study shows the efficacy of chitosan microparticle suspension system, containing a high molecular protein (TT), in inducing the IgA in intestine and IgG in systemic circulation. This demonstrates that chitosan microparticles can prove to be a promising oral vaccine delivery system for mucosal and systemic immunity.

Electroactive chitosan nanoparticles for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using peptide nucleic acids

Here we report an electrochemical biosensor that would allow for simple and rapid analysis of nucleic acids in combination with nuclease activity on nucleic acids and electroactive bionanoparticles. The detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using PNA probes takes advantage of the significant structural and physicochemical differences between the full hybrids and SNPs in PNA/DNA and DNA/DNA duplexes. Ferrocene-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles (Chi-Fc) were used as the electroactive indicator of hybridization. Chi-Fc had no affinity towards the neutral PNA probe immobilized on a gold electrode (AuE) surface. When the PNA probe on the electrode surface hybridized with a full-complementary target DNA, Chi-Fc electrostatically attached to the negatively-charged phosphate backbone of DNA on the surface and gave rise to a high electrochemical oxidation signal from ferrocene at approximately 0.30 V. Exposing the surface to a single-stranded DNA specific nuclease, Nuclease S1, was found to be very effective for removing the nonspecifically adsorbed SNP DNA. An SNP in the target DNA to PNA made it susceptible to the enzymatic digestion. After the enzymatic digestion and subsequent exposure to Chi-Fc, the presence of SNPs was determined by monitoring the changes in the electrical current response of Chi-Fc. The method provided a detection limit of 1 fM (S/N = 3) for the target DNA oligonucleotide. Additionally, asymmetric PCR was employed to detect the presence of genetically modified organism (GMO) in standard Roundup Ready soybean samples. PNA-mediated PCR amplification of real DNA samples was performed to detect SNPs related to alcohol dehydrogenase (ALDH). Chitosan nanoparticles are promising biomaterials for various analytical and pharmaceutical applications.