Nanoprecipitation of polymers in a bad solvent

Self-assembly of peptide nanocapsules by a solvent concentration gradient

Biological systems can create materials with intricate structures and specialized functions. In comparison, precise control of structures in human-made materials has been challenging. Here we report on insect cuticle peptides that spontaneously form nanocapsules through a single-step solvent exchange process, where the concentration gradient resulting from the mixing of water and acetone drives the localization and self-assembly of the peptides into hollow nanocapsules. The underlying driving force is found to be the intrinsic affinity of the peptides for a particular solvent concentration, while the diffusion of water and acetone creates a gradient interface that triggers peptide localization and self-assembly. This gradient-mediated self-assembly offers a transformative pathway towards simple generation of drug delivery systems based on peptide nanocapsules.

PLGA-LEC/F127 hybrid nanoparticles loaded with curcumin and their modulatory effect on monocytes

Aim: To investigate the effect of surfactant type on curcumin-loaded (CUR) PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) to modulate monocyte functions. Materials & methods: The nanoprecipitation method was used, and PLGA NPs were designed using Pluronic F127 (F127) and/or lecithin (LEC) as surfactants. Results: The Z-average of the NPs was <200 nm, they had a spherical shape, Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov modulus >0.128 MPa, they were stable during storage at 4°C, ζ-potential ∼-40 mV, polydispersity index <0.26 and % EE of CUR >94%. PLGA-LEC/F127 NPs showed favorable physicochemical and nanomechanical properties. These NPs were bound and internalized mainly by monocytes, suppressed monocyte-induced reactive oxygen species production, and decreased the ability of monocytes to modulate T-cell proliferation. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the potential of these NPs for targeted therapy.

ICAM-1 targeted and ROS-responsive nanoparticles for the treatment of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an inflammatory disease caused by multiple factors such as infection, trauma, and chemicals. Without effective intervention during the early stages, it usually quickly progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Since ordinary pharmaceutical preparations cannot precisely target the lungs, their clinical application is limited. In response, we constructed a γ3 peptide-decorated and ROS-responsive nanoparticle system encapsulating therapeutic dexamethasone (Dex/PSB-γ3 NPs). In vitro, Dex/PSB-γ3 NPs had rapid H2O2 responsiveness, low cytotoxicity, and strong intracellular ROS removal capacity. In a mouse model of ALI, Dex/PSB-γ3 NPs accumulated at the injured lung rapidly, alleviating pulmonary edema and cytokine levels significantly. The modification of NPs by γ3 peptide achieved highly specific positioning of NPs in the inflammatory area. The ROS-responsive release mechanism ensured the rapid release of therapeutic dexamethasone at the inflammatory site. This combined approach improves treatment accuracy, and drug bioavailability, and effectively inhibits inflammation progression. Our study could effectively reduce the risk of ALI progressing to ARDS and hold potential for the early treatment of ALI.

Nanoprecipitation through solvent-shifting using rapid mixing: Dispelling the Ouzo boundary to reach large solute concentrations

HYPOTHESIS

The addition of a non-solvent to a solute in good solvent solution leads to nanoprecipitation, which is the spontaneous formation of nanodomains. Yet, increasing solute concentration usually leads to the formation of macrodomains that quickly separate into a bulk phase, which is a severe process limitation. The corresponding concentration threshold, often termed as the Ouzo boundary, remains a mystery that could find its origin in the complex interplay between nanoprecipitation and mixing.

EXPERIMENTS

We performed a systematic investigation of nanoprecipitation thermodynamics and kinetics as well as its interplay with mixing hydrodynamics for the hexadecane-acetone-water system, in the presence of the non-ionic C16EO8 surfactant. The binodal curve and its underlying tie-lines were obtained using Raman spectroscopy, allowing the computation of the spinodal curve. Kinetics were probed using a continuous flow setup that combines two sequential rapid mixers. The impact of mixing efficiency was probed systematically by varying the oil concentration for respectively slow and rapid mixing, while the uncoupling from mixing and nanoprecipitation was quantified by modifying systematically the flow rate in a continuous flow approach.

FINDINGS

We elucidate the nature of the Ouzo boundary that marks the maximal solute concentration leading to nanoobjects. Rather than a thermodynamic boundary, as evidenced by its uncorrelation to the spinodal curve, it results from the coupling of nanoprecipitation and mixing when both processes occur within the same time range, leading to heterogeneous conditions and the escape of some objects to the macroscale. Increasing the solute concentration speeds up nanoprecipitation and thus requires increasingly faster mixing times to uncouple both processes. Accordingly, if the mixing efficiency is large enough, it is possible to dispel the Ouzo boundary and reach very large solute concentrations. Implementing rapid mixing strategies in continuous flow approaches is thus the solution to overcome the most stringent condition of nanoprecipitation and open the way to scale-up, while also providing efficient means to probe its fast mechanism. Overall, the simultaneous control of hydrodynamics and physical chemistry is thus key to boost up the Ouzo effect.

Self-assembled block copolymer biomaterials for oral delivery of protein therapeutics

Protein therapeutics have guided a transformation in disease treatment for various clinical conditions. They have been successful in numerous applications, but administration of protein therapeutics has been limited to parenteral routes which can decrease patient compliance as they are invasive and painful. In recent years, the synergistic relationship of novel biomaterials with modern protein therapeutics has been crucial in the treatment of diseases that were once thought of as incurable. This has guided the development of a variety of alternative administration routes, but the oral delivery of therapeutics remains one of the most desirable due to its ease of administration. This review addresses important aspects of micellar structures prepared by self-assembled processes with applications for oral delivery. These two characteristics have not been placed together in previous literature within the field. Therefore, we describe the barriers for delivery of protein therapeutics, and we concentrate in the oral/transmucosal pathway where drug carriers must overcome several chemical, physical, and biological barriers to achieve a successful therapeutic effect. We critically discuss recent research on biomaterials systems for delivering such therapeutics with an emphasis on self-assembled synthetic block copolymers. Polymerization methods and nanoparticle preparation techniques are similarly analyzed as well as relevant work in this area. Based on our own and others' research, we analyze the use of block copolymers as therapeutic carriers and their promise in treating a variety of diseases, with emphasis on self-assembled micelles for the next generation of oral protein therapeutic systems.

The mechanism, biopolymers and active compounds for the production of nanoparticles by anti-solvent precipitation: A review

The anti-solvent precipitation method has been investigated to produce biopolymeric nanoparticles in recent years. Biopolymeric nanoparticles have better water solubility and stability when compared with unmodified biopolymers. This review article focuses on the analysis of the state of the art available in the last ten years about the production mechanism and biopolymer type, as well as the used of these nanomaterials to encapsulate biological compounds, and the potential applications of biopolymeric nanoparticles in food sector. The revised literature revealed the importance to understand the anti-solvent precipitation mechanism since biopolymer and solvent types, as well as anti-solvent and surfactants used, can alter the biopolymeric nanoparticles properties. In general, these nanoparticles have been produced using polysaccharides and proteins as biopolymers, especially starch, chitosan and zein. Finally, it was identified that those biopolymers produced by anti-solvent precipitation were used to stabilize essential oils, plant extracts, pigments, and nutraceutical compounds, promoting their application in functional foods.

Modulation of Oil/Polymer Nanocapsule Size via Phase Diagram-Guided Microfluidic Coprecipitation

Flow-based nanoprecipitation of different solutes via rapid mixing of two miscible liquids is a scalable strategy for manufacturing nanoparticles with various shapes and morphologies. Controlling the size of nanoparticles in flow-based nanoprecipitation, however, is often left to empirical variations in the flow rate ratios or the total flow rate of the two streams. In this work, we investigate the coprecipitations of oil and polymer to form nanocapsules via the Ouzo effect using glass capillary microfluidics across a range of mixing conditions. In the range of flow rates studied, the two streams mix convectively in micro-vortices formed at the junction of the two stream inlets. Using computational fluid dynamics simulations and glass capillary microfluidic nanoprecipitation, we establish a relationship between the precipitation conditions occurring experimentally in situ and the location on the ternary Ouzo phase diagram where precipitation is taking place. We find that a key variable in the resulting average diameter of the fabricated capsules is the degree of supersaturation experienced by both the oil and the polymer in the vortex zone of the device, showing a strong correlation between the two values. The control over the nanocapsule size by varying the extent of supersaturation of both precipitants is demonstrated by using two oils having distinct phase diagrams. This work provides a systematic approach to controlling the size of nanoparticles fabricated via continuous nanoprecipitation by linking the in situ flow conditions to ternary phase diagram behavior, enabling accurate control over nanocapsule size.

Tunable Latency of Hydrosilylation Catalyst by Ligand Density on Nanoparticle Supports

Functionalizing inorganic particles with organic ligands is a common technique for heterogenizing organometallic catalysts. We describe how coordinating molecular platinum to silica nanoparticles functionalized with a high density of norbornene ligands causes unexpected latency of the catalytic activity in hydrosilylation reactions when compared to an identical reaction in which the norbornene is not tethered (2 % vs 97 % conversion in 1 h). Performing the hydrosilylation at elevated temperature (70 °C) suppresses this activity delay, suggesting the usefulness of this technique towards temperature-triggered catalysis. We demonstrate that this latency is related to ligand density on the particle surface, chemical structure of the norbornene, and silica nanoparticle topology. We also establish the benefit of this latency for triggered curing of silicone elastomers. Overall, our work establishes the non-innocent role of inorganic supports when functionalized with organometallic complexes.

Exploring Various Techniques for the Chemical and Biological Synthesis of Polymeric Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) have remarkable properties for delivering therapeutic drugs to the body's targeted cells. NPs have shown to be significantly more efficient as drug delivery carriers than micron-sized particles, which are quickly eliminated by the immune system. Biopolymer-based polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) are colloidal systems composed of either natural or synthetic polymers and can be synthesized by the direct polymerization of monomers (e.g., emulsion polymerization, surfactant-free emulsion polymerization, mini-emulsion polymerization, micro-emulsion polymerization, and microbial polymerization) or by the dispersion of preformed polymers (e.g., nanoprecipitation, emulsification solvent evaporation, emulsification solvent diffusion, and salting-out). The desired characteristics of NPs and their target applications are determining factors in the choice of method used for their production. This review article aims to shed light on the different methods employed for the production of PNPs and to discuss the effect of experimental parameters on the physicochemical properties of PNPs. Thus, this review highlights specific properties of PNPs that can be tailored to be employed as drug carriers, especially in hospitals for point-of-care diagnostics for targeted therapies.

Screening of critical variables in fabricating polycaprolactone nanoparticles using Neuro Fuzzy Logic

In this work, we used the artificial intelligence tool known as neurofuzzy logic (NFL) for fabricating uniform nanoparticles of polycaprolactone by the nanoprecipitation method with a focus on stabilizer selection. The adaptability of NFL assisted the decision-making on different manufacturing and formulation conditions. The nanoprecipitation method can be summarized as mixing a poorly water-soluble polymer solution with water and its consequent precipitation. Although nanoprecipitation seems simple, the process is highly variable to even slight modifications, leading to polydispersity and nanoparticle aggregation. Here, the NFL model established relationships between mixing conditions, different stabilizers and solvents, among other parameters. Seven parameters measured by dynamic light scattering and laser doppler electrophoresis were modelized with high predictability using NFL tool, as a function of the raw materials and operation conditions. The model allowed the principal component analysis to be carried out, showing that the selection of a stabilizer is the most critical parameter for avoiding nanoparticle aggregation. Then, inputs related to fluid dynamics were relevant to tune the characteristics of the stabilized nanoparticles even further. NFL model showed great potential to support pharmaceutical research by finding subtle relationships between several variables, even from incomplete or fragmented data, which is common in pharmaceutical development.

Poly(lipoic acid)-Based Nanoparticles as Self-Organized, Biocompatible, and Corona-Free Nanovectors

Herein we present an innovative approach to produce biocompatible, degradable, and stealth polymeric nanoparticles based on poly(lipoic acid), stabilized by a PEG-ended surfactant. Taking advantage of the well-known thiol-induced polymerization of lipoic acid, a universal and nontoxic nanovector consisted of a solid cross-linked polymeric matrix of lipoic acid monomers was prepared and loaded with active species with a one-step protocol. The biological studies demonstrated a high stability in biological media, the virtual absence of “protein” corona in biological fluids, the absence of acute toxicity in vitro and in vivo, complete clearance from the organism, and a relevant preference for short-term accumulation in the heart. All these features make these nanoparticles candidates as a promising tool for nanomedicine.

Evaluation of the effects of nanoprecipitation process parameters on the size and morphology of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polycaprolactone nanostructures

Nanoprecipitation is a straightforward method for the production of block copolymer nanoparticles for drug delivery applications. However, the effects of process parameters need to be understood to optimize and control the particle size distribution (PSD). To this end, we investigated the effects of material and process factors on PSD and morphology of nanoparticles prepared from an amphiphilic diblock copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polycaprolactone. Using a Design of Experiments approach, we explored the joint effects of molecular weight, block length ratios, water volume fraction, stirring rate, polymer concentration and organic phase addition rate on hydrodynamic size and polydispersity index of the nanostructures and created statistical models explaining up to 94% of the variance in hydrodynamic diameter. In addition, we performed morphological characterization by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and showed that increasing the process temperature may favor the formation of vesicles from these polymers. We showed that the effects of process parameters are dependent on the polymer configuration and we found that the most useful parameters to fine-tune the PSD are the initial polymer concentration and the stirring rate. Overall, this study provides evidence on the joint effects of material and process parameters on PSD and morphology, which will be useful for rational design of formulation-specific optimization studies, scale-up and process controls.

Perspectives on the future of multi-dimensional platforms

Two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) formats have emerged to help address separation problems that are too complex for conventional one-dimensional LC. There are a number of obstacles to the proliferation of 2D-LC that are gradually being removed. Reliable commercial instrumentation has become available and data analysis software is being improved. Detector-sensitivity and phase-system compatibility issues can largely be solved by using active-modulation strategies. The remaining challenge, developing good and fast 2D-LC methods within a reasonable time, may be solved with smart algorithms. The technology platform that has been developed for 2D-LC also creates a number of other possibilities. Between the two separation stages, all kinds of physical (e.g. dissolution) or chemical (e.g. enzymatic or light-induced degradation) processes can be made to take place, allowing a wide variety of experiments to be performed within a single, efficient and automated analysis. All these developments are discussed in this paper and a number of critical issues are identified. A practical example, the characterization of polysorbates by high-resolution comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry, is described as a culmination of recent developments in 2D-LC and as an illustration of the current state of the art.

The role of physicochemical properties in the nanoprecipitation of cellulose acetate

The cellulose acetate (CA) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via the nanoprecipitation technique. The effects of solvent mixture quality and order of addition on the size evolution of CA NPs were investigated. The size of CA NPs was reduced by decreasing the nonsolvent-solvent mixture interaction parameter (χ_NS-mS) and by increasing the polymer-solvent mixture interaction parameter (χ_P-mS). The NPs prepared by the method of addition of the polymer solution to the nonsolvent were smaller than those prepared by addition of the nonsolvent to the polymer solution. The very small CA NPs with the diameter of 37 nm and very narrow PdI of 0.045 were fabricated without using any surfactant and charged groups. The role of surface tension and osmotic pressure forces on the formation of NPs were discussed. The formation mechanism of NPs could be assigned to the rapid polymer precipitation and solidification (vitrification) of the nuclei.

Anhydrous nanoprecipitation for the preparation of nanodispersions of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in oils as candidate long-acting injectable depot formulations

The facile formation of drug nanoparticles in injectable/ingestible oils, of water-soluble antiretroviral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, using a novel nanoprecipitation is presented with studies showing drug release into relevant aqueous media.

Multiscale Self-Assembly of a Phenyl-Flanked Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivative: A Solution-Processable Building Block for π-Conjugated Supramolecular Polymers

We report a solution-processable π-conjugated molecular building block (denoted as PhDPP) consisting of a rigid and planar core of phenyl-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole and "soft" branched alkoxy chains that endow the solubility in a variety of organic solvents. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding in PhDPP was revealed in nonpolar solvents above a threshold of concentration and below a critical point of temperature. The strong intermolecular interaction mainly contributed by the hydrogen-bonding and π-π interaction between PhDPP molecules promoted the formation of supramolecular polymeric structures in both solution and solid states and at interfaces. The supramolecular polymeric properties enabled solution-based processing of PhDPP under a variety of conditions into different structures including fibers and uniform thin films. The structure-property relationship that we established in the present system of PhDPP from the molecular to supramolecular level will be important to solution-process this type of H-bonding π-conjugated molecules for a variety of applications such as optoelectronic devices.

Nanoparticle heterogeneity: an emerging structural parameter influencing particle fate in biological media?

Drug nanocarriers' surface chemistry is often presumed to be uniform. For instance, the polymer surface coverage and distribution of ligands on nanoparticles are described with averaged values obtained from quantification techniques based on particle populations. However, these averaged values may conceal heterogeneities at different levels, either because of the presence of particle sub-populations or because of surface inhomogeneities, such as patchy surfaces on individual particles. The characterization and quantification of chemical surface heterogeneities are tedious tasks, which are rather limited by the currently available instruments and research protocols. However, heterogeneities may contribute to some non-linear effects observed during the nanoformulation optimization process, cause problems related to nanocarrier production scale-up and correlate with unexpected biological outcomes. On the other hand, heterogeneities, while usually unintended and detrimental to nanocarrier performance, may, in some cases, be sought as adjustable properties that provide NPs with unique functionality. In this review, results and processes related to this issue are compiled, and perspectives and possible analytical developments are discussed.

Self-Assembled Nanostructures of Red Fluorescent Amphiphilic Block Copolymers as Both Imaging Probes and Drug Carriers

We report a red-fluorescent drug delivery system formed by biodegradable and biocompatible amphiphilic A-B-A block copolymers. Each polymer consists of a red fluorescent dye covalently bonded in the middle of hydrophobic block (B) of polylactone, tethered at both ends with poly[(oligo ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (POEGMA) as the hydrophilic block. Two types of polylactones, i.e., semicrystalline poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and amorphous poly(δ-decalactone) (PDL), respectively, were incorporated as the hydrophobic segment in the block copolymers. Using transmission electron microscopy, we characterized the self-assembled nanostructures formed by these amphiphilic block copolymers in mixtures of water/tetrahydrofuran or water/dimethylformamide. All of these polymers remained highly fluorescent in water, although some extent of aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching was still observed. Among the three types of polymers presented here, the polymer (RPO-3) containing an amorphous block of PDL showed the highest drug-loading capacity and the largest extent of drug release in acidic media. RPO-3 micelles loaded with doxorubicin as a model of anticancer drug showed sustainable intracellular release and cytotoxicity against HeLa cells.

Core-shell-shell cytocompatible polymer dot-based particles with near-infrared emission and enhanced dispersion stability

Polymer dots (PDs) are promising fluorescent probes for biomaterials applications. Here, novel cytocompatible composite PD particles have been synthesised with a core-shell-shell morphology. The particles show near-infrared emission, improved fluorescent brightness and enhanced colloidal stability compared to pure PDs. The particles also show non-radiative resonance energy transfer (NRET) with a model dye.

Unified Scaling of the Structure and Loading of Nanoparticles Formed by Diffusion-Limited Coalescence

The present study establishes the scaling laws describing the structure of spherical nanoparticles formed by diffusion-limited coalescence. We produced drug-loaded nanoparticles from a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(d,l-lactic acid) diblock polymer (PEG- b-PLA) by the nanoprecipitation method using different types of micromixing chambers to explore multiple mixing regimes and characteristic times. We first show that the drug loading of the nanoparticles is not controlled by the mixing time but solely by the drug-to-polymer ratio (D:P) in the feed and the hydrophobicity of the drug scaled via the partition coefficient P. We then procure compelling evidence that particles formed via diffusion/coalescence exhibit a relative distribution of PEG blocks between the particle core and its shell that depends only on mixing conditions (not on D:P). Scaling laws of PEG relative distribution and chain surface density were derived in different mixing regimes and showed excellent agreement with experimental data. In particular, results made evident that PEG blocks entrapment in the core of the particles occurs in the slow-mixing regime and favors the overloading (above the thermodynamic limit) of the particles with hydrophilic drugs. The present analysis compiles effective guidelines for the scale up of nanoparticles structure and properties with mixing conditions, which should facilitate their future translation to medical and industrial settings.

Impact of the Formulation Pathway on the Colloidal State and Crystallinity of Poly-ε-caprolactone Particles Prepared by Solvent Displacement

The formulation pathway and/or the mixing method are known to be relevant in many out-of-equilibrium processes. In this work, we studied the effect of the mixing conditions on the physicochemical properties of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) particles prepared by solvent displacement. More specifically, water was added in one shot (fast addition) or drop by drop to PCL solution in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to study the impact of the mixing process on particle properties including size, stability, and crystallinity. Two distinct composition maps representing the Ouzo domain characteristic of the presence of metastable nanoparticles have been established for each mixing method. Polymer nanoparticles are formed in the Ouzo domain according to a nucleation and growth (or aggregation) mechanism. The fast addition promotes a larger nucleation rate, thus favoring the formation of small and uniform particles. For the drop-by-drop addition, for which the polymer solubility gradually decreases, the composition trajectories systematically cross an intermediate unstable region between the solubility limit of the polymer and the Ouzo domain. This leads to heterogeneous nucleation as shown by the formation of larger and less stable particles. Particles formed in the Ouzo domain have semi-crystalline properties. The PCL melting point is decreased with the THF fraction trapped in particles in accordance with Flory's theory for melt crystallization. On the other hand, the degree of crystallinity is constant, around 20% regardless of the THF fraction. No difference between fast and slow addition could be detected on the semi-crystalline properties of the particles which emphasize that thermodynamic rather than kinetic factors drive the polymer crystallization in particles. The recovery of bulk PCL crystallinity after the removal of THF from particles tends to confirm this hypothesis.

Controlling and Predicting Nanoparticle Formation by Block Copolymer Directed Rapid Precipitations

Nanoparticles have shown promise in several biomedical applications, including drug delivery and medical imaging; however, quantitative prediction of nanoparticle formation processes that scale from laboratory to commercial production has been lacking. Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) is a scalable technique to form highly loaded, block copolymer protected nanoparticles. Here, the FNP process is shown to strictly obey diffusion-limited aggregation assembly kinetics, and the parameters that control the nanoparticle size and the polymer brush density on the nanoparticle surface are shown. The particle size, ranging from 40 to 200 nm, is insensitive to the molecular weight and chemical composition of the hydrophobic encapsulated material, which is shown to be a consequence of the diffusion-limited growth kinetics. In a simple model derived from these kinetics, a single constant describes the 46 unique nanoparticle formulations produced here. The polymer brush densities on the nanoparticle surface are weakly dependent on the process parameters and are among the densest reported in the literature. Though modest differences in brush densities are observed, there is no measurable difference in the amount of protein adsorbed within this range. This work highlights the material-independent and universal nature of the Flash NanoPrecipitation process, allowing for the rapid translation of formulations to different stabilizing polymers and therapeutic loads.

Engineering and delivery of nanocolloids of hydrophobic drugs

A lot of efforts have been devoted to engineering the delivery of hydrophobic drugs due to the high demand of chemotherapy against cancer. While early developed liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles did not meet the requirements of high drug loading efficiency, pure drug nanoparticles appeared to meet these together with high stability. Current drug delivery systems demand an improved performance over the whole aspects of stability, loading capacity, and therapeutic effects. As a result, both new techniques based on traditional methods and totally new procedures are under investigation. In this review, we focus on the evaluation of pure drug nanolloids fabricated by different engineering protocols with emphasis on the size and morphology, delivery and controlled release, and therapeutic effects of these drug nanocolloids.

Nanoparticle Analysis by Online Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography combining Hydrodynamic Chromatography and Size-Exclusion Chromatography with Intermediate Sample Transformation

Polymeric nanoparticles have become indispensable in modern society with a wide array of applications ranging from waterborne coatings to drug-carrier-delivery systems. While a large range of techniques exist to determine a multitude of properties of these particles, relating physicochemical properties of the particle to the chemical structure of the intrinsic polymers is still challenging. A novel, highly orthogonal separation system based on comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) has been developed. The system combines hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) in the first-dimension to separate the particles based on their size, with ultrahigh-performance size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) in the second dimension to separate the constituting polymer molecules according to their hydrodynamic radius for each of 80 to 100 separated fractions. A chip-based mixer is incorporated to transform the sample by dissolving the separated nanoparticles from the first-dimension online in tetrahydrofuran. The polymer bands are then focused using stationary-phase-assisted modulation to enhance sensitivity, and the water from the first-dimension eluent is largely eliminated to allow interaction-free SEC. Using the developed system, the combined two-dimensional distribution of the particle-size and the molecular-size of a mixture of various polystyrene (PS) and polyacrylate (PACR) nanoparticles has been obtained within 60 min.

Efficacy assessment of self-assembled PLGA-PEG-PLGA nanoparticles: Correlation of nano-bio interface interactions, biodistribution, internalization and gene expression studies

The aim of our study was to develop and compare the biological performance of two types of biodegradable SN-38 loaded nanoparticles (NPs) with various surface properties, composed of low and high Mw triblock PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymers, applying rational quality and safety by design approach. Therefore, along with the optimization of crucial physico-chemical properties and in order to evaluate the therapeutical potential and biocompatibility of prepared polymeric nanoparticles, analysis of nano-bio interactions, cell internalization, gene expression and biodistribution studies were performed. The optimized formulations, one of low Mw and one composed of high Mw PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymer, exhibited different characteristics in terms of surface properties, particle size, zeta potential, drug loading, protein adsorption and biodistribution, which may be attributed to the variations in nano-bio interface interactions due to different NP building blocks length and Mw. On the contrary to protein adsorption and biodistribution studies, both types of NPs exhibited similar results during cell internalization and gene expression studies performed in cell culture medium containing serum proteins. This pool of useful data for internalization and efficacy as well as the notable advance in the circulation time of low Mw NPs may be further employed for shaping the potential of the designed nanocarriers.

Polymeric vesicle formation via temperature-assisted nanoprecipitation

We here report an easy and efficient strategy to prepare submicron-sized polymeric vesicles with tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a good solvent through temperature-assisted nanoprecipitation (TAN).

Preparation of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Vorinostat-Loaded Poly D, L-Lactide-co-Glycolide Polymeric Nanoparticles by Nanoprecipitation Method

Nanotechnology is a comparatively new branch of science that includes harnessing the unique properties of particles that are nanometers in scale. Nanoparticles can be tailored in a precise fashion where their size, composition, and surface chemistry can be carefully controlled. The nanoprecipitation is a simple, powerful, and low-energy requiring technique, commonly used for the preparation of defined nanoparticles. Histone deacetylase inhibitor Vorinostat-loaded Poly D, L-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) polymeric nanoparticles were prepared by the nanoprecipitation technique. The technique commonly relies on the precipitation of a solvent-dissolved material as nanosize particles after the addition to a non-solvent-containing stabilizer. The particle size and size distribution of the Vorinostat polymeric nanoparticles are significantly influenced by the surfactants used in the fabrication process of the formulation. The surfactants prevent aggregate formation and improve the stability of the nanoparticles. The partitioning and evaporation of organic solvents allowed the formation of Vorinostat-loaded polymeric nanoparticles.

SN-38 loading capacity of hydrophobic polymer blend nanoparticles: formulation, optimization and efficacy evaluation

One of the most important problems in nanoencapsulation of extremely hydrophobic drugs is poor drug loading due to rapid drug crystallization outside the polymer core. The effort to use nanoprecipitation, as a simple one-step procedure with good reproducibility and FDA approved polymers like Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and Polycaprolactone (PCL), will only potentiate this issue. Considering that drug loading is one of the key defining characteristics, in this study we attempted to examine whether the nanoparticle (NP) core composed of two hydrophobic polymers will provide increased drug loading for 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), relative to NPs prepared using individual polymers. D-optimal design was applied to optimize PLGA/PCL ratio in the polymer blend and the mode of addition of the amphiphilic copolymer Lutrol^®F127 in order to maximize SN-38 loading and obtain NPs with acceptable size for passive tumor targeting. Drug/polymer and polymer/polymer interaction analysis pointed to high degree of compatibility and miscibility among both hydrophobic polymers, providing core configuration with higher drug loading capacity. Toxicity studies outlined the biocompatibility of the blank NPs. Increased in vitro efficacy of drug-loaded NPs compared to the free drug was confirmed by growth inhibition studies using SW-480 cell line. Additionally, the optimized NP formulation showed very promising blood circulation profile with elimination half-time of 7.4 h.