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Aizik G, Ostertag-Hill CA, Chakraborty P, Choi W, Pan M, Mankus DV, Lytton-Jean AKR, Kohane DS. Injectable hydrogel based on liposome self-assembly for controlled release of small hydrophilic molecules. Acta Biomater 2024; 183:101-110. [PMID: 38834149 PMCID: PMC11239275 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Controlled release of low molecular weight hydrophilic drugs, administered locally, allows maintenance of high concentrations at the target site, reduces systemic side effects, and improves patient compliance. Injectable hydrogels are commonly used as a vehicle. However, slow release of low molecular weight hydrophilic drugs is very difficult to achieve, mainly due to a rapid diffusion of the drug out of the drug delivery system. Here we present an injectable and self-healing hydrogel based entirely on the self-assembly of liposomes. Gelation of liposomes, without damaging their structural integrity, was induced by modifying the cholesterol content and surface charge. The small hydrophilic molecule, sodium fluorescein, was loaded either within the extra-liposomal space or encapsulated into the aqueous cores of the liposomes. This encapsulation strategy enabled the achievement of controlled and adjustable release profiles, dependent on the mechanical strength of the gel. The hydrogel had a high mechanical strength, minimal swelling, and slow degradation. The liposome-based hydrogel had prolonged mechanical stability in vivo with benign tissue reaction. This work presents a new class of injectable hydrogel that holds promise as a versatile drug delivery system. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The porous nature of hydrogels poses a challenge for delivering small hydrophilic drug, often resulting in initial burst release and shorten duration of release. This issue is particularly pronounced with physically crosslinked hydrogels, since their matrix can swell and dissipate rapidly, but even in cases where the polymers in the hydrogel are covalently cross-linked, small molecules can be rapidly released through its porous mesh. Here we present an injectable self-healing hydrogel based entirely on the self-assembly of liposomes. Small hydrophilic molecules were entrapped inside the extra-liposomal space or loaded into the aqueous cores of the liposomes, allowing controlled and tunable release profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Aizik
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Claire A Ostertag-Hill
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Priyadarshi Chakraborty
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wonmin Choi
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michelle Pan
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David V Mankus
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Abigail K R Lytton-Jean
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel S Kohane
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Binaymotlagh R, Hajareh Haghighi F, Chronopoulou L, Palocci C. Liposome-Hydrogel Composites for Controlled Drug Delivery Applications. Gels 2024; 10:284. [PMID: 38667703 PMCID: PMC11048854 DOI: 10.3390/gels10040284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Various controlled delivery systems (CDSs) have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of traditional drug formulations (tablets, capsules, syrups, ointments, etc.). Among innovative CDSs, hydrogels and liposomes have shown great promise for clinical applications thanks to their cost-effectiveness, well-known chemistry and synthetic feasibility, biodegradability, biocompatibility and responsiveness to external stimuli. To date, several liposomal- and hydrogel-based products have been approved to treat cancer, as well as fungal and viral infections, hence the integration of liposomes into hydrogels has attracted increasing attention because of the benefit from both of them into a single platform, resulting in a multifunctional drug formulation, which is essential to develop efficient CDSs. This short review aims to present an updated report on the advancements of liposome-hydrogel systems for drug delivery purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roya Binaymotlagh
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Farid Hajareh Haghighi
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Chronopoulou
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Cleofe Palocci
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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3
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Sanati M, Amin Yavari S. Liposome-integrated hydrogel hybrids: Promising platforms for cancer therapy and tissue regeneration. J Control Release 2024; 368:703-727. [PMID: 38490373 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Drug delivery platforms have gracefully emerged as an indispensable component of novel cancer chemotherapy, bestowing targeted drug distribution, elevating therapeutic effects, and reducing the burden of unwanted side effects. In this context, hybrid delivery systems artfully harnessing the virtues of liposomes and hydrogels bring remarkable benefits, especially for localized cancer therapy, including intensified stability, excellent amenability to hydrophobic and hydrophilic medications, controlled liberation behavior, and appropriate mucoadhesion to mucopenetration shift. Moreover, three-dimensional biocompatible liposome-integrated hydrogel networks have attracted unprecedented interest in tissue regeneration, given their tunable architecture and physicochemical properties, as well as enhanced mechanical support. This review elucidates and presents cutting-edge developments in recruiting liposome-integrated hydrogel systems for cancer treatment and tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Sanati
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran; Experimental and Animal Study Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
| | - Saber Amin Yavari
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Regenerative Medicine Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Swain JWR, Yang CY, Hartgerink JD. Orthogonal Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Peptide Hydrogels and Liposomes Results in Composite Materials with Tunable Release Profiles. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:5018-5026. [PMID: 37690094 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Self-assembled nanomaterials are promising candidates for drug delivery by providing a higher degree of spatiotemporal control compared to free drugs. However, challenges such as burst release, inadequate targeting, and drug-nanomaterial incompatibility leave room for improvement. The combination of orthogonal self-assembling systems can result in more useful materials that improve upon these weaknesses. In this work, we investigate an orthogonal self-assembling system of nanofibrous MultiDomain Peptide (MDP) hydrogels encapsulating liposomes. Both positively charged and negatively charged MDPs were prepared and mixed with positively charged, negatively charged, or zwitterionic liposomes for a total of six composites. We demonstrate that, despite both systems being amphiphilic, they are able to mix while retaining their independent identities. We show that changing the charge of either liposomes or MDPs does not hinder the self-assembly of either system or significantly affect their rheological properties. In all six cases, small molecules encapsulated in liposome-MDP composites resulted in slower release than was possible in MDP hydrogels alone. However, in one case, positively charged MDPs destabilized negatively charged liposomes and resulted in a unique release profile. Finally, we show that MDP hydrogels substantially decrease the release of chemotherapeutic doxorubicin from its liposomal formulation, Doxil, for 24 h. This work demonstrates the chemical compatibility of amphiphilic, orthogonally self-assembled systems and the range of their drug-delivering capabilities.
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Pourtalebi Jahromi L, Rothammer M, Fuhrmann G. Polysaccharide hydrogel platforms as suitable carriers of liposomes and extracellular vesicles for dermal applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115028. [PMID: 37517778 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Lipid-based nanocarriers have been extensively investigated for their application in drug delivery. Particularly, liposomes are now clinically established for treating various diseases such as fungal infections. In contrast, extracellular vesicles (EVs) - small cell-derived nanoparticles involved in cellular communication - have just recently sparked interest as drug carriers but their development is still at the preclinical level. To drive this development further, the methods and technologies exploited in the context of liposome research should be applied in the domain of EVs to facilitate and accelerate their clinical translation. One of the crucial steps for EV-based therapeutics is designing them as proper dosage forms for specific applications. This review offers a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art polysaccharide-based hydrogel platforms designed for artificial and natural vesicles with application in drug delivery to the skin. We discuss their various physicochemical and biological properties and try to create a sound basis for the optimization of EV-embedded hydrogels as versatile therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Pourtalebi Jahromi
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Pharmaceutical Biology, Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus Rothammer
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Pharmaceutical Biology, Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gregor Fuhrmann
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department of Biology, Pharmaceutical Biology, Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany; FAU NeW, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
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6
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Injectable hydrogel encapsulated with VEGF-mimetic peptide-loaded nanoliposomes promotes peripheral nerve repair in vivo. Acta Biomater 2023; 160:225-238. [PMID: 36774975 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Repair of peripheral nerve crush injury remains a major clinical challenge. Currently, oral or intravenous neurotrophic drugs are the main treatment for peripheral nerve crush injury; however, this repair process is slow, and the final effect may be uncertain. The current study aimed at developing an injectable hydrogel with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mimetic peptide (QK)-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs@Gel) for sustainable drug release that creates an appropriate microenvironment for nerve regeneration. The QK-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs) could facilitate the proliferation, migration, and tube formation capacities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells through the VEGF signaling pathway. The QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel encapsulated with QK-NLs showed enhanced physical properties and appropriate biocompatibility in vitro. Thereafter, the QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel was directly injected into the site of peripheral nerve crush injury in a rat model, where it enhanced revascularization and promoted the M2-polarization of the macrophages, thus providing an optimized microenvironment for nerve regeneration. At four weeks post-surgery, the QK-NLs@Gel injected rats exhibited enhanced axon regeneration, remyelination, and better functional recovery in comparison with other groups in vivo. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the composite hydrogel could promote a multicellular pro-regenerative microenvironment at the peripheral nerve injury site, thus revealing great potential for peripheral nerve restoration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a leading public health issue, and how to delivery beneficial drugs to injured sites efficiently is still a big challenge. In the current study, an injectable hydrogel with VEGF-mimetic peptide (QK)-encapsulated nanoliposomes (QK-NLs@Gel) was first developed and used to repair a rat crush injury model. Our results showed that QK-NLs promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HUVEC via VEGF signaling pathway in vitro. Furthermore, when injected to the crushed sites in vivo, the QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel could accelerate nerve repair through enhanced revascularization and M2-polarization of macrophages. These results collectively demonstrate that injection of QK-NLs@Gel hydrogel could create an appropriate microenvironment for peripheral nerve regeneration. This strategy is effective, economical, and convenient for clinical applications.
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Kumar D, Dua K, Tiwari S. Localized Delivery of Bioactives using Structured Liposomal Gels. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:3206-3220. [PMID: 37974442 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128263001231102053654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Liposomes have gained a lot of interest for drug delivery applications, and some of these preparations have been commercialized. These are formulated with biocompatible components and can be used for delivering a wide range of payloads differing in aqueous solubility and molecular weight. Liposome-based delivery approaches are limited mainly by two factors: (a) poor dispersion stability, and (b) pre-mature leakage of payloads. In this review, we have discussed the stabilization of liposomal vesicles by their entrapment in hydrogels. Studies reveal that such hydrogels can maintain the structural integrity of liposomes. Release of liposomes from the hydrogel network can be modulated through careful screening of matrix former and degree of its cross-linking. Accordingly, we have reviewed the approaches of stabilizing liposomal vesicles through entrapment in hydrogels. Application of liposome-embedded hydrogels has been reviewed in context of localized drug delivery. Our discussion is focussed on the delivery of bioactives to the skin. Such an approach appears alluring from the standpoint of minimizing the undesirable distribution of payload(s) the systemic circulation and off-target sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Raebareli, Lucknow 226002, India
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Sanjay Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Raebareli, Lucknow 226002, India
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8
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Mou Y, Zhang P, Lai WF, Zhang D. Design and applications of liposome-in-gel as carriers for cancer therapy. Drug Deliv 2022; 29:3245-3255. [PMID: 36310364 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2022.2139021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has long been a hot research topic, and recent years have witnessed the incidence of cancer trending toward younger individuals with great socioeconomic burden. Even with surgery, therapeutic agents serve as the mainstay to combat cancer in the clinic. Intensive research on nanomaterials can overcome the shortcomings of conventional drug delivery approaches, such as the lack of selectivity for targeted regions, poor stability against degradation, and uncontrolled drug release behavior. Over the years, different types of drug carriers have been developed for cancer therapy. One of these is liposome-in-gel (LP-Gel), which has combined the merits of both liposomes and hydrogels, and has emerged as a versatile carrier for cancer therapy. LP-Gel hybrids have addressed the lack of stability of conventional liposomes against pH and ionic strength while displaying higher efficiency of delivery hydrophilic drugs as compared to conventional gels. They can be classified into three types according to their assembled structure, are characterized by their nontoxicity, biodegradability, and flexibility for clinical use, and can be mainly categorized based on their controlled release, transmucosal delivery, and transdermal delivery properties for anticancer therapy. This review covers the recent progress on the applications of LP-Gel hybrids for anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Mou
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Urology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pu Zhang
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Urology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wing-Fu Lai
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Urology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Dahong Zhang
- Urology & Nephrology Center, Department of Urology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China
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9
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Trucillo P, Sofia D, Cortese L, Urciuolo M. Production of Q10+B2 nanostructured lipid carriers and optimization of their entrapment capacities. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 217:112653. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Ganesh S, Subraveti SN, Raghavan SR. How a Gel Can Protect an Egg: A Flexible Hydrogel with Embedded Starch Particles Shields Fragile Objects Against Impact. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:20014-20022. [PMID: 35442632 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c01261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels are networks of polymer chains that are swollen in water. In recent years, several routes have been devised to make hydrogels that are flexible and bendable. This work investigates whether such flexible gels can be wrapped around brittle or fragile objects (such as an egg or a fruit) and protect the objects against impact. We study gels made by either physical cross-linking (e.g., gelatin) or chemical cross-linking (e.g., acrylamide) and the same gels with various particulate additives. None of the bare gels are protective, and nanoparticles like iron oxide or silica do not help. However, the addition of starch granules to the above gels greatly enhances their protective abilities. When a load strikes a gelatin gel containing 20% starch, the peak impact force is reduced by 25% when compared to a bare gel without the starch. Correspondingly, the coefficient of restitution (COR) is also lowered by the presence of starch (i.e., a ball bounces less on a starch-bearing gel). We correlate the impact-absorbing effects of starch granules to their ability to shear-thicken water. When starch granules are gelatinized by heat, they no longer give rise to shear-thickening, and in turn, their protective ability in a gel is also eliminated. Our research can guide the rational design of protective coatings or armor for fragile objects, which could be applied in the sports, defense, and consumer sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sairam Ganesh
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Sai Nikhil Subraveti
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Srinivasa R Raghavan
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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11
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Manna S, Jana S. Marine Polysaccharides in Tailor- Made Drug Delivery. Curr Pharm Des 2022; 28:1046-1066. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220328122539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract:
Marine sources have attracted much interest as an emerging source of biomaterials in drug delivery applications. Amongst all other marine biopolymers, polysaccharides have been the mostly investigated class of biomaterials. The low cytotoxic behavior, in combination with the newly explored health benefits of marine polysaccharides has made it one of the prime research areas in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. In this review, we focused on all available marine polysaccharides, including their classification based on biological sources. The applications of several marine polysaccharides in recent years for tissue-specific novel drug delivery including gastrointestinal, brain tissue, transdermal, ocular, liver, and lung have also been discussed here. The abundant availability in nature, cost-effective extraction, and purification process along with a favorable biodegradable profile will encourage researchers to continue investigating marine polysaccharides for exploring newer applications in targeting specific delivery of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejan Manna
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Brainware University, Barasat, Kolkata, West Bengal -700125, India
| | - Sougata Jana
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Gupta College of Technological Sciences, Ashram More, G.T. Road, Asansol-713301, West Bengal, India
- Department of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate of Health Services, Kolkata, India
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12
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Novel Hydrogel Material with Tailored Internal Architecture Modified by “Bio” Amphiphilic Components—Design and Analysis by a Physico-Chemical Approach. Gels 2022; 8:gels8020115. [PMID: 35200496 PMCID: PMC8872166 DOI: 10.3390/gels8020115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, hydrogels are found in many applications ranging from the industrial to the biological (e.g., tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, cosmetics, water treatment, and many more). According to the specific needs of individual applications, it is necessary to be able to modify the properties of hydrogel materials, particularly the transport and mechanical properties related to their structure, which are crucial for the potential use of the hydrogels in modern material engineering. Therefore, the possibility of preparing hydrogel materials with tunable properties is a very real topic and is still being researched. A simple way to modify these properties is to alter the internal structure by adding another component. The addition of natural substances is convenient due to their biocompatibility and the possibility of biodegradation. Therefore, this work focused on hydrogels modified by a substance that is naturally found in the tissues of our body, namely lecithin. Hydrogels were prepared by different types of crosslinking (physical, ionic, and chemical). Their mechanical properties were monitored and these investigations were supplemented by drying and rehydration measurements, and supported by the morphological characterization of xerogels. With the addition of natural lecithin, it is possible to modify crucial properties of hydrogels such as porosity and mechanical properties, which will play a role in the final applications.
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Agrawal NR, Omarova M, Burni F, John VT, Raghavan SR. Spontaneous Formation of Stable Vesicles and Vesicle Gels in Polar Organic Solvents. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:7955-7965. [PMID: 34169719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The self-assembly of lipids into nanoscale vesicles (liposomes) is routinely accomplished in water. However, reports of similar vesicles in polar organic solvents like glycerol, formamide, and ethylene glycol (EG) are scarce. Here, we demonstrate the formation of nanoscale vesicles in glycerol, formamide, and EG using the common phospholipid lecithin (derived from soy). The samples we study are simple binary mixtures of lecithin and the solvent, with no additional cosurfactants or salt. Lecithin dissolves readily in the solvents and spontaneously gives rise to viscous fluids at low lipid concentrations (∼2-4%), with structures ∼200 nm detected by dynamic light scattering. At higher concentrations (>10%), lecithin forms clear gels that are strongly birefringent at rest. Dynamic rheology confirms the elastic response of gels, with their elastic modulus being ∼20 Pa at ∼10% lipid. Images from cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) indicate that concentrated samples are "vesicle gels," where multilamellar vesicles (MLVs, also called "onions"), with diameters between 50 and 600 nm, are close-packed across the sample volume. This structure can explain both the elastic rheology as well as the static birefringence of the samples. The discovery of vesicles and vesicle gels in polar solvents widens the scope of systems that can be created by self-assembly. Interestingly, it is much easier to form vesicles in polar solvents than in water, and the former are stable indefinitely, whereas the latter tend to aggregate or coalesce over time. The stability is attributed to refractive index-matching between lipid bilayers and the solvents, i.e., these vesicles are relatively "invisible" and thus experience only weak attractions. The ability to use lipids (which are "green" or eco-friendly molecules derived from renewable natural sources) to thicken and form gels in polar solvents could also prove useful in a variety of areas, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niti R Agrawal
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Marzhana Omarova
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, United States
| | - Faraz Burni
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Vijay T John
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, United States
| | - Srinivasa R Raghavan
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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14
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Sakuta H, Fujita F, Hamada T, Hayashi M, Takiguchi K, Tsumoto K, Yoshikawa K. Self-Emergent Protocells Generated in an Aqueous Solution with Binary Macromolecules through Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation. Chembiochem 2020; 21:3323-3328. [PMID: 32667694 PMCID: PMC7754443 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recently, liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has attracted considerable attention among researchers in the life sciences as a plausible mechanism for the generation of microstructures inside cells. LLPS occurs through multiple nonspecific interactions and does not always require a lock-and-key interaction with a binary macromolecular solution. The remarkable features of LLPS include the non-uniform localization and concentration of solutes, resulting in the ability to isolate certain chemical systems and thereby parallelize multiple chemical reactions within the limited space of a living cell. We report that, by using the macromolecules, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran, that exhibit LLPS in an aqueous solution, cell-sized liposomes are spontaneously formed therein in the presence of phospholipids. In this system, LLPS is generated through the depletion effect of macromolecules. The results showed that cell-like microdroplets entrapping DNA wrapped by a phospholipid layer emerge in a self-organized manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Sakuta
- Graduate School of Life and Medical SciencesDoshisha UniversityTataramiyakodani 1–3Kyotanabe, Kyoto610-0394Japan
| | - Fumika Fujita
- Graduate School of Life and Medical SciencesDoshisha UniversityTataramiyakodani 1–3Kyotanabe, Kyoto610-0394Japan
| | - Tsutomu Hamada
- School of Materials ScienceJapan Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyNomi, Ishikawa923-1292Japan
| | - Masahito Hayashi
- Department of Frontier BioscienceHosei UniversityKoganei, Tokyo184-8584Japan
| | - Kingo Takiguchi
- Graduate School of ScienceNagoya University Furo-cho, Chikusa-kuNagoya, Aichi464-8602Japan
| | - Kanta Tsumoto
- Division of Chemistry for Materials Graduate School of EngineeringMie UniversityKurimamachiya-cho 1577Tsu, Mie514-8507Japan
| | - Kenichi Yoshikawa
- Graduate School of Life and Medical SciencesDoshisha UniversityTataramiyakodani 1–3Kyotanabe, Kyoto610-0394Japan
- Center for Integrative Medicine and PhysicsInstitute for Advanced StudyKyoto UniversityKyoto606-8501Japan
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