Biocompatible Polyelectrolytes Research Articles

Sonication-Assisted Synthesis of Polyelectrolyte-Coated Curcumin Nanoparticles

A new method of nanoparticle formulation for poorly water-soluble materials was demonstrated for curcumin. The drug was dissolved in organic solvent that is miscible with water (ethanol), and drug nucleation was initiated by gradual worsening of the solution by the addition of an aqueous polyelectrolyte assisted by ultrasonication. Curcumin crystals of 60-100 nm size were obtained depending on the component concentrations, sonication power, and initial solvent. Layer-by-layer shell assembly with biocompatible polyelectrolytes was used to provide a particle coating with a high surface potential and the stabilization of drug nanocolloids. Polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer encapsulation allowed sustained drug release from nanoparticles over the range of 10-20 h.

Mechanism of Protein Release from Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Microcapsules

The development of polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules as a delivery system containing bioactive compounds strongly depends on understanding of the major factors that influence capsules' loading and release of incorporated substances. Mechanism of protein release from biocompatible polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules has been examined using two different approaches of protein encapsulation: (i) "preloading" via coprecipitation of tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC)-labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) (TRITC-BSA) into CaCO(3) particles followed by multilayer assembly and (ii) "postloading" of TRITC-BSA in preformed empty capsules templated on pure CaCO(3) particles taken in the same amount as in "preloading" approach. Polysaccharides (alginate (Alg) or dextran sulfate (Dex)) and polyarginine (PAr) were used as layer constituents. On the basis of the effects of capsule shell composition and thickness, method of protein encapsulation, volume of the surrounding medium, and frequency of medium refreshment on protein release profile, we reveal a mechanism of protein release. The key phenomenon determining the protein release is the property of multilayer polyelectrolyte shells relating to the entrapping and accumulation of protein molecules. The results obtained together with the suggested mechanism of capsule loading and protein release allow us to propose the use of polyelectrolyte microcapsules as a depot system to supply and maintain a defined level of macromolecular drug concentration in surrounding medium.

Design of Smart Nanofilms for Regenerative Medicine

Wound healing can be classified into several categories based their severity. There are many modalities to achieve wound healing but, the significant variety in wound types fosters a need to develop more advanced modalities that accelerate the wound healing process. This project developed a smart nanofilm using biocompatible polyelectrolyte nanofilm multilayers (PNMs) with embedded growth factors. PNMs were achieved using nebulization, an expedient tool for nanoassembly. Nebulization significantly reduces deposition time and does note compromise nanofilm characteristics. Oppositely charged PNMs, Chondroitin Sulfate (CS), Protamine Sulfate (PS), Poly‐L‐lysine (PLL) and Poly‐Glutamic acid (PGA), served as effective nanoarchitectures. PNMs (with/without platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) were formed on organtypic keratinocyte cultures (with/without wound creation). PNMs were assembled with PDGF as an active component in deep, double layered, or superficial ten‐layer architectures. AFM analysis demonstrated that heightened surface roughness and thickness is achieved with the nebulization technique when compared to the nanoassembly. Nanofilms further enhanced cell adhesion, proliferation and protein synthesis. The study suggests that bioactive, PNMs, acting as a local drug delivery system and dressing can enhance the initial stages of cutaneous wound healing.Grant Funding Source: National Science Foundation

Simultaneous Enhancement of Photothermal Stability and Gene Delivery Efficacy of Gold Nanorods Using Polyelectrolytes

The propensity of nanoparticles to aggregate in aqueous media hinders their effective use in biomedical applications. Gold nanorods (GNRs) have been investigated as therapeutics, imaging agents, and diagnostics. We report that chemically generated gold nanorods rapidly aggregate in biologically relevant media. Depositing polyelectrolyte multilayers on gold nanorods enhanced the stability of these nanoparticles for at least up to 4 weeks. Dispersions of polyelectrolyte (PE)-gold nanorod assemblies (PE-GNRs) demonstrate a stable Arrhenius-like photothermal response, which was exploited for the hyperthermic ablation of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Subtoxic concentrations of PE-GNR assemblies were also employed for delivering exogenous plasmid DNA to prostate cancer cells. PE-GNRs based on a cationic polyelectrolyte recently synthesized in our laboratory demonstrated higher transfection efficacy and lower cytotoxicity compared to those based on polyethyleneimine, a current standard for polymer-mediated gene delivery. Our results indicate that judicious engineering of biocompatible polyelectrolytes leads to multifunctional gold nanorod-based assemblies that combine high stability and low cytotoxicity with photothermal ablation, gene delivery, and optical imaging capabilities on a single platform.

Silencing Red Blood Cell Recognition toward Anti-A Antibody by Means of Polyelectrolyte Layer-by-Layer Assembly in a Two-Dimensional Model System

Silencing the antigenic response of red blood cells (RBCs) is a prerequisite toward the development of universal blood transfusion. Using a two-dimensional (2D) model whereby nonfixed RBCs are adsorbed on a human fibronectin (HFN)-coated surface, we demonstrate that the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique of biocompatible polyelectrolytes can be employed to achieve the immunocamouflage of RBCs against the Anti-A antibody while maintaining the integrity and viability of the cells. The multilayered film consisted of a protecting shell (P-shell), containing five bilayers of chitosan-graft-phosphorylcholine (CH-PC) and sodium hyaluronate (HA), covered by a camouflage shell (C-shell) made up of five bilayers of poly-(L-lysine)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLL-PEG) and alginate (AL). Control experiments in which RBCs were coated by (CH-PC/HA)(10) bilayers indicated that the two polyelectrolytes alone did not prevent immunorecognition. The LbL film formation on RBCs and model substrates was monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation factor (QCM-D) and analyzed through zeta-potential measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical microscopy. Antibody interaction with the coated RBCs was investigated by QCM-D, fluorescence microscopy, and hemolysis assays. Results from these measurements demonstrated that the hybrid LbL system built-up with different sets of polyelectrolytes was able to protect the RBCs from hemolysis and recognition by the Anti-A antibody.

Composite multilayered biocompatible polyelectrolyte films with intact liposomes: stability and temperature triggered dye release.

The design of new quasi-2D biocompatible films able to release a drug in a controlled manner through the application of physical stimuli is of outstanding interest in biomaterials science. Herein, construction of composite nanofilms with multiple strata of stabilized large unilamellar liposomes is developed. The film has a multilayered architecture formed by the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique utilising two biocompatible polyelectrolytes, hyaluronic acid and poly-l-lysine (HA and PLL), onto which phospholipid liposome "interlayers" are adsorbed and subsequently embedded by further polyelectrolyte adsorption. First of all the morphology of the film surface is characterised and compared to the morphology obtained for a film containing the same polyelectrolytes but stiff polystyrene (PS) latex particles instead of the soft phospholipid vesicles. Both morphologies appear to be similar suggesting that the embedded vesicles keep their spherical shape. As a second step, it has been shown that carboxyfluorescein (CF) encapsulated in the vesicles remains inside without sustained release at room temperature indicating that the liposomes stay intact upon LbL immobilization. A substantial fraction (about 70%) of the vesicles absorbed onto the polyelectrolyte film are desorbed upon further polyelectrolyte adsorption to reach the embedded state. Hence to achieve high loading of the film, multiple vesicle depositions have to be performed. It is shown that the total number of deposited vesicles on the film is proportional to the number m of vesicle deposition steps (up to m = 3). The encapsulated dye can be released in a controlled manner by a temperature increase above the main phase transition temperature of the lipid mixture used to prepare the vesicles. Release kinetics is faster for film-entrapped vesicles than for those in solution due to destabilization of the lipidic bilayer by the polyelectrolyte environment. The developed composite films represent a new surface biocoating able to preserve, in native state, or to release in a controlled way, surface immobilized materials under external stimuli.

Magnetic/gold nanoparticle functionalized biocompatible microcapsules with sensitivity to laser irradiation

Nanocomposite microcapsules with both gold and magnetite nanoparticles in the shell were prepared in a layer-by-layer procedure using biocompatible polyelectrolytes and nanoparticles. The process of a nanocomposite multilayer formation was investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). In addition, nanocomposite microcapsules were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). It is found that the amount of adsorbed nanoparticles is similar for nanoparticles of various sizes, while the concentration of gold nanoparticles in the shell is higher for smaller nanoparticles. Adsorption of gold nanoparticles is found to be more effective than adsorption of magnetic nanoparticles. Multifunctionality of microcapsules is manifested by dual: magnetic and optical responses. Iron oxide nanoparticles embedded in the microcapsule shell allowed for control over capsules positioning by external magnetic fields. Furthermore, the nanocomposite microcapsules could be opened by laser irradiation; these results are of interest for medical and biological applications.

Synthesis of polymer-stabilized magnetic nanoparticles and fabrication of nanocomposite fibers thereof using electrospinning

Polymer-stabilized magnetic nanoparticles were obtained using two biocompatible polyelectrolytes: N-carboxyethylchitosan (CECh) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS). The size of the particles (mean diameter 10 or 30nm, respectively) and the stability of the dispersions could be effectively controlled depending on the polyelectrolyte nature. The presence of polyelectrolyte shell was proved by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies and confirmed by thermogravimetric analyses. Depending on the polyelectrolyte nature the magnetic nanoparticles existed in different magnetic states – superparamagnetic or intermediate state between superparamagnetic and ferrimagnetic one, as evidenced by the measurements of the magnetization and Mössbauer analyses. Fabrication of nanocomposite magnetic fibers with mean diameter in the range 100–500nm was achieved using electrospinning of the system CECh/ferrofluid/non-ionogenic polymer.

Layersome: Development and optimization of stable liposomes as drug delivery system

This paper describes the development of stable drug delivery systems named layersomes. The layersomes are conventional liposomes coated with one or multiple layers of biocompatible polyelectrolytes in order to stabilise their structure. The formulation strategy is based on an alternative coating procedure of positive poly(lysine) (pLL) and negative poly(glutamic acid) (pGA) polypeptides on initially charged small unilamellar liposomes (SUVs). The size distribution and the zeta potential of the final entity depend on the number of polyelectrolyte layers and the charge of the last coating layer. Morphological studies were achieved by flux cytometry and cryo electron microscopy. Release studies of encapsulated hydrophilic 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (5,6CF) in the presence of Triton ® or ethanol showed an increased membrane resistance of the layersomes compared to classical SUVs. Finally, encapsulation of piroxicam (PX) was performed with success.

Water-Dissolvable Sodium Sulfate Nanowires as a Versatile Template for the Fabrication of Polyelectrolyte- and Metal-Based Nanotubes

This study presents the synthesis of water-dissolvable sodium sulfate nanowires, where Na(2)SO(4) nanowires were produced by an easy reflux process in an organic solvent, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and formed from the coexistence of AgNO(3), SnCl(2), dodecylsodium sulfate (SDS), and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Na(2)SO(4) nanowires were derived from SDS, and the morphology control of the Na(2)SO(4) nanowires was established by the cooperative effects of Sn and NO(3)(-), while CTAB served as the template and led to homogeneous nanowires with a smooth surface. Since the as-synthesized sodium sulfate nanowires are readily dissolved in water, these nanowires can be treated as soft templates for the fabrication of nanotubes by removing the Na(2)SO(4) core. This process is therefore significantly better than other reported methodologies to remove the templates under harsh condition. We have demonstrated the preparation of biocompatible polyelectrolyte (PE) nanotubes using a layer-by-layer (LbL) method on the Na(2)SO(4) nanowires and the formation of Au nanotubes by the self-assembly of Au nanoparticles. In both nanotube synthesis processes, PEI (polyethylenimine), PAA (poly(acrylic acid)), and Au nanoparticles served as the building blocks on the Na(2)SO(4) templates, which were then rinsed with water to remove the core templates. This unique water-dissolvable template is anticipated to bring about versatile and flexible downstream applications.

Polyelectrolyte Nano-scaffolds for the Design of Layered Cellular Architectures

The design of in vitro multilayered cellular architectures that resemble the stratified, lattice-like structure in tissues poses a significant challenge for tissue engineering. There is currently no generally applicable methodology to design multilayered cellular constructs that mimic the structure of tissues in vivo. We report a novel and generalizable approach to create multilayered cellular constructs that addresses these issues. These in vitro constructs comprise alternating layers of cells and nano-scale biocompatible polyelectrolyte (PE) scaffolds. We apply this methodology to address two specific problems in hepatic tissue engineering: the design of in vitro liver sinusoidal structures and the critical need to increase viable cell mass in extracorporeal liver-assist devices. We assembled ultrathin polymer scaffolds on the top of a confluent monolayer of cells by the sequential deposition of oppositely charged PEs. The thickness of the PE scaffold lies in the nanometer range. The PE scaffold plays a dual role. First, it is a technique to culture hepatocytes in vitro that maintains their morphology, cytoskeletal structure, and liver-specific functions. Second, the nano-scaffold provides a cell-adhesive surface on which a second layer of cells can be cultured, resulting in layered architectures. We have used this approach to design layered three-dimensional hepatocyte-PE-hepatocyte constructs, hepatocyte-PE-endothelial cell constructs, and hepatocyte-PE-fibroblast constructs. As a result of its versatility, this approach can, in principle, be used to design layered cellular constructs of any tissue type, and therefore has potentially wide applications in tissue engineering, bioreactor devices, and in drug delivery. This methodology has the potential to generate realistic in vitro constructs of any tissue type.

Chemo‐Enzymatic Synthesis of Raffinose‐Branched Polyelectrolytes and Self‐Assembly Application in Microcapsules

A novel biocompatible polyelectrolyte poly(vinyl raffinose-co-acrylic acid) (PRCA) containing a raffinose branch was prepared via redox polymerization using Fe(2+)/K(2)S(2)O(8)/H(2)O(2) starting from enzymatically-synthesized monomer: 1-O-vinyldecanedioyl raffinose. Copolymers with different monomer feed ratios were prepared and characterized with IR, NMR, and GPC. PRCA can be alternated with polycation to form microcapsules on a crystals template by electrostatic layer-by-layer technique. The multilayers of PRCA/poly(methacryloyloxyethyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride) (PMBA) on quartz slides and PRCA/poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA) on acyclovir crystals template were fabricated and characterized with UV-Vis spectra, the microelectrophoretic measurement, and TEM. Hollow capsules can be formed after the removal of acyclovir crystals template in a buffer solution. The nano-capsule-carrying galactose residue is a potential targeting drug-controlled delivery systems.

Preparation and characterization of biocompatible polyelectrolyte complex multilayer of hyaluronic acid and poly- l-lysine

A novel biocompatible polyelectrolyte complex multilayer (PECML) was successfully prepared using hyaluronic acid (HA) and poly- l-lysine (PLL). The formation of PECML through the electrostatic interaction of HA as a polyanion and PLL as a polycation was confirmed by contact angle measurement, ESCA analysis and HA content analysis. According to the Carbazole assay, HA content increased rapidly up to eight cycles for HA/PLL deposition and then slightly increased with an increasing number of deposition cycle. In vitro release of PLL from the PECML continued up to 4 days exhibiting different release profiles depending on the outer layer of PECML. This result provides evidence for PLL diffusion throughout PECML of HA and PLL during the multilayer buildup. About 25% of HA remained on the cover glass after the in vitro release test for 7 days. From the results, we confirmed that PECML of HA and PLL could remain at least partially on the chitosan-coated cover glass for 7 days. The surface modification with PECML resulted in drastically reduced peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) attachment according to the lactate dehydrogenase assay for cell counting. This nano-scale control of material deposition may be successfully applied for surface modification of various biomaterials.

Free standing membranes made of biocompatible polyelectrolytes using the layer by layer method

The build up of biocompatible and biodegradable free standing polyelectrolyte multilayer membranes consisting in poly( l-lysine) and hyaluronic acid is presented. Different methods were applied for the film detachment from the underlying substrate leading to membranes with specific porosity and roughness as observed with confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The possibility to functionalize these membranes is demonstrated by the incorporation of an enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, which displays constant biological activity during at least 1 week. These new free standing natural membranes could be an original way to build up bioactive patches carrying specific drugs. This open the route for the build up of “biopatches” able to possess specific biological properties and useful for future biomedical applications.

Engineered microcrystals for direct surface modification with layer-by-layer technique for optimized dissolution

This investigation relates to a two-step formulation development technique-synthesis of sterically stabilized drug microcrystals followed by direct surface modification by sequential electrostatic adsorption. Stable microcrystals of naproxen were produced by pH-induced reprecipitation in presence of a stabilizer. Sequential layer growth was achieved by the layer-by-layer assembly of biocompatible polyelectrolytes (PEs) and was registered using microelectrophoresis. The coated colloids were characterized using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The in vitro controlled release pattern of the drug through the PE diffusion barrier was studied using a diffusion cell assembly at physiological pH of 7.4, both before and after freeze-drying. Thermodynamically stable naproxen microcrystals were obtained by association and had a mean length of 15 μm and a zeta potential of −37.5 mV and were surface modified efficiently using biocompatible polysaccharide/protein-based PEs. Sufficient charge reversal with each layer was evident indicating layer growth with successive deposition cycles. The coating was complete and homogeneous as visualized under CLSM and SEM. The in vitro release study revealed that the stoichiometry of PEs in the complex coating and its molecular architecture played important roles in forming the diffusion barrier, which offered efficient control of the dissolution rate of drug core (up to 50% lower than bare crystal). The release profile fitted zero order release kinetics. This novel formulation technique enables administration of high concentrations of water-insoluble drugs in a stable, tissue compatible form, simultaneously affording sustained release.

Characterization of biocompatible polyelectrolyte complex multilayer of hyaluronic acid and poly-l-lysine

A biocompatible polyelectrolyte complex multilayer (PECML) film consisting of poly-L-lysine (PLL) as a polycation and hyaluronic acid (HA) as a polyanion was developed to test its use for surface modification to prevent cell attachment and protein drug delivery. The formation of PECML through the electrostatic interaction of HA and PLL was confirmed by contact angle measurement, ESCA analysis, and HA content analysis. HA content increased rapidly up to 8 cycles for HA/PLL deposition and then slightly increased with an increasing number of deposition cycle.In vitro release of PLL in the PECML continued up to 4 days andca. 25% of HA remained on the chitosan-coated cover glass afterin vitro release test for 7 days. From the results, PECML of HA and PLL appeared to be stable for about 4 days. The surface modification of the chitosan-coated cover glass with PECML resulted in drastically reduced peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) attachment. Concerned with its use for protein drug delivery, we confirmed that bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein could be incorporated into the PECML and its release might be triggered by the degradation of HA with hyaluronidase.

Primary osteoblasts adhesion onto RGD-functionalized and cross-linked polyelectrolyte multilayer films

AbstractThe adhesion of primary osteoblastic cells on top of biocompatible polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films was investigated for native films and after changing the films properties either with a chemical stimulus (film functionalization), with a mechanical stimulus (film cross-linking), or with both stimuli combined. For the functionalization, a 15 amino acid peptide containing a –RGD- (-Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence was grafted to poly(L-glutamic) acid and deposited on top of poly(L-lysine)/poly(L-glutamic) (PLL/PGA), PLL/Poly(alginic), and PLL/Poly(galacturonic) films. The film buildup and the adsorption of the PGA-RGD was followed by Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy and by Atomic Force Microscopy. The mechanical stimulus was achieved by crosslinking the films with a water soluble carbodiimide (EDC) in combination with N-hydroxysulfo-succinimide (sulfo-NHS) to induce amide formation. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy evidenced the conversion of amine and carboxylic groups into amide groups.The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity test was used to assess osteoblast adhesion and proliferation on top of the different films over a period of eight days in culture. Whereas the native films are poorly adherent, the RGD-functionalized films exhibit an increased short time adhesion. The native films could also be successfully cross-linked thereby dramatically enhancing cell proliferation. The cells did not react similarly on the different types of films investigated : the cross-linked (PLL/Palg) and (PLL/Pgal) films were much more efficient than the native or functionalized films in terms of proliferation. On the other hand, for the (PLL/PGA) films, functionalization and film cross-linking had a similar long term effect. Very interestingly, for these latter films, both stimuli could be combined.

Layer-by-layer engineering of biocompatible, decomposable core-shell structures.

The objective of the present investigation was to fabricate composite colloidal particles consisting of a sacrificial, decomposable template of biodegradable nature covered with biocompatible polyelectrolyte multilayers using the layer-by-layer sequential adsorption technique. Poly-dl-lactic acid and poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) were chosen to design the microparticulate template, and a preliminary feasibility study was carried out with poly(styrene sulfonate sodium)-poly(allylamine hydrochloride) as shell components. The properties of both core-shell and hollow structures obtained by core dissolution were characterized by confocal laser scanning microscopy, microelectrophoresis, scanning force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The concept was then extended to biocompatible polyelectrolytes as shell wall building blocks to deduce stable hollow capsules with tailored properties. Uniform, complete coating with oppositely charged polyelectrolyte pairs was achieved for all the combinations investigated. The results demonstrate that polyester microparticles could serve as viable alternative components to conventionally employed templates to derive hollow capsules with defined size, shape, and shell thickness. With all the components used for fabrication being biocompatible, these polyelectrolyte capsules may find interesting applications in the fields of biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and drug delivery.

Studies on the Drug Release Properties of Polysaccharide Multilayers Encapsulated Ibuprofen Microparticles

Ibuprofen microcrystals sized between 5 and 40 μm have been encapsulated with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) for the purpose of controlled release. The encapsulation was accomplished by a novel coating technology based on layer-by-layer assembly of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. The biocompatible polyelectrolytes including chitosan, dextran sulfate, carboxymethyl cellulose, and sodium alginate were used as coating materials to fabricate PEM capsules with varying shell thicknesses from 20 to 60 nm. UV spectroscopy was employed to monitor the drug release processes in both pH 1.4 and pH 7.4 solutions. It was found that the release of ibuprofen from these microcapsules is dependent on several parameters such as the crystal size, the PEM capsule thickness, and the solubility of the core material in the bulk solutions. Our results reveal that the polysaccharide capsules can substantially prolong the release time of the encapsulated drug crystals.