Drug release from core-shell PVA/silk fibroin nanoparticles fabricated by one-step electrospraying

Abstract

Silk fibroin (SF), a FDA-approved natural protein, is renowned for its great biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties. SF-based nanoparticles provide new options for drug delivery with their tunable drug loading and release properties. To take advantage of the features of carrier polymers, we present a one-step electrospraying method that combines SF, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and therapeutic drugs without an emulsion process. A distinct core-shell structure was obtained with the PVA core and silk shell after the system was properly set up. The model drug, doxorubicin, was encapsulated in the core with a greater than 90% drug encapsulation efficiency. Controllable drug release profiles were achieved by alternating the PVA/SF ratio. Although the initial burst release of the drug was minimized by the SF coating, a large number of drug molecules remained entrapped by the carrier polymers. To promote and trigger drug release on demand, low intensity focused ultrasound (US) was applied. The US was especially advantageous for accelerating the drug diffusion and release. The apoptotic activity of MDA-MB-231 cells incubated with drug-loaded nanoparticles was found to increase with time. In addition, we also observed PVA/SF nanoparticles that could elicit a drug release in response to pH.

Immobilization of the β-fructofuranosidase from Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous by Entrapment in Polyvinyl Alcohol and Its Application to Neo-Fructooligosaccharides Production

“…The gelation takes place by the formation of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups of the PVA, resulting in a noncovalent spatial network [33]. These hydrogels are also very useful in controlled drug release, artificial tissues, bioseparations or biosensors [34,35]. PVA-based biocatalysts have proven remarkable operational and mechanical stability in different types of bioreactors, including shaken microtiter plates, batch stirred tanks and packed-bed reactors [32].…”

Advances in Electrospinning of Natural Biomaterials for Wound Dressing

“…Electrospinning of Silk Fibroin/PVA. Cao et al [113] used a coaxial electrospray technique to produce drugloaded PVA/SF nanoparticles with different core-shell structures. The encapsulated drug release profile could be altered by varying the PVA ratio in the nanoparticles.…”

Poloxamer 407 based-nanoparticles for controlled release of methotrexate

“…3). The release of MTX was performed at two different pHs, at physiological pH (7.4, full line) and at acidic pH, mimicking the tumor microenvironment (6.5, dash line) (Cao et al, 2017;Lei et al, 2016;Zhang et al, 2016).…”