Gelatin‐Assisted Synthesis of Vaterite Nanoparticles with Higher Surface Area and Porosity as Anticancer Drug Containers In Vitro

Abstract

The fabrication of porous vaterite nanoparticles with improved stability in aqueous solution and higher surface area is still a challenge. Here, inspired by the formation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, we have taken gelatin as a “surfactant” to assist in the formation of vaterite nanoparticles and help create pores on their surface due to the distinct solubility and molecular morphology of gelatin in different solutions. The formation mechanism of vaterite nanoparticles and pores was investigated in detail, indicating that the existence of gelatin has a crucial effect on the formation of vaterite nanoparticles and their stability. Meanwhile, the elution of gelatin from vaterite nanoparticles via washing with hot water accounts for their higher surface area. Their application as an anticancer drug (doxorubicin) carrier after folic acid treatment was also investigated. These nanoparticles have advantages for drug release due to their pH‐sensitive structure and also have enhanced cytotoxicity toward cancer cells due to the folic acid modification.

The mechanism of catalase loading into porous vaterite CaCO3 crystals by co-synthesis

“…Evidently, Ca 2+ -induced aggregation of catalase plays a crucial role in the protein loading into the crystals by COS, which is consistent with the influence of gelatin. 33 The rather high concentration of Ca 2+ (on the order of 10 À1 M) needed for the COS procedure results in the formation of catalase aggregates. The loading by ADS seems also to include a small number of aggregates formed in the presence of a rather low concentration of Ca 2+ (about 10 À5 M) in the supernatant of the crystals due to the dissociation of CaCO 3 (Fig.…”

“…The pure crystals can be utilized themselves or they can be used as templates to assemble functional structures with encapsulated proteins [34][35][36][37][38][39] as well as various hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. 17,33,[40][41][42][43][44] Biologically relevant particles assembled using the crystals can be made of pure proteins [45][46][47][48] or biologically relevant molecules such as polyethylene glycol 49,50 or temperature-sensitive polymers such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). 51 A number of bio-applications have been reported utilizing the crystals as carriers for photodynamic therapy, [52][53][54][55][56] transcutaneous delivery, 57 delivery into the brain bypassing the blood-brain barrier, 58 delivery of insulin 59,60 and vaccines, 61,62 and as carriers in alternative fields such as food industry.…”

Naturally derived nano- and micro-drug delivery vehicles: halloysite, vaterite and nanocellulose

“…78 Recent studies of the use of VCC as an anticancer drug delivery vehicle have shown an interesting possibility for employing VCC sensitivity to acidic pH to target the release selectively on a tumor microenvironment that has pH slightly below 7. 95,103,104 Later, this approach has shown to be effective not only for in vitro but also for in vivo studies. It is worth noting that targeting an acidic tumor microenvironment is quite a versatile approach for anticancer therapy and has been successfully employed not only for VCC but also for other carriers, e.g.…”

Enhanced Vaterite And Aragonite Crystallization At Controlled Ethylene Glycol Concentrations

“…Thus, utilizing vaterite particles as biodegradable pHsensitive drug delivery vehicles became prominent [7,8]. Recently, Wang et al [9] synthesized folic acid modified spherical vaterite particles for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery and observed an increased DOX release rate with a decrease in pH in vitro. Similarly, Qiu et al [10] investigated anticancer drug camptothecin loaded vaterite particles and reported an 8-fold increase in the cumulative release of camptothecin at pH 6.0 (simulates cancerous tissue) compared to its release at physiological pH.…”