Physicochemical characterization of chitosan nanoparticles: electrokinetic and stability behavior

Some physical properties of nanogel particles formed by chitosan ionically cross-linked by tripolyphosphate (TPP) have been studied. Electrokinetic properties and colloidal stability were analyzed as a function of pH and ionic strength of the medium. Chitosan particles showed volume phase transitions (swelling/shrinking processes) when the physicochemical conditions of the medium were changed. Experimental data were mainly obtained by electrophoretic mobility measurements and by photon correlation spectroscopy and static light scattering techniques. Chitosan chains possess glucosamine groups that can be deprotonated if the pH increases. Therefore, modification of pH from acid to basic values caused a deswelling process based on a reduction of the intramolecular electric repulsions inside the particle mesh. Electrophoretic mobility data helped to corroborate the above electrical mechanism as responsible for the size changes. Additionally, at those pH values around the isoelectric point of the chitosan-TPP particles, the system became colloidally unstable. Ionic strength variations also induced important structural changes. In this case, the presence of KCl at low and moderate concentrations provoked swelling, which rapidly turned on particle disintegration due to the weakness of chitosan-TPP ionic interactions. These last results were in good agreement with the predictions of gel swelling theory by salt in partially ionized networks.     

玉米醇溶蛋白/壳聚糖复合纳米微球的制备及性能研究

以生物相容性的玉米醇溶蛋白(Zein)和壳聚糖(Chitosan)为原料,利用溶剂-非溶剂相分离法成功制备了玉米醇溶蛋白/壳聚糖复合纳米微球(NSZ/CS),运用FT-IR、SEM和TEM等对复合纳米微球进行了表征。采用罗丹明B(RB)为模型药物分子,研究了复合纳米微球的药物释放性能。与玉米醇溶蛋白纳米微球(NSZ)相比,复合纳米微球NSZ/CS对RB和Dox·HCl的包封率显著上升,分别可达83.5%和75.3%。NSZ/CS对RB的累积释放量也大幅度提高。在模拟人工胃液和人工肠液中,NSZ/CS对RB释放36 h后,累积释放量分别为85.2%和95.4%。进一步将NSZ/CS用于负载抗癌药物盐酸阿霉素(Dox·HCl),发现Dox@NSZ/CS在p H=7.4的磷酸缓冲液(PBS)中的累积释放量达91.0%。复合纳米微球NSZ/CS有望作为水溶性药物载体应用于生物医药领域。     

Synthesis and characterization of PEG modified N-trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate chitosan nanoparticles

Chitosan-N-trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate chloride-PEG (CS-TM-PEG) copolymers were synthesized in order to improve the solubility of chitosan in physiological environment, and enhance the biocompatibility of quaternized chitosan. The result of ¹H NMR confirmed that PEG had been combined with amino groups of quaternized chitosan. The profile of hemolysis assay showed that Chitosan-N-trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate chloride (CS-TM) copolymer exhibited hemolytic activity from 10.31% to 13.58%, while CS-TM-PEG copolymer had hemolytic activity from 4.76% to 7.05% at copolymer concentrations from 250 to 2000 μg/ml. Through PEG modification, the hemolytic activity could be reduced to a half. CS-TM-PEG copolymer-insulin nanoparticles were prepared based on ionic gelation process of positively charged copolymers and negatively charged insulin. The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of particle size, TEM, association efficiency and in vitro release. These nanoparticles were 200-400 nm in size and insulin association efficiency of optimal formulations was found up to 90%. In vitro release showed that the nanoparticles provided an initial burst release followed by a sustained release with the sensitivity of ionic strength and pH values.     

Physicochemical studies of the structure of chitosan and chitosan ascorbate nanoparticles

Russian Chemical Bulletin - The structure and characteristics of chitosan (CS NPs) and chitosan ascorbate nanoparticles (CSA NPs) were studied by physicochemical methods. Atomic force microscopy...     

基于纳米金/壳聚糖/石墨烯的癌胚抗原阻抗型免疫传感器

研究了在PBS缓冲介质中,一种检测癌胚抗原的新型免标记阻抗型免疫传感器的制备及应用,基于石墨烯、纳米金在玻碳电极表面组装制备传感器,通过循环伏安法、交流阻抗法对制备的传感器进行表征。在优化的实验条件下,该免疫传感器的阻抗值随着检测溶液中癌胚抗原(CEA)浓度的增大而增大,并在0.1～85 ng/mL CEA范围内呈线性关系,回归方程为△Ret=1605.55+39.26ρ;检测限为0.04 ng/mL(R=0.9992)。该免疫传感器可用于临床上对CEA的检测。     

Synthesis and characterization of copper hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles for building up long-term stability electrochromic electrodes

Nanoparticles of a Prussian blue (PB) analogue, copper hexacyanoferrate, were synthesized by using ultrasonic radiation and characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. The nanoparticles (ca. 10 nm diameter) were immobilized onto transparent indium tin oxide electrodes by electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition. These modified electrodes showed interesting electrochromic properties, changing the coloration during the redox process from brown to orange when oxidized. The nanostructured electrode presented high stability, in contrast to that observed for PB nanoparticles; this fact must be related to the maintenance of the electrostatic assembly because the oxidized compound, CuII/FeIII(CN)6, still possesses a negative excess of charge due to the high number of cyanide groups that link the nanoparticles with the polycation, assuring the integrity of the whole electrostatic assembled film.     

Phase behavior of the lecithin/water/isooctane and lecithin/water/decane systems

The isothermal pseudo-ternary-phase diagram was determined at 25 degrees C for systems composed oflecithin, water, and, as oil, either isooctane or decane. This was accomplished by a combination of polarizing microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and NMR techniques. The lecithin-rich region of the phase diagram is dominated by a lamellar liquid-crystalline phase (Lalpha). For lecithin contents less than 60% and low hydration (mole ratio water/lecithin = W0 < 5.5), the system forms a viscous gel of branched cylindrical reverse micelles. With increase in the water content, the system phase separates into two phases, which is either gel in equilibrium with essentially pure isooctane (for lecithin < 25%) or a gel in equilibrium with Lalpha (for lecithin > 25%). These two-phase regions are very thin with respect to water dilution. For 8 < W0 < 54 very stable water-in-oil emulsions form. It is only after ripening for more than 1 year that the large region occupied by the emulsion reveals a complex pattern of stable phases. Moving along water dilution lines, one finds (i) the coexistence of gel, isooctane and Lalpha, (ii) equilibrium between reverse micelles and spherulites, and, finally, (iii) disconnected reverse micelles that fail to solubilize water for W0 > 54. This results in a Winsor II phase equilibrium at low lecithin content, while for lecithin > 20% the neat water is in equilibrium with a reverse hexagonal phase and an isotropic liquid-crystalline phase. The use of the decane as oil does not change the main features of the phase behavior.     

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles in chitosan, gelatin and chitosan/gelatin bionanocomposites by a chemical reducing agent and their characterization

In this research, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in chitosan (Cts), Cts/gelatin and gelatin suspensions using a chemical reducing agent. Cts and gelatin were used as natural stabilizers and solid support, whereas AgNO(3) was used as the silver precursor. Sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)) was used as the reducing agent. The properties of AgNPs in Cts, Cts/gelatin and gelatin bionanocomposites (BNCs) were studied in terms of their surface plasmon resonance, crystalline structure, average diameter size, particle distributions, surface topography and functional groups. All the samples were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.     

Preparation of PMMA/acid-modified chitosan core-shell nanoparticles and their potential as gene carriers

The core-shell nanoparticles consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cores surrounded by various acid-modified chitosan shells were synthesized using a surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization, induced by a tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) solution. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was grafted onto four acid-modified chitosans (hydrochloric, lactic, aspartic, and glutamic acids) with MMA conversions up to 64%. The prepared nanoparticles had diameter ranging from 100 to 300 nm characterized by atomic force microscopy and displayed highly positive surface charges up to +77 mV. Transmission electron microscopic images clearly revealed well-defined core-shell morphology of the nanoparticles where PMMA cores were coated with acid-modified chitosan shells. The effect of acid-modified chitosans on particle size, intensity of surface charge, morphology, and thermal stability were determined systematically. The plasmid DNA/nanoparticles complexes were investigated with ζ-potential measurement. The results suggested that these nanoparticles can effectively complex with plasmid DNAs via electrostatic interaction and could be used as gene carriers.

Preparation of chitosan nanoparticles using methacrylic acid

In this work the preparation of chitosan nanoparticle was investigated using methacrylic acid in different conditions and studied by particle size analyzer, zeta-potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The particle size was dependent on the chitosan concentration used during the preparation method. Nanoparticles with sizes as small as 60 nm were achieved, that can be extremely important for several applications. The nanoparticles solution was also pH-sensitive, due to swelling and aggregation of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles obtained presented a very homogeneous morphology showing a quite uniform particles size distribution and a rather spherical shape.     

Self-assembling chitosan/poly-γ-glutamic acid nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery

For the purpose of targeted drug delivery, composite biodegradable nanoparticles were prepared from chitosan and the poly-γ-glutamic acid via an ionotropic gelation process. These stable self-assembled nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, which demonstrated that the nanosystem consists of spherical particles with a smooth surface both in aqueous environment and in dried state. Toxicity measurements showed that the composition is nontoxic when tested either on cell cultures or in animal feeding experiments. To evaluate the potential of the nanosystem for intracellular drug delivery, the nanoparticles were fluorescently labeled and folic acid was attached as a cancer cell-specific targeting moiety. The ability of the particles to be internalized was tested using confocal microscopic imaging on cultured A2780/AD ovarian cancer cells, which overexpress folate receptors. The quantitative data obtained by digital processing of the intensity of green color of each pixel in the pictures inside the cell boundaries and total intensity of fluorescence inside the cells showed that “targeted” particles internalized into the cells significantly faster and the total accumulation of these particles was substantially higher in the cancer cells when compared with “nontargeted” particles, which may facilitate effective and specific cytoplasmic delivery of anticancer agents loaded into such nanoparticles. Zsolt Keresztessy and Magdolna Bodnár contributed equally to this work.     

Dopamine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles: formulation and analytical characterization

The formulation and characterization of dopamine (DA)-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) are described as preliminary steps for the development of potential DA carrier systems intended for Parkinson’s disease treatment. For this purpose, CSNPs were firstly produced and, afterwards, they were incubated in a DA aqueous solution to promote neurotransmitter loading. The characterization of the resulting nanoparticles started with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis to ascertain the presence of DA in the nanocarrier, whereas X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis provided evidence of the localization of DA on the nanoparticle surface. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was then exploited to investigate both swelling of CSNPs and interaction of DA with CSNPs. In particular, the QCM-D revealed that this interaction is fast and so this allows a stable nanostructured system to be obtained.     

Phase diagrams and structures of lecithin/water systems with branched lecithin components

The influence of chain branching on the phase transition parameters and structures of the homologous series of 1-(x-methylpalmitoyl)-2-hexadecyllecithins in the water-saturated two-phase region (50 wt.% water) were studied by differentialscanning-calorimetry as a function of the position x of methyl branching. With increasing x a linear decrease in the enthalpies and alternating temperatures of main transition were observed. The phase diagram of the ternary system 1-(3-methyl-palmitoyl)-2-hexadecyllecithin/1,2-dipalmitoyllecithin/water (50 wt.% water) showed that both components are completely miscible within the high-temperature phase (L -phase). However, in the low-temperature phase (gel phase), the components are partially miscible only. It follows that gel phases with interdigitated chains and those with tilted chains are not completely miscible. The phase diagram of the ternary system 1,2-di-(8-methylpalmitoyl)-lecithin/1,2-dipalmitoyllecithin/water (50 wt.% water) showed that both components are completely miscible within the high-temperature phase and low-temperature phase. Within the concentration range between the mole fraction x=0.91 and x=0.97, a drop-like course in the phase diagram was obtained.     

Thermooxidative stability of polymethyl methacrylate containing nanoparticles of silica/titania and silica/zirconia

The influence of silica/titania and silica/zirconia nanoparticles on thermooxidative degradation of PMMA was studied by non-isothermal thermogravimetry. Kinetic parameters describing the length of the oxidation induction periods were obtained from the treatment of the dependence of oxidation onset temperature on heating rate. Using these parameters, the protection factors of nanoparticles have been calculated. It was found that SiO₂/TiO₂ nanoparticles increase the thermooxidation stability of PMMA where the stabilizing effect, expressed as the protection factor, depends on temperature only slightly. The stabilizing effect of SiO₂/ZrO₂ is much stronger than that of SiO₂/TiO₂ and decreases with increasing temperature.     

Crosslinked chitosan composite membrane for the pervaporation dehydration of alcohol mixtures and enhancement of structural stability of chitosan/polysulfone composite membranes

Chitosan composite membranes having a microporous polysulfone substrate were prepared and tested for the pervaporation dehydration of aqueous isopropanol mixtures. When the composite membrane experienced excessive swelling at the feed mixture of high water content, the composite membranes were found to be segregated in structure due to the opposite characteristics to water of chitosan and polysulfone. Efforts to enhance the structural stability under various pervaporation operational conditions were made. The polysulfone substrate was immersed into hydrophilic binding polymer solutions such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, and hydroxyethylcellulose before the casting of chitosan layer to increase the affinity between the thin chitosan layer and porous polysulfone layer which resulted in increased geometrical stability of the chitosan/polysulfone composite membranes. The chitosan layer was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde and H₂SO₄ in acetone solution to control the permselectivity.     

Monovalent salt enhances colloidal stability during the formation of chitosan/tripolyphosphate microgels

Chitosan micro- and nanoparticles are routinely prepared through ionotropic gelation, where sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) is added as a cross-linker to dilute chitosan solutions. Despite the wide use of these gel-like particles, their preparation currently relies on trial and error. To address this, we used isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ζ-potential measurements to investigate how the formation, structure, and colloidal stability of chitosan microgels are linked to the molecular interactions that underlie their self-assembly. The strength of the chitosan/TPP interactions was systematically varied through the addition of monovalent salt (NaCl). Remarkably, and contrary to other colloidal systems, this revealed that moderate amounts of NaCl (e.g., 150 mM) enhance the colloidal stability of chitosan/TPP microgels during their formation. This stems from the weakened chitosan/TPP binding, which apparently inhibits the bridging of the newly formed microgels by TPP. The enhanced colloidal stability during the ionic cross-linking process yields microgels with dramatically narrower size distributions, which hitherto have typically required the deacetylation and fractionation of the parent chitosan. Conversely, at high ionic strengths (ca. 500 mM) the chitosan/TPP binding is weakened to the point that the microgels cease to form, thus suggesting the existence of an optimal ionic strength for ionotropic microgel preparation.     

Thermal stability and degradation of chitosan modified by benzophenone

N-(biphenylmethylidenyl) chitosan polymer was prepared, characterized and thermal stability was compared with chitosan. Thermal degradation products of the modified polymer were identified by GC-MS technique. It seems that the mechanism of degradation of the prepared polymer is characterized by formation of low molecular weight radicals, followed by random scission mechanism along the backbond chain.