1. NanoScience Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, Florida 32826, USA;2. Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6900 Lake Nona Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32827, USA;3. Present address: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 651 Ilalo Street, Biosciences Building, Suite 222J, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, USA;4. NanoScience Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Suite 400, Orlando, Florida 32826, USA
Abstract:
In spite of their attractive features, widespread biomedical applications of CS nanoparticles are yet to be realized due to their poor stability in physiological conditions, such as in buffer system at pH 7.4. Buffer‐stable chitosan‐based hybrid NPs (HNPs) are reported and characterized. Buffer stability is achieved by introducing polyglutamic acid to chitosan. The effect of PGA to CS molar ratio and crosslinking on HNP integrity, buffer stability, and biodegradability are studied. Preliminary in vitro studies are carried out to evaluate targeted uptake efficiency of folate conjugated HNPs. Successful demonstration of buffer stability and cancer cell targeting by HNPs achieves important milestones for chitosan‐based nanoparticle technology.
