Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology

Abstract

Biopolymeric Nanoparticles for Oral Protein Delivery: Design and In Vitro Evaluation

Nazik Elgindy, Kadria Elkhodairy, Abdallah Molokhia and Ahmed ElZoghby

Chitosan (CS) nanoparticles for the oral delivery of the protein, Human Serum Albumin (HSA) were prepared by two techniques (precipitation and ionic gelation) together with two anions (sodium sulfate or tripolyphosphate, TPP). HSA was loaded with CS nanoparticles by adsorption or entrapment loading protocols. The highest HSA association efficiency (93.43%) and loading capacity (58.65%) were obtained using ionic gelation technique with 0.1% w/v TPP as a crosslinker. The particle size of CS-HSA nanoparticles ranged between 100-320 nm with a high specific surface area (703-903 m 2 /g) and porosity (1060.99-1350.95 e -3 ml/g). Incubation of nanoparticles with lysozyme led to a reduction of 243 nm in particle size within 3 h. CS nanoparticles was redispersible after one month storage. CS/TPP nanoparticles prepared by precipitation/protein entrapment technique slowly released 10.34% HSA over 5 days which is suitable for vaccine or protein delivery while 86.54% of HSA was released from nanoparticles prepared by precipitation/ protein adsorption technique after 8 hr which is suitable for rapid drug release. Using ionic gelation technique, CS/ TPP nanoparticles released 22.47-38.65 % HSA over 5 days at 7:1 to 3:1 CS/TPP mass ratio, respectively. Both techniques retained the structural integrity of HSA after preparation and release processes which was proven via gel electrophoresis.