Title: Polymer-liposome nanoparticles obtained by the electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers onto soybean lecithin liposomes

Authors: Sergio Madrigal-Carballo; Marianelly Esquivel; Germain Esquivel-Hernandez; Sergio Ramírez-Amador; María Sibaja; José Vega-Baudrit; Amparo O. Vila

Addresses: School of Chemistry, National University, 86-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica. ' School of Chemistry, National University, 86-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica. ' School of Chemistry, National University, 86-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica. ' National Laboratory for Nanotechnology, CeNAT, 1174-1200, San Jose, Costa Rica. ' School of Chemistry, National University, 86-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica. ' National Nanotechnology Center, CeNAT, 1174-1200, San Jose, Costa Rica. ' Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Valencia, C/Dr. Moliner 50 46100 Burjassot, Spain

Abstract: This work is focused on the formulation of polymer-liposome nanoparticles based on the electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers onto soybean lecithin liposomes, with potential as novel delivery system for macromolecules, such as proteins. The building up of the polymer-liposome nanoparticles was achieved through the alternating bio-adsorption of natural cationic (chitosan) and neutral (dextran) or anionic (dextran sulphate or alginate) polymer layers on a core composed by anionic nanosized soybean lecithin liposomes. The electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers succeeded in building nanosized, spherical, monodisperse and stable polymer-liposome nanoparticles with cumulative sizes between 357.3 nm ± 25.3 nm and 498.2 nm ± 69.6 nm and surface charges (ζ-potential) between −30.66 mV ± 1.55 mV and −26.74 mV ± 1.04 mV for the liposomal systems composed by alternating layers of chitosan and dextran sulphate or alginate, respectively. Natural-polymer-liposome nanoparticles offer good properties for encapsulation on its liposomal aqueous core and sustained release of a model protein, BSA, in vitro.

Keywords: natural polymers; protein delivery; nanotechnology; polymer-liposome nanoparticles; electrostatic bioadsorption; soybean lecithin liposomes; macromolecules.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2012.048017

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2012 Vol.5 No.3, pp.196 - 209

Received: 14 Jul 2010
Accepted: 22 Feb 2011

Published online: 20 Aug 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article