Molecules (Feb 2020)

Design, Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Type of Thermo-Responsible Phospholipid Microcapsule–Alginate Composite Hydrogel for Drug Delivery

  • Liang Ding,
  • Xinxia Cui,
  • Rui Jiang,
  • Keya Zhou,
  • Yalei Wen,
  • Chenfeng Wang,
  • Zhilian Yue,
  • Shigang Shen,
  • Xuefeng Pan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25030694
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 3
p. 694

Abstract

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Liposomes are extensively used in drug delivery, while alginates are widely used in tissue engineering. However, liposomes are usually thermally unstable and drug-leaking when in liquids, while the drug carriers made of alginates show low loading capacities when used for drug delivery. Herein, we developed a type of thermo-responsible liposome−alginate composite hydrogel (TSPMAH) by grafting thermo-responsive liposomes onto alginates by using Ca2+ mediated bonding between the phosphatidic serine (PS) in the liposome membrane and the alginate. The temperature-sensitivity of the liposomes was actualized by using phospholipids comprising dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and PS and the liposomes were prepared by a thin-film dispersion method. The TSPMAH was then successfully prepared by bridge-linking the microcapsules onto the alginate hydrogel via PS-Ca2+-Carboxyl-alginate interaction. Characterizations of the TSPMAH were carried out using scanning electron microscopy, transform infrared spectroscopy, and laser scanning confocal microscopy, respectively. Their rheological property was also characterized by using a rheometer. Cytotoxicity evaluations of the TSPMAH showed that the composite hydrogel was biocompatible, safe, and non-toxic. Further, loading and thermos-inducible release of model drugs encapsulated by the TSPMAH as a drug carrier system was also studied by making protamine−siRNA complex-carrying TSPMAH drug carriers. Our results indicated that the TSPMAH described herein has great potentials to be further developed into an intelligent drug delivery system.

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