Physicochemical characterization of pH-responsive and fusogenic self-assembled non-phospholipid vesicles for a potential multiple targeting therapy

Publication date: 7 August 2017 Source:International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Volume 528, Issues 1–2 Author(s): Martina Di Francesco, Christian Celia, Rosita Primavera, Nicola D’Avanzo, Marcello Locatelli, Massimo Fresta, Felisa Cilurzo, Cinzia Anna Ventura, Donatella Paolino, Luisa Di Marzio In order to obtain nanocarriers suitable for the delivery of drugs in the treatment of cancer, pH-responsive nanovesicles capable of facilitating fusion (fusogenic nanovesicles) were synthesized and then their physicochemical characteristics were modified. These nanovesicles were made by combining polysorbates having different physicochemical features with the aim of realizing multiple-targeting nanoformulations suitable for in vitro treatment of cancer cells. Tween21 and Tween80 were self-assembled at different molar concentrations resulting in pH-responsive fusogenic nanovesicles with an average size of less than 150nm, and a narrow size distribution (polydispersity index) value of less than 0.2. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic fluorescent probes were loaded inside the nanovesicles in order to study their pH-responsiveness and fusogenic properties and it was noted that this process did not modify their physicochemical features. The pH-responsiveness and fusogenic assay demonstrated that the nanovesicles containing Tween21 at different molar ratios were pH-responsive and interacted with a synthetic model of a biological membrane supplemented with Ca2+ in the incubation medi...
Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research