Flexible polymerosomes--an alternative vehicle for topical delivery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Polymeric nanocarriers offer potential for targeted drug delivery.
• Liposomes are widely used but can have limitations in stability and targeting.
• Developing flexible and efficient nanocarriers is crucial for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize self-assembled poly(caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL) co-polymer vesicles.
• To evaluate the morphological properties and flexibility of these nanocarriers.
• To assess the skin permeation and accumulation capabilities of the PCL-PEG-PCL vesicles for potential dermatological applications.

Main Methods:

• Vesicle preparation using the solvent evaporation method.
• Morphological analysis via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
• In vitro permeation studies using fluorescently labeled vesicles in cadaver epidermis.

Main Results:

• PCL-PEG-PCL co-polymer vesicles of 122+/-20 nm were successfully synthesized.
• TEM and AFM confirmed double-walled, deformable structures with a flattened 'pancake' morphology.
• Vesicles permeated the stratum corneum within 2 hours and accumulated in deeper epidermal layers.

Conclusions:

• The flexible, double-walled PCL-PEG-PCL nanocarriers demonstrate efficient skin penetration.
• These nanosystems represent a viable alternative to liposomes for targeting skin cancers like melanomas and basal cell carcinomas.