Controlling chitosan-based encapsulation for protein and vaccine delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Chitosan nano/microencapsulation is promising for delivering drugs, biologics, and vaccines.
• A defined methodology for controlling chitosan particle size and release kinetics is lacking in current literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of precipitation-coacervation parameters on chitosan particle characteristics.
• To understand how formulation influences protein encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics.

Main Methods:

• Investigated effects of chitosan concentration, molecular weight, and precipitant salt addition rate on particle size.
• Analyzed the role of precipitant salt composition (Hofmeister series) and sonication power.
• Quantified protein encapsulation efficiency and release rates under varying conditions.

Main Results:

• Chitosan particle sizes ranged from 300 nm to 3 μm, influenced by formulation parameters.
• Precipitant salt composition significantly affected particle formation and polydispersity.
• Protein loading efficiencies (14.3%–99.2%) and release rates were tunable by adjusting formulation parameters.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan nano/microparticle size and release kinetics can be precisely controlled.
• Optimized formulation parameters enable the engineering of chitosan particles with high protein loading and predictable release.