Design and development of pH-responsive HSPC:C₁₂H₂₅-PAA chimeric liposomes

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Stimuli-responsive medical practices are advancing, with pH-sensitive liposomes showing significant promise.
• Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is a pH-sensitive polymer due to its carboxyl groups, which protonate at acidic pH (pKa ~4.2).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of incorporating varying amounts of C12H25-PAA into HSPC phospholipidic bilayers.
• To biophysically and thermodynamically characterize the resulting chimeric nanosystems.
• To evaluate the loading and release of indomethacin (IND) from these nanocarriers.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of physicochemical characteristics and physical stability of nanosystems.
• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to study thermotropic behavior and thermodynamic parameters.
• Evaluation of indomethacin loading, release, and nanocarrier properties.

Main Results:

• Physicochemical and thermodynamic findings were consistent, explaining indomethacin loading and release profiles.
• The incorporation of C12H25-PAA influenced the stability and behavior of the phospholipidic bilayers.
• Characterization confirmed the potential of these advanced Drug Delivery nano Systems (aDDnSs).

Conclusions:

• The study successfully characterized pH-sensitive chimeric nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery.
• Biophysical and thermodynamic properties are crucial for the design of effective advanced Drug Delivery nano Systems (aDDnSs).
• These findings support the development of novel drug delivery systems that respond to physiological environments.