Capsule-Integrated Polypeptide Multilayer Films for Effective pH-Responsive Multiple Drug Co-Delivery.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Developing biomedical materials for precise, multi-drug delivery remains a significant challenge.
• Existing methods struggle with controlled, sequential release of diverse therapeutic agents post-assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop innovative polypeptide multilayer films with integrated capsules for co-delivery of multiple drugs.
• To achieve on-demand, localized, and sustained release of various therapeutic agents.

Main Methods:

• Utilized layer-by-layer self-assembly technology to create polypeptide multilayer films.
• Integrated pre-impregnated capsules within the nanofilms for drug loading.
• Investigated pH-responsive and sustained release kinetics.

Main Results:

• Achieved high and controllable loading of diverse drugs, including proteins and nanoparticles.
• Demonstrated sustained release of bovine serum albumin (80 μg cm⁻², 2 weeks) and histone (100 μg cm⁻², 6 weeks).
• Showcased efficacy in killing Staphylococcus aureus (83%) and promoting osteoblast viability (>85%) with silver nanoparticles, and enhanced cell adhesion/proliferation (>5-fold) with bone morphogenetic protein 2.

Conclusions:

• Developed versatile capsule-integrated polypeptide multilayer films for effective multi-drug co-delivery.
• These materials show potential as advanced nanocoatings to address orthopedic bone injury complications like infection and delayed regeneration.
• The strategy offers new insights for designing multifunctional biomedical materials for diverse applications.