Acrylated Chitosan Nanoparticles with Enhanced Mucoadhesion

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Chitosan (CS) is a biocompatible polymer with potential in drug delivery.
• Mucoadhesion is crucial for prolonging drug residence time at mucosal surfaces.
• Modifying chitosan can enhance its interaction with biological tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of acrylate modification on chitosan nanoparticle mucoadhesion.
• To compare the mucoadhesive properties of acrylated chitosan (ACS) nanoparticles with unmodified chitosan (CS) nanoparticles.
• To elucidate the mechanisms behind enhanced mucoadhesion.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of ACS and CS nanoparticles using ionic gelation.
• Characterization of nanoparticles (size, zeta potential, stability, yield).
• Mucoadhesion evaluation using the flow-through method and mucin particle method.
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to confirm acrylate modification.

Main Results:

• ACS nanoparticles exhibited significantly higher retention percentages than CS nanoparticles across all tested time points.
• The mucin particle method indicated increased particle size with ACS nanoparticles, suggesting stronger interaction.
• NMR confirmed the presence of free acrylate groups on ACS nanoparticles.
• ACS nanoparticles demonstrated significantly enhanced mucoadhesion compared to CS nanoparticles.

Conclusions:

• Acrylate modification of chitosan enhances nanoparticle mucoadhesion.
• Improved mucoadhesion is likely due to Michael-type addition reactions with mucin thiol groups, alongside entanglements and hydrogen bonding.
• ACS nanoparticles represent a promising platform for advanced drug delivery systems due to their superior mucoadhesive properties.