Dextran/poly-L-arginine multi-layered CaCO₃-based nanosystem for vascular drug delivery

The development of heterogeneous drug delivery systems leads to innovative strategies for targeted therapy of common pathologies, such as cancer, immunological and neurological disorders. Nowadays, it is possible to choose among a great variety of nanoparticles on the basis of the needs they have to satisfy. However, a candidate for the treatment of cardiovascular pathologies is still missing. In this context, a targeted therapy implies the conceptualization of nanoparticles that take active part in the treatment of vascular pathologies. The aim of this work was to provide a method to produce multi-layered calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanoparticles encapsulating a model protein, bovine serum albumin, with model antibodies on their surface. CaCO₃ nanoparticles were produced by the combination of complex coacervation and mineralization and were engineered using layer-by-layer technique with a polysaccharide, dextran sulfate, and a homo-poly-amino acid, poly-L-arginine. Morphology, biocompatibility, cellular uptake, influence on cell expression of the inflammatory marker matrix metalloproteinase-9, and hemocompatibility of the nanoparticles were studied. The presence of the dextran/poly-L-arginine layers did not negatively affect the nanoparticle overall characteristics and they did not trigger proinflammatory response in vitro. Taking together all the obtained results, we consider the proposed CaCO₃ nanoparticles as a promising tool in cardiovascular field.