Multifunctional PLA/Gelatin Bionanocomposites for Tailored Drug Delivery Systems

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Development of multifunctional drug delivery systems is crucial for personalized medicine.
• Existing systems often lack tailored release rates and suitable properties for local administration.
• Shark gelatin hydrogels and polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles offer potential for novel bionanocomposite development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and characterize bionanocomposites from shark gelatin hydrogels and PLA nanoparticles for tailored drug delivery.
• To investigate the influence of nanostructure on drug release kinetics and viscoelastic properties.
• To evaluate the potential for personalized cancer treatment approaches using these advanced drug delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of bionanocomposites using shark gelatin hydrogels and PLA nanoparticles with controlled nanostructures.
• Formulation with antitumoral drugs (doxorubicin and dasatinib) to assess loading versatility.
• Characterization using SEM, DLS, RAMAN, DSC, SAXS/WAXS, rheology, and a syringe test for local applicability.

Main Results:

• Successfully created bionanocomposites with tunable viscoelastic properties and biocompatibility.
• Demonstrated controlled drug release profiles correlated with the nanostructure of the bionanocomposites.
• Validated the system's suitability for local administration and storage under physiological conditions.

Conclusions:

• Shark gelatin-PLA nanoparticle bionanocomposites represent a promising platform for multifunctional drug delivery.
• The designed systems allow for customization of drug release rates, essential for personalized therapies.
• These bionanocomposites exhibit favorable properties for effective and safe local administration of antitumoral agents.