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Polyphenol-stabilized coacervates for enzyme-triggered drug delivery.
Wonjun Yim1, Zhicheng Jin2, Yu-Ci Chang1
1Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Nature Communications
|August 24, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed stable, permeable nano-coacervates using tannic acid for enzyme-triggered drug delivery. This approach enhances stability in biofluids and allows controlled release, improving biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Membrane-free coacervates face stability challenges, often worsened by permeability-compromising coating strategies.
- Developing stable yet permeable coacervates is crucial for advanced biomedical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a facile method for enhancing coacervate stability and permeability using tannic acid.
- To demonstrate the utility of tannic acid-modified coacervates in enzyme-triggered drug release.
Main Methods:
- Size-tunable coacervates were formed by self-assembling heparin glycosaminoglycan with peptide building blocks containing a thrombin-recognition site.
- Tannic acid (a polyphenol) was integrated to enhance structural integrity via phenolic crosslinking at the liquid-liquid interface.
- Enzyme-triggered heparin release and coacervate disassembly rates were analyzed in relation to thrombin activity.
Main Results:
- Nano-coacervates exhibited enhanced structural integrity in various environments due to phenolic crosslinking.
- A critical polyphenol concentration was identified that balances enhanced stability with preserved enzymatic activity.
- Coacervate disassembly rate correlated positively with thrombin activity, preventing uncontrolled coagulation.
Conclusions:
- Polyphenol integration offers a novel strategy to stabilize nano-coacervates without sacrificing permeability.
- This approach enables precise, enzyme-triggered drug release, with potential applications in biomedicine, protease sensing, and bio-responsive delivery systems.
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