Interlocked silk sericin hollow particle aggregates with enhanced adaptability and progressive solubility for...

The ever-increasing demand for multifunctional delivery carriers has considerably stimulated the need for durable, safe, and superior delivery materials. However, the straightforward and scalable fabrication of adaptable particle aggregates that exhibit biocompatibility, desirable textural characteristics, and high performance remains a big challenge. Herein, we present the creation of bulk silk sericin aggregates (SSAs) via a process involving spray drying followed by vacuum-assisted UV irradiation. These aggregates comprise interlocked hollow particles with an average diameter of 4.94 ± 0.23 μm, reminiscent of pomegranate seeds, which confer enhanced storability. Importantly, these bulk SSAs exhibit enhanced formability and water tolerance, with progressive dissolution due to the transformation of β-sheets (39.72%) from random coils induced by chemical crosslinking and compression. Simultaneously, the SSAs demonstrate favorable vascular compatibility, as evidenced by a hemolysis ratio of only 0.89% and an endpoint scoring value of 0.30. These distinctive characteristics enhance the adaptability of the SSAs for practical applications across various environments. The loaded SSAs exhibit markedly different release profiles for 5-fluorouracil, with a cumulative release of 73.21% at pH 7.4 compared to just 0.25% at pH 4.0 over 180 h. This work offers a sustainable fabrication strategy for the development of bulk drug delivery materials, underscoring their considerable potential for advanced drug delivery and therapeutic applications.