Impact of Nebulization on the Physicochemical Properties of Polymer–Lipid Hybrid Nanoparticles for Pulmonary Drug Delivery
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Nanoparticles (NPs) have shown significant potential for pulmonary administration of therapeutics for the treatment of chronic lung diseases in a localized and sustained manner. Nebulization is a suitable method of NP delivery, particularly in patients whose ability to breathe is impaired due to lung diseases. However, there are limited studies evaluating the physicochemical properties of NPs after they are passed through a nebulizer. High shear stress generated during nebulization could potentially affect the surface properties of NPs, resulting in the loss of encapsulated drugs and alteration in the release kinetics. Herein, we thoroughly examined the physicochemical properties as well as the therapeutic effectiveness of Infasurf lung surfactant (IFS)-coated PLGA NPs previously developed by us after passing through a commercial Aeroneb® vibrating-mesh nebulizer. Nebulization did not alter the size, surface charge, IFS coating and bi-phasic release pattern exhibited by the NPs. However, there was a temporary reduction in the initial release of encapsulated therapeutics in the nebulized compared to non-nebulized NPs. This underscores the importance of evaluating the drug release kinetics of NPs using the inhalation method of choice to ensure suitability for the intended medical application. The cellular uptake studies demonstrated that both nebulized and non-nebulized NPs were less readily taken up by alveolar macrophages compared to lung cancer cells, confirming the IFS coating retention. Overall, nebulization did not significantly compromise the physicochemical properties as well as therapeutic efficacy of the prepared nanotherapeutics.
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25095028
Authors: Andrea Gonsalves, Jyothi U. Menon
Institution: University of Rhode Island
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,296
Awards: RII Track-1: Rhode Island Consortium for Coastal Ecology Assessment, Innovation, and Modeling, G20299494, G239728837, G372348537, G3987022041, G473475532, RI Network for Excellence in Biomedical and Behavioral Research, G7424249723, MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscope for Materials Research and Education, G8042061648, G8225992533, G861524405, G9000111253, Multifunctional Nanoparticle Platform to Prevent Alcohol-Associated HCC Development
OpenAlex ID: W4396674110