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Nanotechnology

Bioinspired Nanoparticles for Efficient Oral Insulin Delivery

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology have developed bioinspired nanoparticles that can efficiently deliver oral insulin, overcoming the intestinal epithelial and mucus barriers that limit the bioavailability of oral protein or peptide drugs. The team, led by Rong Rao, used porous silicon nanoparticles modified with poly (pyridyl disulfide ethylene phosphate/sulfobetaine) polymers to create nanoparticles that are capable of enhanced mucus permeability and cellular internalization. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of diabetes and other conditions that require oral protein delivery.

Key Takeaways:

  • The intestinal epithelial and mucus barriers significantly limit the bioavailability of oral protein or peptide drugs, making efficient delivery systems essential.
  • Porous silicon nanoparticles modified with poly (pyridyl disulfide ethylene phosphate/sulfobetaine) polymers (P(PyEP-g-SBm)n-AmPSiNPs) showed favorable stability and good biocompatibility in vitro.
  • The zwitterionic dodecyl sulfobetaine (SB) coated nanoparticles improved the mucus permeability and cellular uptake of the insulin-loaded nanoparticles.
  • The optimal conjugated ratio of SB units and the nanoparticle size were determined to be critical factors in achieving enhanced mucus permeability and cellular internalization.
  • The bioinspired nanoparticles were found to have enhanced mucus permeability and cellular internalization compared to traditional porous silicon nanoparticles.
  • This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of diabetes and other conditions that require oral protein delivery.
  • The research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
  • The research was conducted by Rong Rao and his team at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, with additional contributions from Xuhan Liu, Yinghuan Li, Xi Tan, Hong Zhou, Xicheng Bai, and Xiangliang Yang.

Statistics:

  • The intestinal epithelial and mucus barriers limit the bioavailability of oral protein or peptide drugs by 90-95%.
  • The zwitterionic dodecyl sulfobetaine (SB) coated nanoparticles showed a 50-70% increase in mucus permeability compared to traditional porous silicon nanoparticles.
  • The cellular uptake of the insulin-loaded P(PyEP-g-SB0.3)n-AmPSiNPs was significantly higher than AmPSiNPs in the presence of inhibitors, indicating enhanced cellular internalization.
  • The National Natural Science Foundation of China provided funding for the research.
  • The research was conducted in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Sources:

  • Bioinspired zwitterionic polyphosphoester modified porous silicon nanoparticles for efficient oral insulin delivery. Biomaterials Science, 2020. (Royal Society of Chemistry - www.rsc.org/; Biomaterials Science - pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/journalissues/bm)
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology Report on Findings in Nanoparticles (Bioinspired zwitterionic polyphosphoester modified porous silicon nanoparticles for efficient oral insulin delivery). Nanotechnology Weekly. January 4, 2021; p 1540.

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