In vitro cytotoxicity studies of hydrogel pullulan nanoparticles prepared by AOT/N-hexane micellar system.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to prepare crosslinked pullulan nanoparticles encapsulating bioactive molecules inside the aqueous core of Aerosol-OT/n-hexane reverse micellar droplets with narrow size distribution for drug and gene delivery applications.


METHODS
The nanoparticles have been characterised by various physico-chemical methods such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), loading capacity and in vitro release behaviour in aqueous buffer. The influence of these nanoparticles on human dermal fibroblasts in vitro has been assessed in terms of cell adhesion, cytotoxicity and light microscopy.


RESULTS
Size distribution studies using DLS and TEM show that the particles are spherical in shape with size of 42.0+/-2.5 nm diameter. Release of FITC-Dex from nanoparticles increased with time with 75% of dye released in 6 hours, while only 40% of the dye was released in the initial 2 hours. Results from cell adhesion/viability assay suggest that the pullulan nanoparticles are non-toxic to cells and do not cause any distinct harm to cells. Fibroblasts were healthy and maintained their morphology and adhesion capacity.


CONCLUSIONS
These studies indicated that these nanoparticles have further merit as possible carriers for genes and nucleotide drugs for intracellular delivery.
Gupta
Mona
M
Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IBLS, Davidson Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. m.gupta@bio.gla.ac.uk
Gupta
Ajay Kumar
AK
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D005936:Glucans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008823:Micelles; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010316:Particle Size; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology
D004337:Drug Carriers; D005936:Glucans; D006586:Hexanes; D008823:Micelles; D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; C026385:n-hexane; C009109:pullulan