title: Effect of chitosan-coated alginate microspheres on the permeability of Caco-2 cell monolayers.
abstract: Alginate microspheres were prepared by emulsification/internal gelation and coated with chitosan. The ability of chitosan-coated alginate microspheres to increase the paracellular transport across Caco-2 cell monolayers was evaluated in comparison to uncoated microspheres and chitosan solutions. Transport studies were performed by using a permeability marker, Lucifer Yellow (LY), and by measuring the transepithelial electric resistance (TEER) variations. Furthermore, the occurrence of cytotoxic effects was assessed by evaluating neutral red uptake in viable cells and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from damaged cells. A 3-fold increase on LY permeability was obtained for coated microspheres when compared to chitosan solutions. TEER variations were in agreement with permeability results. Chitosan solutions exhibited a dose-dependent toxicity, but coated microspheres did not decrease the viability of cells. Chitosan-coated alginate microspheres have potential to be used as carriers of poorly absorbable hydrophilic drugs to the intestinal epithelia and possibly increase their oral bioavailability.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. catarinasilva@ci.uc.pt
authors.forename: Catarina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: António J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Naïma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zerrouk
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnaud
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001692:Biological Transport; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D012996:Solutions; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D007546:Isoquinolines; D012996:Solutions; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D048271:Chitosan; C017475:lucifer yellow