title: Peptide-based hydrogel nanoparticles as effective drug delivery agents.
abstract: Peptide-based hydrogel nanoparticles represent a promising alternative to current drug delivery approaches. We have previously demonstrated that the Fmoc-FF aromatic dipeptide building block can self-assemble in aqueous solutions to form nano-scaled ordered hydrogels of remarkable mechanical rigidity. Here, we present a scalable process for the assembly of this peptide into hydrogel nanoparticles (HNPs) aimed to be utilized as potential drug delivery carriers. Fmoc-FF based HNPs were formulated via modified inverse-emulsion method using vitamin E-TPGS as an emulsion stabilizer and high speed homogenization. The formed HNPs exhibited two distinguishable populations with an average size of 21.5±1.3 and 225.9±0.8 nm. Gold nanoparticles were encapsulated within the hydrogel nanoparticles as contrast agents to monitor the formation of the assemblies and their ultrastructural properties. Next, we demonstrated a robust experimental procedure developed and optimized for the formulation, purification, storage and handling procedures of HNPs. Encapsulation of doxorubicin (Dox) and 5-flourouracil (5-Fu) within the HNPs matrix showed release kinetics of the drugs depending on their chemical structure, molecular weight and hydrophobicity. The results clearly indicate that Fmoc-FF based hydrogel nanoparticles have the potential to be used as encapsulation and delivery system of various drugs and bioactive molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ischakov
authors.forename: Lihi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adler-Abramovich
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buzhansky
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shekhter
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazit
mesh_terms: D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D010455:Peptides; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate