Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery

Hydrogels are interesting materials as delivery systems of various therapeutic agents, mainly due to the water-swollen network and the localized and sustained drug release. Herein, single-component starch-based hydrogels with enhanced degradation rates were produced by applying a facile synthesis an...

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Main Authors: Alfio Pulvirenti, Antonella Caterina Boccia, Carolina Constantin, Mihaela Surcel, Adriana Munteanu, Victor-Eduard Peteu, Monica Neagu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5463
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author Alfio Pulvirenti
Antonella Caterina Boccia
Carolina Constantin
Mihaela Surcel
Adriana Munteanu
Victor-Eduard Peteu
Monica Neagu
author_facet Alfio Pulvirenti
Antonella Caterina Boccia
Carolina Constantin
Mihaela Surcel
Adriana Munteanu
Victor-Eduard Peteu
Monica Neagu
author_sort Alfio Pulvirenti
collection DOAJ
description Hydrogels are interesting materials as delivery systems of various therapeutic agents, mainly due to the water-swollen network and the localized and sustained drug release. Herein, single-component starch-based hydrogels with enhanced degradation rates were produced by applying a facile synthesis and proposed for a novel delivery system of therapeutic molecules. Starch was oxidized with sodium periodate in water and mild conditions to generate aldehyde derivatives that, after a freeze-thaw procedure, were allowed to compact and stable hydrogels. Oxidized starch was also cross-linked with asparagine through a Schiff base reaction to link the active molecule directly to the polysaccharide structure. The materials were structurally and morphologically characterized, and the ability to adsorb and release over time an active molecule was proven by qNMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity was evaluated on CAL-27 cell line (oral squamous cell carcinoma). Results indicated that synthesized hydrogels lead to a “frozen proliferative” state on cells due to the swelling capability in the cell medium. This behavior was confirmed by flow cytometry data indicating the hydrogels induced less “early apoptosis” and more “late apoptosis” in the cells, compared to the untreated control. Since the proposed materials are able to control the cell proliferation, they could open a new scenario within the field of precise therapeutic applications.
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spelling doaj-art-a90ea74ec12e444b8cd975d2b85c22972025-08-20T02:48:01ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-11-012922546310.3390/molecules29225463Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic DeliveryAlfio Pulvirenti0Antonella Caterina Boccia1Carolina Constantin2Mihaela Surcel3Adriana Munteanu4Victor-Eduard Peteu5Monica Neagu6Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche (SCITEC) “Giulio Natta”, C.N.R., Via Alfonso Corti 12, 20133 Milano, ItalyIstituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche (SCITEC) “Giulio Natta”, C.N.R., Via Alfonso Corti 12, 20133 Milano, Italy“Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania“Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania“Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania“Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania“Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 99-101 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, RomaniaHydrogels are interesting materials as delivery systems of various therapeutic agents, mainly due to the water-swollen network and the localized and sustained drug release. Herein, single-component starch-based hydrogels with enhanced degradation rates were produced by applying a facile synthesis and proposed for a novel delivery system of therapeutic molecules. Starch was oxidized with sodium periodate in water and mild conditions to generate aldehyde derivatives that, after a freeze-thaw procedure, were allowed to compact and stable hydrogels. Oxidized starch was also cross-linked with asparagine through a Schiff base reaction to link the active molecule directly to the polysaccharide structure. The materials were structurally and morphologically characterized, and the ability to adsorb and release over time an active molecule was proven by qNMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity was evaluated on CAL-27 cell line (oral squamous cell carcinoma). Results indicated that synthesized hydrogels lead to a “frozen proliferative” state on cells due to the swelling capability in the cell medium. This behavior was confirmed by flow cytometry data indicating the hydrogels induced less “early apoptosis” and more “late apoptosis” in the cells, compared to the untreated control. Since the proposed materials are able to control the cell proliferation, they could open a new scenario within the field of precise therapeutic applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5463hydrogelsstarchNMRflow cytometrycytotoxicitytherapeutic delivery
spellingShingle Alfio Pulvirenti
Antonella Caterina Boccia
Carolina Constantin
Mihaela Surcel
Adriana Munteanu
Victor-Eduard Peteu
Monica Neagu
Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
Molecules
hydrogels
starch
NMR
flow cytometry
cytotoxicity
therapeutic delivery
title Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
title_full Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
title_fullStr Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
title_full_unstemmed Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
title_short Single-Component Starch-Based Hydrogels for Therapeutic Delivery
title_sort single component starch based hydrogels for therapeutic delivery
topic hydrogels
starch
NMR
flow cytometry
cytotoxicity
therapeutic delivery
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/22/5463
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AT carolinaconstantin singlecomponentstarchbasedhydrogelsfortherapeuticdelivery
AT mihaelasurcel singlecomponentstarchbasedhydrogelsfortherapeuticdelivery
AT adrianamunteanu singlecomponentstarchbasedhydrogelsfortherapeuticdelivery
AT victoreduardpeteu singlecomponentstarchbasedhydrogelsfortherapeuticdelivery
AT monicaneagu singlecomponentstarchbasedhydrogelsfortherapeuticdelivery