Description
- Abstract:
- Oral drug delivery is a preferred route of administration for medication due to convenience and accessibility. However, due to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and poor diffusion through the mucosal barrier, oral drugs have low bioavailability. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) can protect oral drugs from the harsh environment of our digestive tract, and their physicochemical properties can be tailored to enhance targeted drug delivery. One way to enhance the diffusion and cellular uptake of PNPs is through bio-coating – a physical coating of the particles with GI mucin8. Bio-coating can alter their surface charge and size – two factors that influence diffusion through GI mucin. 5 different polymeric coatings were evaluated to determine the effect that bio-coating has on diffusion, surface charge, and hydrodynamic diameter. Diffusion coefficients were determined through fluorescent particle tracking. Changes in zeta potential and hydrodynamic diameter as a result of bio-coating were monitored to evaluate the interactions between the coating, nanoparticle, and GI mucin. Finally, Caco-2 cells were utilized to evaluate the transcytosis and uptake of bio-coated nanoparticles while mimicking the human GI environment. By coating PNPs with extremely negatively charged solutions, such as hyaluronic acid, their diffusion in GI mucin can be enhanced and aggregation can be reduced. Coating them with slightly negatively charged solutions, such as 100KDa polyethylene glycol, also improves diffusion compared to nearly neutral charged solutions, and significantly improves cellular transcytosis.
- Notes:
- Thesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2025
Citation
Haque, Hena Mariam,
"Evaluating the Diffusive Capabilities of Polymeric Nanoparticles in Mucosal Environments"
(2025).
Biomedical Engineering Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:ppz2qbug/
Relations
Collection:
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Biomedical Engineering Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations for the Biomedical Engineering department....