Scholarlink

<p>In this study, a dual-modification strategy was employed to transform chitosan into a more effective nanocarrier for cellular internalization by covalently conjugating α-linolenic acid (ALA) and Tricine (Tri). While native chitosan suffers from poor solubility at physiological pH and limited biological performance, the dual-modified polymer (Chi<sub>ALA−Tri</sub>) was designed to overcome these drawbacks. ALA was introduced to impart hydrophobic and bioactive functionality, thereby facilitating cell uptake, whereas Tricine was incorporated to balance hydrophilicity and enhance aqueous solubility. Structural characterization by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and GPC confirmed successful conjugation, demonstrating increased molecular weight and improved solubility at pH 7.4 compared with native chitosan. Nanoparticles prepared from Chi<sub>ALA−Tri</sub> yielded an optimal formulation at a 2:1 polymer: TPP ratio (n<sub>1</sub>Chi<sub>ALA − Tri</sub>), with a particle size of 123 ± 11&#xa0;nm and a PDI of 0.35 ± 0.02. Curcumin (CUR), selected as a model hydrophobic drug, was successfully encapsulated, achieving encapsulation efficiencies of up to 40.7 ± 0.6%. Release studies revealed that ALA-Tri modification provided controlled release under physiological conditions and prolonged, enhanced release in acidic environments. Moreover, in vitro assays demonstrated that CUR-loaded nanoparticles exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HeLa and HT-29 cancer cells while maintaining favorable biocompatibility in normal BJ fibroblasts. Overall, by integrating the cell-internalization advantage of ALA with the solubility-enhancing contribution of Tricine, this dual-modification strategy produced a balanced nanoparticle platform that outperforms native chitosan, highlighting its potential as a promising carrier for future applications in cancer therapy.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Balancing Hydrophobicity and Hydrophilicity Through Dual Modification of Chitosan: α-Linolenic Acid and Tricine Conjugates for Curcumin Delivery

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月16日

查看全文
  • Kevser Bal,
  • Özlem Kaplan,
  • Sibel Küçükertuğrul Çelik,
  • Nazan Gökşen Tosun,
  • Mehmet Koray Gök

摘要

In this study, a dual-modification strategy was employed to transform chitosan into a more effective nanocarrier for cellular internalization by covalently conjugating α-linolenic acid (ALA) and Tricine (Tri). While native chitosan suffers from poor solubility at physiological pH and limited biological performance, the dual-modified polymer (ChiALA−Tri) was designed to overcome these drawbacks. ALA was introduced to impart hydrophobic and bioactive functionality, thereby facilitating cell uptake, whereas Tricine was incorporated to balance hydrophilicity and enhance aqueous solubility. Structural characterization by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and GPC confirmed successful conjugation, demonstrating increased molecular weight and improved solubility at pH 7.4 compared with native chitosan. Nanoparticles prepared from ChiALA−Tri yielded an optimal formulation at a 2:1 polymer: TPP ratio (n1ChiALA − Tri), with a particle size of 123 ± 11 nm and a PDI of 0.35 ± 0.02. Curcumin (CUR), selected as a model hydrophobic drug, was successfully encapsulated, achieving encapsulation efficiencies of up to 40.7 ± 0.6%. Release studies revealed that ALA-Tri modification provided controlled release under physiological conditions and prolonged, enhanced release in acidic environments. Moreover, in vitro assays demonstrated that CUR-loaded nanoparticles exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HeLa and HT-29 cancer cells while maintaining favorable biocompatibility in normal BJ fibroblasts. Overall, by integrating the cell-internalization advantage of ALA with the solubility-enhancing contribution of Tricine, this dual-modification strategy produced a balanced nanoparticle platform that outperforms native chitosan, highlighting its potential as a promising carrier for future applications in cancer therapy.

Graphical Abstract