Apoferritin nanocage as streptomycin drug reservoir: Technological optimization of a new drug delivery system

• Published in: International journal of pharmaceutics Vol. 518; no. 1-2; pp. 281 - 288
• Main Authors: Ruozi, B., Veratti, P., Vandelli, M.A., Tombesi, A., Tonelli, M., Forni, F., Pederzoli, F., Belletti, D., Tosi, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 25-02-2017
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Apoferritin; Apoferritins - chemistry; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Liberation; Encapsulation efficiency; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nanocage; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Purification process; Streptomycin - chemistry; Encapsulation efficiency; Purification process; Apoferritin; Nanocage
• ISSN: 0378-5173; 1873-3476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.12.038

[Display omitted]
The aim of this study is to formulate and characterize streptomycin-loaded apoferritin nanoparticles (ApoStrep NPs) for their potential therapeutic use in bacterial resistant infections (i.e. tuberculosis). ApoStrep NPs were prepared by disassembly/reassembly process via pH method and changing apoferritin/drug molar ratio, purified by dialyses process also associated with gel filtration chromatography and characterized in their chemico-physical and technological parameters as yield, size distribution, polidispersivity, morphology, internal structure, zeta potential and loading efficacy. The results showed that spherical reproducible NPs could be obtained by using apoferritin/drug molar ratio lower than 1:25 and purification based on the combination of dialysis and gel filtration chromatography. Photon correlation spectroscopy, Uv–visible detection and electron microscopy showed the maintenance of the native apoferritin chemico-physical properties and structure. When formulated with apoferritin/drug 1:10 and 1:25 molar ratio, ApoStrep NPs showed remarkable encapsulation efficacy (35% and 28%, respectively) along with kinetic profile of drug delivery, approximately 15% at 37 °C in 72h, as evidenced by “in vitro” release experiments.