Promotion of the transdermal delivery of protein drugs by N-trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles combined with polypropylene electret

Abstract

We recently reported that electret, which was prepared by a corona charging system with polypropylene film, could enhance the transdermal delivery of several drugs of low molecular weight. The aim of this study was to investigate whether electret could enhance the transdermal delivery of protein drugs by N-trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles (TMC NPs) prepared by an ionic gelation method. A series of experiments were performed, including in vitro skin permeation assays and anti-inflammatory effects, to evaluate the transdermal delivery of protein drugs by TMC NPs in the presence of electret. The results showed that in the presence of electret, the transdermal delivery of protein drugs in TMC NPs was significantly enhanced, as demonstrated by in vitro permeation studies and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Notably, superoxide dismutase-loaded TMC NPs combined with electret exhibited the best inhibitory effect on the edema of the mouse ear. TMC NPs combined with electret represent a novel platform for the transdermal delivery of protein drugs.

Keywords:

• N-trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles
• electret
• transdermal delivery
• protein drugs

Acknowledgments

We thank Professor Jian Jiang (the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China) for his technical help in preparing electret and for useful suggestions in preparing this manuscript. This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no 81000689).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.