Development and Characterization of pH-Responsive Smart Cubosome Nanoparticles for Oral Drug Delivery

• Grant number: 25/01928-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Biophysics of Processes and Systems
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Omar Mertins
• Grantee: Omar Mertins
• Principal researcher abroad: Borislav Angelov
• Institution abroad: The Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC, Czech Republic
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Patrick Mathews Delgado
• Associated research grant: 24/01040-0 - Nano cubesome with crystalline phase and functionalized with biopolymers: Structural advances aimed at oral application, AP.R

Abstract

The smart cubosome is a hybrid nanoparticle composed of a liquid-crystalline cubosome core and a biopolymer-based shell. The cubosome core, featuring an Im3m symmetry, is formed using the monoolein lipid, while the shell is created from complex coacervates of chitosan-N-arginine and alginate polysaccharides. This shell imparts pH-responsive properties to the nanoparticle, making it highly suitable for gastrointestinal applications. This collaborative research aims to advance the detailed characterization of the nanoparticle's crystalline topology and its modifications when exposed to simulated gastric and intestinal environments. Such studies are essential for understanding the structural reactivity of the material within the biological milieu, paving the way for its potential use as a bioactive delivery system. The project also explores how polysaccharides influence lipid bilayer curvature, driving the formation of specific inverse cubic and hexagonal topologies during interactions with gastrointestinal components. Ultimately, this proposal seeks to strengthen and internationalize the research partnership between the collaborating teams. (AU)