Dextran Nanoparticle Synthesis and Properties

Abstract

Dextran is widely exploited in medical products and as a component of drug-delivering nanoparticles (NPs). Here, we tested whether dextran can serve as the main substrate of NPs and form a stable backbone. We tested dextrans with several molecular masses under several synthesis conditions to optimize NP stability. The analysis of the obtained nanoparticles showed that dextran NPs that were synthesized from 70 kDa dextran with a 5% degree of oxidation of the polysaccharide chain and 50% substitution with dodecylamine formed a NP backbone composed of modified dextran subunits, the mean diameter of which in an aqueous environment was around 100 nm. Dextran NPs could be stored in a dry state and reassembled in water. Moreover, we found that different chemical moieties (e.g., drugs such as doxorubicin) can be attached to the dextran NPs via a pH-dependent bond that allows release of the drug with lowering pH. We conclude that dextran NPs are a promising nano drug carrier.

Size and molecular weight determination of polysaccharides by means of nano electrospray gas‐phase electrophoretic mobility molecular analysis (nES GEMMA)

“…In summary, nES GEMMA is a valuable alternative in the dry size and MW determination of polysaccharide‐based nanoparticles yielding number‐concentration based data and opening up new avenues in monitoring modifications of polysaccharides for nanotechnology, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications .…”

“…), polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and hyaluronans . Wasiak and colleagues employed gas‐phase electrophoresis for the analysis of dextran‐based nanoparticles as had Szymanski and co‐workers much earlier for a small dextran of 11.5 kDa. In the current work, we focus on the application of GEMMA for polysaccharide measurements in a more general approach; we intended to setup an EMD/MW correlation for the wide range of chemically divergent polysaccharides as previously done for proteins and DNA .…”

Dextran Nanoparticles Cross‐Linked in Aqueous and Aqueous/Alcoholic Media

“…Established by now main methods for dextran nanoparticle preparation include: the cross‐linking in reverse micelle (water–paraffin emulsion), however, in this case the particle sizes are difficult to control; the dextran oxidation, the multistage formation, and purification of dextran nanoparticles being the main disadvantage of this method; the self‐assembly of copolymers and conjugates based on dextran. This approach suggests the complicated synthetic procedures of dextran modification .…”

Polysaccharide Based Nanoparticles

“…Dextran is an unbranched water‐soluble polysaccharide and widely exploited in medical products because of its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, non‐antigenicity and non‐immunogenicity properties . Chemical conjugation of dextran can be possible due to hydroxyl groups at the backbone chain which allows it to react with targeting ligands and biomedical agents .…”