Biocompatibility, structural complementarity and biological recognition abilities are few of the properties of self-assembling peptides, which have contributed to various applications in regenerative medicine and targeted drug delivery. Non-covalent forces lead to peptide self-assembly specifically by π-stacking and hydrophobic interactions. Depending on the sequence of the peptides used for self-assembly, a vast range of nano-structures can be obtained like; nanofibers/spheres or micelles. In this study, various nanocarriers were evaluated for targeted delivery of natural compounds. The utilized oligopeptides are grouped into 2 categories: The 1st group of the oligopeptides form nanospheres/fibrous structures under electrostatic forces whereas the 2nd group are cationic, amphiphilic ones, which form micelles. These structures have the potential of enhancing the drug delivery systems from several aspects such as; being responsive to the external stimuli like pH and presence of enzymes. In order to assess the influence of electrostatic forces on the assembly of biodegradable nanocarriers, several tests were performed, namely; Mass spectroscopy to study the chemical structure, FT-IR to study the secondary structure, DSC to study the thermal behavior. Cranberry extracts have attracted considerable attention due to their antioxidative properties and inhibition of tumor cell proliferation. These natural compounds are grouped into 2 categories: Polar flavonoids such as quercetin and pro-anthocyanidins and nonpolar triterpenoids such as ursolic acid, both of which are unstable in biological environment and require a carrier for delivery to the tissues of interest. The aim of this work is to explore the fabrication of these nanocarriers, evaluate their ability of drug loading, release behavior and their biodistribution both in vitro and in vivo and their ability to inhibit tumor cell proliferation.

Peptide-based carriers for natural therapeutic molecules delivery

256th National Meeting (2018)

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