Liposomes are extensively used in drug delivery, while alginates are widely used in tissue\nengineering. However, liposomes are usually thermally unstable and drug-leaking when in liquids,\nwhile the drug carriers made of alginates show low loading capacities when used for drug delivery.\nHerein, we developed a type of thermo-responsible liposomeâ??alginate composite hydrogel (TSPMAH)\nby grafting thermo-responsive liposomes onto alginates by using Ca2+ mediated bonding between\nthe phosphatidic serine (PS) in the liposome membrane and the alginate. The temperature-sensitivity\nof the liposomes was actualized by using phospholipids comprising dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine\n(DPPC) and PS and the liposomes were prepared by a thin-film dispersion method. The TSPMAH\nwas then successfully prepared by bridge-linking the microcapsules onto the alginate hydrogel\nvia PS-Ca2+-Carboxyl-alginate interaction. Characterizations of the TSPMAH were carried out\nusing scanning electron microscopy, transform infrared spectroscopy, and laser scanning confocal\nmicroscopy, respectively. Their rheological property was also characterized by using a rheometer.\nCytotoxicity evaluations of the TSPMAH showed that the composite hydrogel was biocompatible, safe,\nand non-toxic. Further, loading and thermos-inducible release of model drugs encapsulated by the\nTSPMAH as a drug carrier system was also studied by making protamineâ??siRNA complex-carrying\nTSPMAH drug carriers. Our results indicated that the TSPMAH described herein has great potentials\nto be further developed into an intelligent drug delivery system.
Loading....