Wye-Khay Fong

Evaluating the link between self-assembled mesophase structure and drug release

Lipid-based liquid crystalline materials are of increasing interest for use as drug delivery systems. The intricate nanostructure of the reversed bicontinuous cubic (V(2)) and inverse hexagonal (H(2)) liquid crystal matrices have been shown to provide diffusion controlled release of actives of varying size and polarity. In this study, we extend the understanding of release to other self-assembled phases, the micellar cubic phase (I(2)) and inverse micelles (L(2)). The systems are comparable as they were all prepared from the one lipid, glyceryl monooleate (GMO), which sequentially forms all four phases with increasing hexadecane (HD) content in excess water. Phase identity was confirmed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). SAXS data indicated that four mesophases were formed with increasing HD content at 25°C: V(2) phase (Pn3m space group) formed at 0-4% (w/w) HD, H(2) phase formed at 4-25% (w/w) HD, I(2) phase (Fd3m space group) formed at 25-40% (w/w) HD and finally L(2) phase formed at >40% (w/w) HD. Analogous compositions using phytantriol rather than GMO as the core lipid did not produce the I(2) phase, with only V(2) to H(2) to L(2) transitions being apparent with increasing HD concentration. In order to relate the liquid crystal phase structure to drug release rate, in vitro release tests were conducted by incorporating radio-labelled glucose as a model hydrophilic drug into the four GMO-based mesophases. It was found that the drug release followed first-order diffusion kinetics and was fastest from V(2) followed by L(2), H(2), and I(2). Drug release was shown to be significantly faster from bicontinuous cubic phase than the other mesophases, indicating that the state of the water compartments, whether open or closed, has a great influence on the rate of drug release. It is envisioned that liquid crystalline mesophases with slower release characteristics will more likely have potential applications as sustained release drug delivery systems, and hence that the bicontinuous cubic phase is not necessarily the best choice for a sustained release matrix.

Alkylation of Spiropyran Moiety Provides Reversible Photo-Control over Nanostructured Soft Materials

The purpose of this study was to create a light responsive nanostructured liquid crystalline matrix using a novel alkylated spiropyran photochromic molecule (spiropyran laurate, SPL) as a light activated drug delivery system. The liquid crystal matrix, prepared from phytantriol, responds reversibly to changes in photoisomerism of SPL on irradiation, switching between the bicontinuous cubic and the reversed hexagonal liquid crystal structures, a change previously shown to dramatically alter drug release rate. In contrast, the non-derivatized spiropyran and spirooxazine photochromic compounds do not sufficiently disrupt the matrix on isomerization to induce the phase change. Thus, novel alkylated spiropyran has the potential to be an effective agent for use in liquid crystalline systems for reversible ‘on-demand’ drug delivery applications.

External manipulation of nanostructure in photoresponsive lipid depot matrix to control and predict drug release in vivo

On-demand drug delivery systems are highly promising to control the time-course of drug release and ultimately optimize drug concentration time profiles in patients. Lipid based lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases have demonstrated exceptional responsiveness to external stimuli such as heat, pH and light. Our objective was to quantitatively characterize the time-course of light activated drug release from near infrared (NIR) activated photothermal systems using ex vivo and in vivo studies. Photoresponsive hybrid gold nanorod-liquid crystalline matrices were prepared and loaded into custom-made implants which were inserted into subcutaneous tissues in rats. Time resolved SAXS studies showed the abdomen to be the best site of implantation to achieve in vivo activation of the subcutaneous dose from by the NIR laser. External control of drug release was achieved via NIR laser light and plasma concentrations of the model drug were determined over time. Laser activation achieved a phase change of the photoresponsive formulations and thereby a considerable change in the rate of drug release. Population pharmacokinetic modeling of all results simultaneously revealed a two stage release process unique to these liquid crystalline matrices. The developed structural model was able to successfully describe also the results of our previous study in 2009 where a change in temperature was utilized to trigger subcutaneous drug release. Thus, modeling of the data proved to be a valuable analytical tool which provided a quantitative understanding of the time-course of drug release in vivo and will be essential in the development of these matrices as on-demand release systems.

Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Cubic Phases as Versatile Host Matrices for Membrane-Bound Enzymes

Lyotropic liquid crystalline cubic mesophases can function as host matrices for enzymes because of their biomimetic structural characteristics, optical transparency, and capability to coexist with water. This study demonstrates that the in meso immobilized membrane-bound enzyme d-fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) preserves its full activity, follows ideal Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and shows improved stability compared to its behavior in solution. Even after 5 days, the immobilized FDH retained its full activity in meso, whereas a model hydrophilic enzyme, horseradish peroxidase, maintained only 21% of its original activity. We reason that the lipidic bilayers in the three-dimensional structures of cubic mesophases provide an ideal environment for the reconstitution of a membrane-bound enzyme. The preserved activity, long-term stability, and reusability demonstrate that these hybrid nanomaterials are ideal matrices for biosensing and biocatalytic fuel cell applications.

Oil transfer converts phosphatidylcholine vesicles into nonlamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline particles.

There is a need for the development of low-energy dispersion methods tailored to the formation of phospholipid-based nonlamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) particles for delivery system applications. Here, facile formation of nonlamellar LLC particles was obtained by simple mixing of a phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposome solution and an oil-in-water emulsion, with limonene or isooctane as an oil. The internal structure of the particles was controlled by the PC-to-oil ratio, consistently with the sequence observed in bulk phase. For the first time, reverse micellar cubosomes with Fm3̅m inner structure were produced. The size, morphology, and inner structure of the particles were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and freeze-fracture cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). These findings pave the way to new strategies in low-energy formulation of LLC delivery systems.

Ice-Templated and Cross-Linked Amyloid Fibril Aerogel Scaffolds for Cell Growth

Amyloid fibrils prepared from β-lactoglobulin were used to form freeze-dried and cross-linked aerogels. By varying the fibril concentration and freezing gradient, it was possible to control the pore structure and elastic modulus of the aerogels within one order of magnitude from ∼20 to ∼200 kPa. Using butane tetracarboxylic acid as cross-linker, these aerogels maintained their monolithic shape under aqueous conditions, displaying elastic behavior and a modulus in the range of ∼4-40 kPa. When explored as scaffolds for cell growth, the amyloid fibril aerogels demonstrated biocompatibility and led to the successful penetration and permeation of two epithelial cell lines (Caco-2 and HT29) throughout the scaffold. These soft, elastic, and water-stable biomaterials expand the scope of amyloid fibril aerogels, making them suitable for wet-state applications such as heterogeneous catalysis, purification membranes, and 3D matrices for cell growth.

Lipid-based drug delivery systems in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Recent advances in drug delivery technology have amplified potential opportunities to treat the debilitating diseases that affect the posterior segment of the eye in a less invasive and more efficient manner. Current methods for effective drug delivery to the back of the eye are hindered by many barriers and limitations. As a consequence, considerable efforts have been directed towards developing new materials to selectively deliver drug directly to the target site. This review focuses on lipid-based delivery systems which show promise in improving treatment for the most common disease of the posterior segment of the eye in the developed world, age-related macular degeneration, with an emphasis upon on-demand delivery systems as they have greater potential to overcome the current limitations.

Dynamic formation of nanostructured particles from vesicles via invertase hydrolysis for on-demand delivery

The unique multicompartmental nanostructure of lipid-based mesophases can be triggered, on-demand, in order to control the release of encapsulated drugs. In this study, these nanostructured matrices have been designed to respond to a specific enzyme, invertase, an enzyme which catalyses the hydrolysis of sucrose. The effect of two sugar esters upon the phase behaviour of two different lipids which form cubic phases, phytantriol and monolinolein, was investigated. Factors affecting the hydrolysis of the sucrose headgroup are discussed in terms of the molecular structure of the sugar surfactant and also its ability to incorporate into the lipid bilayer. By hydrolysing the incorporated sugar esters, a dynamic change in mesophase nanostructure from vesicles to a cubic phase was observed. This phase change resulted in the triggered release of an encapsulated model drug, fluorescein. This investigation demonstrates, for the first time, that changes on a molecular level by subtly controlling the hydrophilic and hydrophobic features of an amphiphilic additive at the interface by enzymatic hydrolysis can result in a global change in the system and so paves the way towards the design and development of lipid-based matrices which are responsive to specific enzymes for the controlled delivery of pharmaceutically active molecules or functional foods.