IMR Press / FBL / Volume 25 / Issue 10 / DOI: 10.2741/4881

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Pulsed plasma surface functionalized nanosilver for gene delivery
Show Less
1 Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 19, India
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 19, India
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 8 Boston, MA 02115, USA
4 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 19, India
Send correspondence to: Ratnesh Jain, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga, Mumbai-400019, INDIA, Tel: 91-22-3361-2029; Fax:91-22-3361-1020, E-mail: rd.jain@ictmumbai.edu.in
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2020, 25(10), 1854–1874; https://doi.org/10.2741/4881
Published: 1 June 2020
Abstract

Lack of suitable surface properties in biomaterials is an acute challenge for their utilization in nucleic acid delivery, since surface plays a vital role in cell adhesion/uptake and immunity. Low pressure cold plasma is a promising technology for functionalization and surface modification of materials, in an effective, environment friendly and economical way. In this investigation we have modified the surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with chitosan biopolymer, using plasma treatment, to extend their application scope in intracellular DNA delivery. The plasma functionalized; chitosan modified AgNPs (MetaloPolymeric Nanocarriers; MPNCs) possessed superior biocompatibility compared to unmodified AgNPs. Carboxylic groups were incorporated on the surface of nanosilver using 3600 rotating pulsed plasma reactor and acrylic acid vapors were used as precursor gas. Pulsed plasma polymerization process was optimized with respect to working pressure of the system, duty cycle for pulsing, time of treatment and flow rate. Biocompatibility of the plasma functionalized nanosilver was enhanced by coupling it with Chitosan Oligosaccharide (COS), using EDC (1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide) to form amide linkages. The resulting MPNCs showed high cell viability and bio-stability, which was attributed to plasma processing of nanosilver and its association with COS. In vitro cellular studies illustrated significant uptake of nanoplexes. The study suggested the potential of plasma functionalization for manipulating surfaces of metallic nanoparticles to enhance their application in intracellular gene delivery.

Keywords
Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs)
Low pressure cold plasma
surface functionalization
Chitosan Oligosaccharide
COS
non-viral gene delivery
Figures
Figure 1
Share
Back to top