Polymer-liposome nanoparticles obtained by the electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers onto soybean lecithin liposomes

This work is focused on the formulation of polymer-liposome nanoparticles based on the electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers onto soybean lecithin liposomes, with potential as novel delivery system for macromolecules, such as proteins. The building up of the polymer-liposome nanoparticles was achieved through the alternating bio-adsorption of natural cationic (chitosan) and neutral (dextran) or anionic (dextran sulphate or alginate) polymer layers on a core composed by anionic nanosized soybean lecithin liposomes. The electrostatic bio-adsorption of natural polymers succeeded in building nanosized, spherical, monodisperse and stable polymer-liposome nanoparticles with cumulative sizes between 357.3 nm ± 25.3 nm and 498.2 nm ± 69.6 nm and surface charges (ζ-potential) between –30.66 mV ± 1.55 mV and –26.74 mV ± 1.04 mV for the liposomal systems composed by alternating layers of chitosan and dextran sulphate or alginate, respectively. Natural-polymer-liposome nanoparticles offer good properties for encapsulation on its liposomal aqueous core and sustained release of a model protein, BSA, in vitro.