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This study investigates the effects of different molecular weight hyaluronic acids (HAs) on the mucosal nanostructure using a pig stomach mucin hydrogel as a mucosal barrier model. Microparticles (1.0 μm) and nanoparticles (200 nm) were used as probes, and their movement in mucin was studied by a three-dimensional confocal microscopy-based particle tracking technique and by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) after addition of high-molecular weight (900 kDa) and low-molecular weight (33 kDa) HA. This demonstrated a molecular weight-dependent HA modulation of the mucin nanostructure with a 2.5-fold decrease in the mobility of 200 nm nanoparticles. To further investigate these mechanisms and to verify that the natural viscoelastic properties of mucus are not undesirably altered, rheological measurements were performed on mucin hydrogels with or without HA. This suggested the observed particle mobility restriction was not attributed to alterations of the natural mucin cohesive and viscoelastic properties but, instead, indicates that the added high-molecular weight HA primarily modulates the mucin nanostructure and mesh size. This study, hereby, demonstrates how mucus nanostructure can be modulated by the addition of high-molecular weight HA that offers an opportunity to control mucosal pathogenesis and drug delivery.

Cancer disorders exhibit an increasing high global incidence, in part, to an aging population with a high socio-economic burden. The cellular transition from normal to malignant state is linked to deregulated gene expression. The discovery of microRNA-mediated cellular regulation by the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway and the possibility to engage this pathway with exogenous triggers such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) could offer a new paradigm in anti-cancer intervention with RNAi-based therapeutics. The potential to silence the expression of any cancer-relevant protein with high selectivity promotes RNAi therapeutics as a more effective and safer treatment to traditional approaches. This combined with microRNA-based tumour profiling could pave the way for personalised approaches based on the genetic characteristics of the individual. Clinical translation of this technology, however, depends on the development of systems for effective delivery of the molecular medicine to the target site. Polycation-based nanoparticles (termed polyplexes) constitute an attractive platform for RNAi therapeutic delivery due to flexibility and versatility in design to overcome extracellular and intracellular barriers. In this review we focus on pre-clinical and clinical studies using polycation-based nanocarriers for RNAi mediated anti-cancer intervention after intratumoural or intravenous administration. Potential RNAi targets are highlighted and special attention is given to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect commonly cited at the predominant mechanism of delivery after systemic administration. The cyclodextrin polymer-based system now in clinical trials offers optimism that polyplexes may potentially be used for RNAi-mediated cancer intervention in the clinic., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This work describes a method for functionalisation of nanoparticle surfaces with hydrophilic "nano-shields" and the application of advanced surface characterisation to determine PEG amount and accumulation at the outmost 10 nm surface that is the predominant factor in determining protein and cellular interactions., Methods: Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were prepared with a hydrophilic PEGylated "nano-shield" inserted at different levels by hydrophobic anchoring using either a phospholipid-PEG conjugate or the copolymer PLGA-block-PEG by an emulsification/diffusion method. Surface and bulk analysis was performed including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and zeta potential. Cellular uptake was investigated in RAW 264.7 macrophages by flow cytometry., Results: Sub-micron nanoparticles were formed and the combination of (NMR) and XPS revealed increasing PEG levels at the particle surface at higher PLGA-b-PEG copolymer levels. Reduced cellular interaction with RAW 264.7 cells was demonstrated that correlated with greater surface presentation of PEG., Conclusion: This work demonstrates a versatile procedure for decorating nanoparticle surfaces with hydrophilic "nano-shields". XPS in combination with NMR enabled precise determination of PEG at the outmost surface to predict and optimize the biological performance of nanoparticle-based drug delivery.