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Phan – Hyaluronic acid-coated nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles as potential chemotherapeutics

 

Hyaluronic acid-coated nitric oxide-releasing silica nanoparticles as potential chemotherapeutics (2023)

Undergraduate: Tien Phan


Faculty Advisor: Mark Schoenfisch
Department: Chemistry

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) were developed as a macromolecular nitric oxide (NO) delivery system to facilitate targeted NO release to melanoma cancer cells at physiological pH. Through borate ester bond modifications, dopamine-modified HA was coated onto the surface of amine-modified nanoparticles to harness both drug delivery systems’ therapeutic effects against melanoma. Specific surface modifications including the nanoparticle amine modification, concentration of HA coating, and HA molecular weight, were evaluated to synthesize a novel N-diazeniumdiolate NO delivery system with a range of NO-release kinetics. Through HA modification, this NO delivery system may allow for targeted NO release at therapeutically relevant levels. In this regard, antitumor activity may be enhanced while minimizing off-target adverse toxicity.

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