Production and characterization of novel chitosan nanoparticles for controlled release of rHu-Erythropoietin

In this work we report the production and characterization of nanoparticles using the ionotropic gelation method between the biopolymer chitosan (CS) and tripolyphosphate (TPP) ion with simultaneous encapsulation of the glycoprotein Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO). Chitosan concentration, chitosan to TPP mass ratio, and solution pH were optimized using response surface modeling to produce nanoparticles containing rHu-EPO. Nanoparticles were produced with diameters ranging from 100 nm to 400 nm, particle polydispersity from 0.2 to 0.4 and nanoparticle surface charge (zeta potential) ranging between 30 and 50 mV. Controlled release of rHu-EPO from CS-TPP nanoparticles was studied and showed 30% release of the original encapsulated rHu-EPO in 24 h and 68% release in two weeks. These rHu-EPO release results can be used as a basis for more research on the application of nanoparticles within animal models. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.