The Systematic Evaluation of Physicochemical and Biological Properties In Vitro and In Vivo for Natural Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanoparticle-based theranostics has served as a preferential technology for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, there are still massive challenges in constructing the ideal platform, which hopefully integrate various characteristics such as easy preparation, multiple utilization, and high therapeutic effect and safety into a single system. Herein, we reported a drug delivery system-based on natural silk fibroin (denoted as SF NPs), and systematically evaluated the physicochemical properties, biological properties and the biosafety assessment of SF NPs. The in vitro and in vivo experimental results confirmed that SF NPs showed high stability, low blood hemolysis and the universal delivery ability of drugs. Additionally, the SF NPs could rapidly enter into cells due to its nanoscale size, and had a weak cytotoxicity against MCF-7, 4T1 and L929 cells. Meanwhile, the SF NPs showed enhanced tumor permeability in a simulative model of multicellular spheroids, combined with excellent in vivo biosafety and the negligible organ injury, demonstrate that SF-based nanomedicine presents the utilization potentiality for drug delivery and may provide a new view for cancer treatment.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(51703187); National College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program(202110635042)