Versatile preparation of silica nanocapsules for biomedical applications

Core–shell nanocapsules are receiving increasing interest for drug delivery applications. Silica nanocapsules have been the focus of intensive studies due to their biocompatibility, versatile silica chemistry, and tunable porosity. However, a versatile one-step preparation of silica nanocapsules with well-defined core–shell structure, tunable size, flexible interior loading, and tailored shell composition, permeability, and surface functionalization for site-specific drug release and therapeutic tracking remains a challenge. Herein, an interfacially confined sol–gel process in miniemulsion for the one-step versatile preparation of functional silica nanocapsules is developed. Uniform nanocap…

The Role of the Protein Corona in the Uptake Process of Nanoparticles

Controlling protein interactions in blood for effective liver immunosuppressive therapy by silica nanocapsules

Immunosuppression with glucocorticoids is a common treatment for autoimmune liver diseases and after liver transplant, which is however associated with severe side-effects. Targeted delivery of glucocorticoids to inflammatory cells, e.g. liver macrophages and Kupffer cells, is a promising approach for minimizing side effects. Herein, we prepare core–shell silica nanocapsules (SiO2 NCs) via a sol–gel process confined in nanodroplets for targeted delivery of dexamethasone (DXM) for liver immunosuppressive therapy. DXM with concentrations up to 100 mg mL−1 in olive oil are encapsulated while encapsulation efficiency remains over 95% after 15 days. Internalization of NCs by non-parenchymal muri…