Hyaluronan-coated poly(propylene imine) dendrimers as biomimetic nanocarriers of doxorubicin

A coating technology based on low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) and ferulic acid (FA) was applied to the coating of low generation poly(propylene imine) dendrimers through a biocompatible hexa(ethylene glycol) spacer. The ensuing HA-FA-HEG-PPID dendrimeric materials showed interesting loading capability (between 7.65% and 9.08%) regarding anticancer agent doxorubicin, and their interactions with the drug appeared to hamper the drug release in the physiological environment. Thus, the stable nanostructured loaded delivery systems were able to internalize into cells expressing the HA receptor CD44 and to demonstrate high cytotoxicity comparable to that shown by equivalent amounts of free doxorubicin. Thus, HA-FA-HEG-PPID dendrimeric materials were proposed as biocompatible drug carriers capable of transporting anticancer doxorubicin to tumor cells.