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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292624
Title: Development and application of nanoparticles synthesized with folic acid-conjugated soy protein

Author
item TENG, ZI - University Of Maryland
item LUO, YANGCHAO - University Of Maryland
item Wang, Thomas - Tom
item ZANH, BOCE - University Of Maryland
item WANG, QIN - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2013
Publication Date: 3/13/2013
Citation: Teng, Z., Luo, Y., Wang, T.T., Zanh, B., Wang, Q. 2013. Development and application of nanoparticles synthesized with folic acid-conjugated soy protein. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 61(10):2556-64.

Interpretive Summary: ARS scientist in collaboration with scientists at University of Maryland, College Park investigates the use of soy protein isolate as material for nanoparticle encapsulation of cancer protective phytochemicals. Additionally, connecting Folic acid (FA) to the nano-particle was also studied as a way to introduce specificity. Soy protein isolate (SPI) was conjugated with folic acid (FA) to prepare nanoparticles for target-specific delivery. Successful conjugation was evidenced by UV spectrophotometry and primary amino group analysis. An increase in count rate by at least 142% was observed in FA-conjugated SPI nanoparticles as compared to the non-conjugated ones, whereas the particle size was decreased upon FA conjugation. The zeta potentials of FA-SPI nanoparticles varied from –36 to –42 mV depending on the conjugation degree, indicating desirable dispersion stability. Curcumin as a model cancer protective phytochemicals was encapsulated successfully into the FA-SPI nanoparticles according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The highest encapsulation and loading efficiency achieved were around 92.7% and 5.4%, respectively, which were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those with non-conjugated SPI nanoparticles. In addition, a faster and more complete release of curcumin was observed for FA-SPI nanoparticles in PBS/Tween 20 buffer. Cell culture study showed that conjugation of FA resulted in an increase in cellular uptake by at most 93% in Caco-2 cells. These results suggested that FA-SPI is a potential wall material for encapsulation and target-specific delivery of anti-cancer compounds. Our results supported a novel use of soy-derived product. This work will benefit basic, as well as translational research science.

Technical Abstract: In this study, soy protein isolate (SPI) was conjugated with folic acid (FA) to prepare nanoparticles for target-specific drug delivery. Successful conjugation was evidenced by UV spectrophotometry and primary amino group analysis. An increase in count rate by at least 142% was observed in FA-conjugated SPI nanoparticles as compared to the non-conjugated ones, whereas the particle size was decreased upon FA conjugation. The zeta potentials of FA-SPI nanoparticles varied from –36 to –42 mV depending on the conjugation degree, indicating desirable dispersion stability. Curcumin as a model drug was encapsulated successfully into the FA-SPI nanoparticles according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The highest encapsulation and loading efficiency achieved were around 92.7% and 5.4%, respectively, which were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those with non-conjugated SPI nanoparticles. In addition, a faster and more complete release of curcumin was observed for FA-SPI nanoparticles in PBS/Tween 20 buffer. Cell culture study showed that conjugation of FA resulted in an increase in cellular uptake by at most 93% in Caco-2 cells. These results suggested that FA-SPI is a potential wall material for encapsulation and target-specific delivery of anti-cancer drugs.