Optimizing Niosome Formulations for Enhanced Cellular Applications: A Comparative Case Study with L-α-lecithin Liposomes

Abstract

AbstractNiosomes, emerging as nonionic surfactant-derived amphiphilic nanoparticles, hold substantial promise in the realm of biomedical research. This study addresses the need for a comprehensive exploration of niosome production optimization for biological applications, while also establishing meaningful comparisons with the well-established liposomal counterparts. Beyond conventional stability assessments, our motivation centers on discerning not only critical niosome process parameters but also on devising cost-effective, scalable alternatives to liposomes through comparative studies of liposomes and niosomes, rather than solely emphasizing niosomal stability advantages.The primary objective of this study is to formulate and characterize a diverse array of niosomal nanoparticles, with a prime focus on their process-related parameters, physicochemical characteristics, cellular uptake, and toxicity performances. To establish the niosomes as their research twins of liposomes, the gap in the research field is picked as the starting point. The study is designed with stringent criteria based on the limitations of vasculature-tissue barriers. The proposed encompassing size (100-200 nm), polydispersity below 0.5, and zeta potential within the range of -10 to 10 mV are set for this purpose. These criteria serve as the initial screening parameters, streamlining the selection of niosome formulations with the potential to overcome the barriers. Through meticulous physicochemical characterization, we synthesized 10 optimized formulations aligned with the targeted size, polydispersity, and zeta potential ranges. In this physicochemical critical process parameter screening, short and long-term stability, shelf-life aggregation profiles, and the reproducibility of formulations were also assessed to confidently report the potential niosomal formulations for further drug delivery purposes. The statistical evaluations and analytical screening of process parameters obtained from the DoE interface indicated that most formulations maintain their critical criteria for at least 21 days, with three formulations remaining stable for 35 days. Reproducibility tests further validate the consistency of eight out of ten formulations regarding size, polydispersity, and surface charge. The F-score confirms high similarity between predicted and observed physicochemical properties (F-score = 0.83) for reproducibility tests.Concurrently, we explore the pivotal process parameters governing niosome preparation and their consequential impact on physicochemical attributes. Further, physiochemically selected niosomal carriers are simultaneously exposed to cellular applications with L-α-lecithin liposomes including cellular toxicity and cellular uptake. In cellular toxicity, the selected niosomes from physicochemical screening were exposed to two different cancerous cell lines belonging to glioblastoma multiform (U-87 MG) and lymphoblast-like cell line (NFS-60). The cellular uptake profiles in U-87 MG and simultaneous comparison with liposomes revealed non-toxicity across all formulations and promising cellular uptake performance in four formulations, either similar to or better than liposomes.Overall, this study holds potential implications of niosomes for advancing reliable drug delivery strategies, enhancing treatment efficacy, and ensuring safety in various therapeutic applications. Besides, demonstrating the scientific records of physiochemically controlled niosomes’ similarity to a type of liposomes in cellular interactions and scalable production will ultimately expand their applications in the field of biomedical research.