Can polymeric nanofibers effectively preserve and deliver live therapeutic bacteria?

Grilc, Nina Katarina (author), Kristl, Julijana (author), Zupančič, Špela (author)

Probiotics and live therapeutic bacteria (LTB), their strictly regulated therapeutic counterpart, are increasingly important in treating and preventing biofilm-related diseases. This necessitates new approaches to (i) preserve bacterial viability during manufacturing and storage and (ii) incorporate LTB into delivery systems for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. This review explores advances in probiotic and LTB product development, focusing on preservation, protection, and improved delivery. Preservation of bacteria can be achieved by drying methods that decelerate metabolism but introduce stresses affecting viability which can be mitigated with suitable excipients like polymeric or low molecular weight stabilizers. The review emphasizes the incorporation of LTB into polymer-based nanofibers via electrospinning, enabling simultaneous drying, encapsulation, and delivery system production. Optimization of bacterial survival during electrospinning and storage is discussed, as well as controlled LTB release achievable through formulation design using gel-forming, gastroprotective, mucoadhesive, and pH-responsive polymers. Evaluation of the presence of the actual therapeutic strains, bacterial viability and activity by CFU enumeration or alternative analytical techniques is presented as a key aspect of developing effective and safe formulations with LTB. This review offers insights into designing delivery systems, especially polymeric nanofibers, for preservation and delivery of LTB, guiding readers in developing innovative biotherapeutic delivery systems.

• Language: English
• Keywords: probiotics, electrospinning, excipients, drying, viability, biotherapeutics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 245, art. 114329
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164589
• UDC: 613.292:615
• ISSN on article: 0927-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114329
• COBISS.SI-ID: 212531971
• Publication date in RUL: 04.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Colloids and surfaces : Biointerfaces
• Shortened title: Colloids surf., B Biointerfaces
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0927-7765
• COBISS.SI-ID: 15329029

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: elektropredenje, pomožne snovi, sposobnost preživetja, bioterapevtiki, probiotiki, sušenje, terapevtska uporaba