English

　　Researchers from West China School of Stomatology (WCSS), Sichuan University have proposed a mussel-inspired mucoadhesive film and demonstrated that the adhesion mechanism of this film relies on both physical association and covalent bonding between the film and mucus.

　　Buccal drug delivery, which is non-invasive, painless and convenient, offers superb advantages over the oral and parenteral formulations. However, there are many challenges associated with this route that have limited its further implementation. Strategies that could achieve both excellent mucus-penetrating ability and cellular uptake across the epithelial barriers are in high demanded.

　　The research team, led by Dr. Qianbing Wan and Dr. Jian Wang, has presented the design of an effective mussel-inspired buccal film with incorporated PLGA-PDA-Dex NPs for improved residence time and mucoadhesion strength. Upon application onto the buccal tissue, the NPs are released gradually from the film and subsequently penetrate the mucus layer and translocate across the epithelium, followed by sustained drug release and improved therapeutic efficacy in treating oral mucositis.

Synthesis and biomedical application of PVA-DOPA@NPs-Dex mucoadhesive film.

　　Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communications on 16 March 2021, could improve the efficiency of buccal drug delivery and inspire the rational design of tissue adhesives, wound dressings, and NP-based delivery systems in the near future.

　　Dr. Shanshan Hu and Dr. Xibo Pei are the study’s co-first authors. Dr. Qianbing Wan and Dr. Jian Wang are the co-corresponding authors. All of them are members of State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Prosthodontics.

　　For more details of this study, please click on the link below.

　　https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-21989-5