Phenylboronic acid functionalized silica nanoparticles with enlarged ordered mesopores for efficient insulin loading and controlled release

Abstract Mesoporous silica particles have been extensively used to construct various drug delivery systems. An optimized design of pore size, surface functionalization and pore structure, is still needed for further application, especially for use as biomacromolecules carriers. Herein, one intelligent glucose-responsive insulin delivery system Insulin@ZnO-P@G-MSP was constructed based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles with large ordered mesopores (>5 nm) and small particle sizes (∼150 nm), combined with phenylboronic acids as glucose-responsive units and zinc oxide nanoparticles as the capping agents. The release characteristics of this system showed a positive correlation with the species and concentration of the saccharides and could be switched on and off by adjusting the glucose concentration. The stable release rate in the serum and good biocompatibility with liver cells illustrated the feasibility of this system in further biological applications. This work demonstrates an innovative approach to the development of a biomolecules delivery system by introducing mesoporous silica particles with large ordered mesopores and nanometer-scale particle sizes.