Functionalized Janus Nanoparticles for Managing Dry Mouth

Objectives: To produce mucin Janus nanoparticles capable of alleviating the symptoms of xerostomia.
Methods: Janus nanoparticles, containing distinct compartments of mucin (for xerostomia relief) and pectin or aminodextran (for adhesion to mucous membranes) were fabricated utilizing the process of electrohydrodynamic co-jetting. Ex vivo produced oral mucosa equivalents (EVPOMEs) were produced by seeding 200K oral keratinocytes onto a decellularized cadaver dermal matrix. 50 µl of varying particle concentrations were applied to EVPOMEs for 30 minutes at 37°C. Each construct was washed 3 times with 200µl of PBS. Fluorescence was assessed, both pre- and post- wash, using a SpectraMax ID3 microplate reader to produce Relative Fluorescent Units (RFU) for each construct.
Results: Mucin Janus nanoparticles containing aminodextran (263.37µg/ml) and pectin (924.15ug/ml) were successfully fabricated and tagged with AlexaFluor-488. The intensity of fluorescence was statistically significant (p<.05) when compared to a negative control.

Application of the mucin Janus nanoparticles to EVPOMEs demonstrated that pectin (2 million RFU) and aminodextran (1 million RFU) increased fluorescence when compared to the control group. Dilution of the particles resulted in a decrease in fluorescence. Following the administration of PBS washes, pectin particles exhibited the greatest binding potential (800 thousand RFU compared to aminodextran at 600 thousand RFU). SEM images confirmed these findings. Dilution of the particles resulted in reduced binding for both pectin (575 thousand RFU) and aminodextran (550 thousand RFU).
Conclusions: Mucin Janus nanoparticles capable of binding to EVPOME tissue constructs were successfully fabricated, with the pectin subtype displaying the most potential for binding. Particle concentration and composition were significant variables influencing the rates of adhesion. Results presented here suggest that an OTC mouth rinse, containing functionalized Janus nanoparticles, has the potential to adhere to the oral mucosa and relieve the symptoms associated with xerostomia.