Evaluation of Chitosan-Encapsulated Recombinant Human Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 for Improving Cell Proliferation

Bibliographic Information
Authors: Mohamed O.A.; Shemis M.A.; Abdelazeem E.; Omar H.; Hassan E.; Gouda A.E.; Samir S.
Journal: Egyptian Journal of Chemistry
Publisher: National Information and Documentation Centre
Publication Date: 25 April 2026
Volume / Issue: Volume 69 / Issue 12
Pages: 75–84
ISSN: 4492285
DOI: 10.21608/ejchem.2026.451550.12770
Scopus: View on Scopus
Document Type: Article
Authors and Affiliations
Mohamed O.A., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Shemis M.A., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Abdelazeem E., Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; Omar H., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Hassan E., Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; Gouda A.E., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Samir S., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-an endocrine hormone-plays a vital role in growth and metabolism. We aimed to encapsulate recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-1), to enhance its stability and release profile, as well as to assess the encapsulation efficiency (EE) and physical properties of the nanoparticles (NPs). Chitosan (Cs) was used for encapsulating rhIGF-1. The nanometric size was 131±6.44 nm using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The zeta potential was +30.7 ± 2 mV, indicating good stability. The nanoparticles demonstrated EE of approximately 99.3%. The release of rhIGF-1 at pH 7.4 was about 96% over 120 hours. Cell proliferation using Vero cells revealed that free rhIGF-1 induced higher initial proliferation at 24 hours, whereas rhIGF-1 encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (Cs/rhIGF-1NPs) provided sustained release and prolonged activity over extended timeframes. Cs/rhIGF-1NPs exhibited favorable characteristics for drug delivery, including high EE and a sustained release profile, indicating the potential for prolonged therapeutic effects. This research successfully developed Cs/rhIGF-1NPs, highlighting their potential to improve the stability and delivery of rhIGF-1. The novelty lies in the effective encapsulation and sustained release of rhIGF-1, which may enhance its therapeutic applications in conditions requiring sustained protein delivery. Future studies should focus on evaluating the biological activity of these nanoparticles in vivo to explore their clinical relevance. © 2026, National Information and Documentation Center (NIDOC).
Keywords
Cs/rhIGF-1NPs; Drug delivery systems; Encapsulation efficiency; IGF-1; Sustained release; Transmission electron microscopy
Citation Information
Scopus Citations: 0
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