Crosslinked zwitterionic microcapsules to overcome gastrointestinal barriers for oral insulin delivery

Oral insulin delivery has been extensively considered to achieve great patient compliance and convenience as well as favourable glucose homeostasis. However, its application is highly limited by the low insulin bioavailability owing to gastrointestinal barriers. Herein, we developed crosslinked zwitterionic microcapsules (CB-MCs@INS) based on a carboxyl betaine (CB)-modified poly(acryloyl carbonate-co-caprolactone) copolymer via the combination of microfluidics and UV-crosslinking to improve oral insulin delivery. CB-MC@INS microcapsules with high drug loading capacity (>40%) protected insulin from acid degradation in the harsh gastric environment. Through the introduction of CB-moieties, CB-MCs@INS possessed superior affinity for epithelial cells and improved insulin transport as compared to non-CB modified MCs@INS (5.15-fold), which was mainly attributed to the CB-mediated cell surface transporter via the PAT1 pathway. Moreover, the oral administration of CB-MCs@INS exhibited an excellent hypoglycaemic effect and maintained normoglycemia for up to 8 h in diabetic mice, demonstrating the great potential of crosslinked zwitterionic microcapsules as an oral insulin delivery platform for diabetes therapy.