Background: The M1/M2 polarization of intestinal macrophages exerts an essential function in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC), which can be adjusted to alleviate the UC symptoms.
Purpose: A kind of pH-sensitive lipid calcium phosphate core-shell nanoparticles (NPs), co-loading with dexamethasone (Dex) and its water-soluble salts, dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dsp), was constructed to comprehensively regulate macrophages in different states towards the M2 phenotype to promote anti-inflammatory effects.
Methods: Dex and Dsp were loaded in the outer lipid shell and inner lipid calcium phosphate (Cap) core of the LCaP NPs, respectively.