Thesis abstract:

«p»The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a significant challenge for drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS), and current in vitro models have notable limitations for pharmacological experiments. Simplified models are low-cost but lack structural complexity, while microfluidic chips can simulate blood flow but are expensive, lack 3D structures, and suffer from poor reproducibility. Although recent studies have developed 3D in vitro BBB models, their fragility makes them unsuitable for simulating blood flow, limiting their use in drug testing. This study aims to construct a robust 3D BBB model by incorporating the strength and biocompatibility of the silk protein, utilizing 3D printing technology to create a model capable of withstanding shear forces during blood flow simulations. This platform would provide a reliable model for drug testing. Additionally, our laboratory has developed a novel solubility enhancement technique using Mogroside V, a natural sweetener, which forms micelles with poorly soluble drugs, significantly improving solubility. We propose to combine this solubilization technique with the BBB model to address the challenges of testing GABA—an important compound with therapeutic potential for CNS disorders—by enhancing its solubility and enabling its penetration through the BBB. This project aims to offer an efficient in vitro platform for CNS drug development and advance new drug delivery systems.«/p»