Influence of process parameters on the protein stability encapsulated in poly-DL-lactide-poly(ethylene glycol) microspheres.

Glucose oxidase (GOD) has been encapsulated as a model protein within poly-DL-lactide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PELA) microspheres to evaluate the activity retention during microencapsulation process. This paper was aimed to investigate the effect of process parameters, such as the preparation method, the used matrix polymer with different compositions, the solvent system and the addition of stabilizer on the structural integrity and activity retention of encapsulated protein. The stability of the protein released during in vitro assay was also assessed. The obtained results showed that the solvent extraction/evaporation method based on the formation of double emulsion w(1)/o/w(2) benefited the activity retention compared with the phase separation method based on the formation of w/o(1)/o(2). And in the emulsion-evaporation system most of the protein activity was lost during the first emulsification procedure to form primary emulsion w(1)/o (ca. 28%) and the second emulsification procedure to form the double emulsion w(1)/o/w(2) (ca. 20%), in contrast to other processes occurring during microspheres preparation. The matrix polymer and the solvent system in the oil phase had an impressive impact on the activity retention, while the addition of gelatin in the internal aqueous phase resulted in no major reduction of activity loss. GOD release from PELA microspheres exhibited a triphasic profile, that is, the initial burst release during the first day, the gradual release over about 1 month, and then the second burst release. The encapsulation of GOD in PELA microspheres was effective in reducing its specific activity loss. Sixty-seven per cent of the initial specific activity retention was detected for the released GOD from microspheres formulation during 1 week of incubation, but nearly all the activity was lost for GOD in solution incubated under the same condition. SDS-PAGE results showed that, although the activity loss was detected, no rough changes of molecular weight of GOD was observed during encapsulation procedure and the initial days of incubation into the in vitro release medium.     

FTIR characterization of the secondary structure of proteins encapsulated within PLGA microspheres.

A commonly used technique for protein encapsulation in microspheres is the double-emulsion method wherein an initial water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion of protein and polymer is formed via sonication, and then a second emulsion (w/o)/w is formed by dispersion in an aqueous phase via homogenization. This approach is often used to produce microspheres of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). The harsh processing associated with this method can cause denaturation of the encapsulated protein. Herein, we have used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the secondary structures of two model proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chicken egg-white lysozyme, within PLGA microspheres. The alpha-helix content of both proteins in the microspheres was about a third lower than in the lyophilized state, indicating conformational changes upon protein entrapment within the microspheres. BSA microspheres containing the stabilizing excipient trehalose have a higher alpha-helix content than those without excipient, suggesting that trehalose partially prevents the denaturing effects incurred during processing. In addition, BSA released from microspheres is improved by incorporation of trehalose: analysis of the protein released from the microspheres indicates that there is less BSA dimer formation in the trehalose-containing microspheres than in those without trehalose.     

Encapsulation-induced aggregation and loss in activity of gamma-chymotrypsin and their prevention.

Development of alternative procedures to the commonly employed water-in-oil-in-water technique to encapsulate proteins in polymers is needed due to protein stability issues. Herein the model protein gamma-chymotrypsin has been encapsulated in poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic)acid (PLGA) microspheres using the solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) encapsulation technique. The model protein was chosen because it has a measurable biological activity and its unfolding is irreversible. The latter make the protein an excellent sensor for unfolding events in the encapsulation procedure. While lyophilization did not cause any irreversible aggregation or loss in activity, encapsulation of the lyophilized enzyme by the s/o/w technique proved detrimental to its integrity. Specifically, 34% of the encapsulated protein was aggregated and the specific activity of enzyme released within 24 h was reduced to ca. 50% of that prior to encapsulation. FTIR spectra demonstrated substantial encapsulation-induced perturbations of the secondary structure of gamma-chymotrypsin. To achieve stabilization of gamma-chymotrypsin during encapsulation, excipients were employed during the initial lyophilization process. When gamma-chymotrypsin was co-lyophilized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) the formation of non-covalent aggregates inside the microspheres decreased significantly to 8%. FTIR data showed that PEG prevented encapsulation-induced structural perturbations. In contrast, the amount of aggregates remained high (34%) when gamma-chymotrypsin was co-lyophilized with trehalose. No additional non-soluble aggregates were formed during 1 week of in vitro release. Furthermore, the amount of non-soluble aggregates in the microspheres after encapsulation correlated with the amount of non-released protein. Therefore in vitro release did not cause aggregation. Similar results were found with respect to the retention of the specific enzyme activity where PEG afforded excellent stability.     

Pegylation enhances protein stability during encapsulation in PLGA microspheres.

During encapsulation of proteins in biodegradable microspheres, a significant amount of the protein reportedly undergoes denaturation to form irreversible insoluble aggregates. Incomplete in vitro release of proteins from the microspheres is a common observation. An attempt was made to overcome this problem by pegylation of the protein to be encapsulated. Lysozyme, a model protein, was conjugated with methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG, MW 5000). The conjugate was characterized by SDS-PAGE, SE-HPLC, and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. The pegylated lysozyme (Lys-mPEG) consisted of different isomers of mono-, di- and tri-pegylated with about 15% as native lysozyme. The specific activity of the protein was retained after pegylation (101.3+/-10.4%). The microsphere encapsulation process was simulated for pegylated and native lysozyme. Pegylated lysozyme exhibited much better stability than native lysozyme against exposure to organic solvent (dichloromethane), homogenization, and showed reduced adsorption onto the surface of blank PLGA microspheres. Release profiles of the two proteins from microspheres were very different. For native lysozyme, it was high initial release (about 50%) followed by a nearly no release (about 10% in 50 days). In contrast, Lys-mPEG conjugate showed a triphasic and near complete release over 83 days. This study shows that the pegylation of protein can provide substantial protection against the destabilization of protein during encapsulation.     

Poly(ethylene glycol) as stabilizer and emulsifying agent: a novel stabilization approach preventing aggregation and inactivation of proteins upon encapsulation in bioerodible polyester microspheres.

Protein aggregation and inactivation are major problems associated with the encapsulation of pharmaceutical proteins in biodegradable microspheres. The objectives of this study were to identify the causes of aggregation and inactivation of two model enzymes upon solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) encapsulation in poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres in order to rationally develop approaches assuring their stability. S/o/w encapsulation of gamma-chymotrypsin in PLGA microspheres caused aggregation of ca. 30% and halved its specific activity. Co-lyophilization with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) substantially reduced the loss in enzyme activity but 8% of the protein still aggregated during encapsulation. Model studies performed under conditions relevant to the encapsulation procedure allowed pinpointing the cause of gamma-chymotrypsin instability, which was mainly the formation of the oil-in-water emulsion. To prevent aggregation in this encapsulation step, the most commonly used emulsifying agent polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was replaced by PEG because it is known to reduce protein aggregation at interfaces. The use of PEG as the emulsifying agent in the aqueous and organic phase prevented gamma-chymotrypsin inactivation and aggregation during encapsulation. The stabilization approach also worked for the model protein horseradish peroxidase and thus is of a general nature.     

Stabilization of alpha-chymotrypsin at the CH2Cl2/water interface and upon water-in-oil-in-water encapsulation in PLGA microspheres.

Protein inactivation and aggregation are serious drawbacks in the encapsulation of proteins in bioerodible polymers by water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) encapsulation. The model protein alpha-chymotrypsin was employed to investigate whether its stabilization towards the major stress factors in the w/o/w encapsulation procedure would allow for the encapsulation and release of non-aggregated and active protein. Due to the formation of amorphous aggregates alpha-chymotrypsin is an excellent sensor to probe unfolding events. Furthermore, its enzymatic activity is highly sensitive towards the presence of organic solvents. alpha-Chymotrypsin in aqueous solution showed substantial aggregation and activity loss when it was homogenized with CH(2)Cl(2) due to adsorption to the interface. Its w/o/w encapsulation in poly(lactic-co-glycolic)acid (PLGA) microspheres caused formation of 35% non-covalent aggregates and reduced the specific activity by 14%. Screening for efficient excipients revealed that co-dissolving the protein with maltose and polyethylene glycol (PEG, M(w) 5000) in the first aqueous phase reduced interface-induced protein aggregation and inactivation. Employing these excipients during encapsulation led to a reduction in alpha-chymotrypsin inactivation (10%) and aggregation (12%). Optimizing the effect of PEG by also dissolving the excipient in the organic phase prior to encapsulation further decreased the amount of non-covalent aggregates to 7% and loss in activity to 5%. The data obtained demonstrate that the w/o emulsification step is the main stress-factor in the w/o/w encapsulation procedure but subsequent encapsulation steps also cause some protein aggregation.     

Investigation on a novel core-coated microspheres protein delivery system.

Among the different approaches to achieve protein delivery, the use of polymers, specifically biodegraded, holds great promise. In this work, a new microsphere delivery system composed of alginate microcores surrounded by a biodegradable poly-DL-lactide-poly(ethylene glycol (PELA) was designed to improve the loading efficiency and stability of proteins. Alginate was solidified by calcium (MS-1), polylysine (MS-2) and chitosan (MS-3), respectively, to form different microcores. Human Serum Albumin (HSA), used as a model protein, was efficiently entrapped within the alginate microcores using a high-speed stirrer and then microencapsulated into PELA copolymer using a w/o/w solvent extraction method. DSC analysis of the microspheres revealed the efficient encapsulation of the alginate microcores, while the microcores were dispersed in the PELA matrix. SDS-PAGE results showed that HSA kept its structural integrity during encapsulation and release procedure. Microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, size, loading efficiency, in vitro degradation and protein release. The degradation profiles were characterized by measuring the loss of microsphere mass, the decrease of polymer intrinsic viscosity and the reduction of PEG content of PELA coat. The release profiles were investigated from the measurement of protein presented in the release medium at various intervals. The results were that the degradation rate of these core-coated microspheres was MS-2>MS-1>MS-3. The extent of burst release from the core-coated microspheres in the initial protein release was lower than the 27% burst release from the conventional microspheres. In conclusion, the work presents a new approach for macromolecular drugs (such as protein, peptide drugs) delivery. The core-coated microspheres system may have potential use as a carrier for drugs that are poorly absorbed after oral administration.     

5-氟脲嘧啶壳聚糖缓释微球的制备及其体外药物缓释性观察

目的制备5-氟脲嘧啶壳聚糖缓释微球并观察其体外缓释药物的作用。方法采用乳化-化学交联法制备5-氟脲嘧啶壳聚糖缓释微球,观察该微球的形态、粒径、药物包封率和在体外药物缓释作用。结果5-氟脲嘧啶壳聚糖缓释微球的平均粒径为（185.5±15.0）nm,包封率为（49.3±2.1）%,在pH7.4PBS缓冲溶液中对5-氟脲嘧啶的累计释放率第1天为（61.6±1.8）%,第3天为（78.2±1.6）%,第7天为（90.5±1.4）%。结论所制备的5-氟脲嘧啶壳聚糖缓释微球具有良好的药物包封率和体外释放作用,符合缓释药物的制备要求。     

A novel microgel and associated post-fabrication encapsulation technique of proteins.

A novel negatively thermo-sensitive and biodegradable microgel was prepared by combination of macromer synthesis and inverse suspension polymerization. A new post-fabrication encapsulation technique based upon this kind of intelligent microgel was developed. Model proteins (hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin and insulin) were encapsulated into the microgels at 4 degrees C and released in vitro at 37 degrees C. Relatively high loading levels and sustained release profiles demonstrate the feasibility of the encapsulation strategy. Since the encapsulation of proteins was performed at low temperature and after the preparation of microgels, organic solvent and high temperature were completely avoided in drug encapsulation. FTIR, Raman and circular dichroism measurements confirmed that the ordered structure of proteins was not destroyed during encapsulation and after release. Thus, the post-fabrication encapsulation technique in this paper is much unique and beneficial for controlled release of biomacromolecular drugs.     

Non-aqueous encapsulation of excipient-stabilized spray-freeze dried BSA into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres results in release of native protein.

Encapsulation of the model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) into poly(D,L lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microspheres was performed by a non-aqueous oil-in-oil (o/o) methodology. Powder formulations of BSA obtained by spray-freeze drying were first suspended in methylene chloride containing PLG followed by coacervation by adding silicon oil and microsphere hardening in heptane. The secondary structure of BSA was determined at relevant steps of the encapsulation procedure by employing Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This fast and non-invasive method demonstrated the potential to rapidly screen pharmaceutically relevant protein delivery systems for their suitability. Structural perturbations in BSA were reduced during the spray-freeze drying step by employing the excipient trehalose. The protein was then encapsulated into PLG microspheres under various conditions without inducing significant structural perturbations. BSA released from these microspheres had a similar monomer content as unencapsulated BSA and also the same secondary structure. Upon blending of a poloxamer (Pluronic F-68) with the polymer phase, in vitro release was characterized by a small initial release and a prolonged and continuous sustained phase. In conclusion, the developed o/o methodology coupled with FTIR spectroscopic monitoring of protein structure is a powerful approach for the development of sustained release microspheres.     

海藻酸钙凝胶微球的制备和pH敏感释放

背景:大多数蛋白质和多肽药物存在稳定性差、生物利用度低等缺点,为提高其生物利用度,目前常用将蛋白类药物包裹在高分子材料中,制成缓释控释体系.由于蛋白质外层的载体材料能起到一定保护作用,因此可增加此类药物的稳定性.目的:以含水率为指标,通过正交实验设计,找出制备海藻酸钙微球的最佳条件.并以牛血清白蛋白为模型药物,考察微球载药性能及DH环境下的释放规律.设计、时间及地点:对比观察实验,于2007-10/2009-05在四川大学高分子科学与工程实验楼完成.材料:海藻酸钠、无水氯化钙由成都科龙试剂公司提供,牛血清白蛋白由上海伯奥生物科技有限公司提供.方法:采用滴制法制备了海藻酸钙微球,考察了海藻酸钠质量分数、氯化钙质量分数、交联时间对微球含水率的影响.采用牛血清白蛋白作为模型药物,对优化条件下海藻酸钠凝胶微球进行载药量和释放行为的考察.主要观察指标:微球中牛血清白蛋白包封率及在不同pH介质中白蛋白的释放行为.结果:当海藻酸钠质量分数、氯化钙质量分数均为2.0%,交联时间为6 h,所得微球含水率最高能达到70%.pH溶胀实验显示,微球在盐酸溶液,氯化钠溶液中不溶胀,而在磷酸盐缓冲液中溶胀体现一定的pH敏感性.微球载药量约为5%,包封率为70%左右.对药物释放曲线几种模型方程进行拟合,发现释放曲线不符合Higuchi释放模型.结论:滴制法制备海藻酸钠微球条件温和,不接触有机溶剂.微球含水率高具有pH敏感性且能有效载药,适合作为蛋白质和多肽药物包裹材料.     

Effects of material hydrophobicity on physical properties of polymeric microspheres formed by double emulsion process.

Human serum albumin (HSA) was encapsulated as a model protein in microspheres of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers by the water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation (double emulsion) technique for purpose of controlled release. To improve the properties and control the rate of drug release of the delivery vehicle, materials with different hydrophobicity from that of their conventional counterparts, such as poly(lactide-co-ethylene glycol) (PELA) in place of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) as the polymer matrix, ethyl acetate/acetone in place of dichloride methane (DCM) as the (co)solvent and d-alpha tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (vitamin E TPGS) as the additive, were used to prepare the microspheres. It has been found that PELA microspheres, compared with PLGA ones, were slightly smaller in size if prepared at identical emulsification strength. They had more porous surface and internal structure, higher encapsulation efficiency (EE) and more rapid in vitro release rate. Furthermore, the physical properties of the microspheres were also affected by the presence of solvents and additives and their properties. Our results suggest that these materials could have interesting potential applications in preparation of polymeric microspheres for controlled protein release.     

全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释剂研制及其可行性

背景：如何提高全反式维甲酸疗效、稳定性和降低毒副作用是临床治疗所面临的最大问题。近年来用可生物降解的聚合物为材料,通过乳化包囊等分散技术将药物制备成微粒分散体系,用作缓释、控释注射剂的研究日益增多。目的：研制全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释微球肿瘤治疗剂,观察其体内外全反式维甲酸经时缓释变化规律。方法：采用乳剂-扩散溶剂挥发法制备全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释微球肿瘤治疗剂,扫描电镜检测微球外观及微球粒径,高效液相色谱法检测微球载药量、包封率及体内外释药量。结果与结论：所制微球治疗剂光滑圆整,大小均一,平均粒径（154.42±26.76）nm,载药率（16.5±1.45）%,包封率（87.84±4.79）%;体外释放实验证明该微球治疗剂可持续释放全反式维甲酸约50d,将其肌肉注射到大耳白兔体内,可稳定缓释全反式维甲酸近45d。结果表明该微球治疗剂载药量及包封率均较高,体内外释药平稳并且具有明显的长效缓释作用。     

全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释剂研制及其可行性

背景:如何提高全反式维甲酸疗效、稳定性和降低毒副作用是临床治疗所面临的最大问题。近年来用可生物降解的聚合物为材料,通过乳化包囊等分散技术将药物制备成微粒分散体系,用作缓释、控释注射剂的研究日益增多。目的:研制全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释微球肿瘤治疗剂,观察其体内外全反式维甲酸经时缓释变化规律。方法:采用乳剂-扩散溶剂挥发法制备全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释微球肿瘤治疗剂,扫描电镜检测微球外观及微球粒径,高效液相色谱法检测微球载药量、包封率及体内外释药量。结果与结论:所制微球治疗剂光滑圆整,大小均一,平均粒径(154.42±26.76)nm,载药率(16.5±1.45)%,包封率(87.84±4.79)%;体外释放实验证明该微球治疗剂可持续释放全反式维甲酸约50d,将其肌肉注射到大耳白兔体内,可稳定缓释全反式维甲酸近45d。结果表明该微球治疗剂载药量及包封率均较高,体内外释药平稳并且具有明显的长效缓释作用。     

Degradable dextran hydrogels: controlled release of a model protein from cylinders and microspheres

The preparation of protein-loaded degradable hydroxyethyl methacrylated dextran (dex-HEMA) hydrogels, cylindrical macroscopic gels as well as microspheres, is described. The hydrogels were degradable under physiological conditions (pH 7.0 and 37°C), due to the presence of hydrolytically sensitive carbonate esters in the crosslinks of the gels. The degradation of dex-HEMA hydrogels was studied by swelling measurements and the release of dextran from the matrices. The hydrogels showed a progressive swelling in time, followed by a dissolution phase. The total degradation time ranged from 25 to more than 80 days and depended on the initial water content of the gels and the degree of substitution (DS) of dex-HEMA. IgG-loaded dex-HEMA microspheres (volume mean diameter of about 10 μm) were prepared with a high encapsulation efficiency (83–100%). Furthermore, it was possible to entrap more than 90% of the protein in both dex-HEMA microspheres and macroscopic hydrogels. Therefore, it was possible to obtain a completely degradation-controlled protein release. For degrading macroscopic dex-HEMA hydrogels as well as microspheres, a biphasic release of IgG was observed. The release was always faster during the second phase than during the first phase. Microspheres with an initial water content of 60% (w/w) had a significant release of 25–40% of the encapsulated IgG during the first phase. For microspheres with a water content of 50% (w/w), the released amount of protein during the first phase was marginal (less than 15%), resulting in delayed release profiles. The delay time increased with increasing crosslink density (determined by the DS and the water content) of the gels (longer degradation time) and decreasing pH of the incubation buffer (decreasing degradation rate). In addition, the delay time was considerably shorter (5–15 days) for dex-HEMA microspheres than for macroscopic hydrogels (10–37 days), due to a higher surface-to-volume ratio for the microspheres. This paper shows that the release of IgG from dex-HEMA hydrogels can be modulated by the composition (water content and DS) and the geometry of the gel (microspheres versus macroscopic gels).     

聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的制备及体外释放

背景:由聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石复合材料制备的微球,在体外磷酸盐缓冲液中能够持续释放药物.目的:制备聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球,探讨纳米羟基磷灰石对复合微球的载药量、包封率和体外释放等性质的影响.设计、时间及地点:材料学体外观察,于2009-02/2009-07在华南理工大学材料学院实验室完成.材料:聚乳酸羟基乙酸为济南岱罡生物有限公司产品,纳米羟基磷灰石由华南理工大学特种功能材料教育部重点实验室自制,5-氟尿嘧啶为上海楷洋生物技术有限公司产品.方法:以水溶性抗癌药物5-氟尿嘧啶作为模型药物,先用纳米羟基磷灰石吸附药物,外包裹生物相容性好且可生物降解的聚乳酸羟基乙酸,采用单乳化溶剂挥发法(S/O/W)制备聚乳酸羟基乙酸,纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球.对载药前后的纳米羟基磷灰石进行透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜观察和FTIR分析.采用扫描电镜、激光粒度仪和紫外分光光度计对微球的理化性质及体外释药性质进行分析.主要观察指标:纳米羟基磷灰石与5-氟尿嘧啶分子之间的相互作用,微球载药量和包封率,药物体外释放.结果:FTIR结果表明,纳米羟基磷灰石对5-氟尿嘧啶有较强的吸附作用.聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的载药量和包封率分别为3.83%,86.78%,明显高于单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸-5-氟尿嘧啶微球.经过体外释放药物突释后,复合微球比单纯聚乳酸羟基乙酸微球的药物释放慢.在第27天,复合微球和单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸微球累积药物释率放分别为84.87%,99.87%.结论:与单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸-5-氟尿嘧啶微球相比,由于纳米羟基磷灰石对5-氟尿嘧啶存在较强的吸附作用,使聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的载药量和包封率得到了较大提高,具有更好的药物缓释效果.     

Stability of insulin during the erosion of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres.

In recent years, the acylation of peptides during the erosion of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres has been described in the literature. To investigate whether insulin is prone to the covalent attachment of lactic or glycolic acid, insulin-loaded PLA and PLGA microspheres containing 5% bovine insulin were manufactured using a w/o/w multiple emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. Microspheres were characterized for their insulin encapsulation efficiency and release characteristics in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C. Moreover, the stability of the peptide during 18 days of release was evaluated using HPLC and HPLC-MS techniques. The results showed that the insulin loading efficiencies of PLA and PLGA microspheres were 75.18% and 79.63%, respectively. The microspheres were spherical with relatively porous surfaces with an average diameter of 40 and 53 mum, respectively. Insulin release from the microspheres was characterized by an initial burst, which was attributed to the amount of protein located on or close to the microsphere surface. The total ion chromatogram (TIC) of insulin samples extracted after 18 days of erosion in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37 degrees C revealed that deamidation was the major mechanism of instability. Surprisingly, no acylation products were found. Control experiments in concentrated lactic acid solutions confirmed a minimal reactivity of the peptide under these conditions.     

Comparative study on sustained release of human growth hormone from semi-crystalline poly(L-lactic acid) and amorphous poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres: morphological effect on protein release.

Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) was encapsulated by a double emulsion solvent evaporation method within two biodegradable microspheres having different polymer compositions. Semi-crystalline poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) and amorphous poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were used for the encapsulation of hGH. Protein release profiles from the two microspheres were comparatively evaluated with respect to their morphological difference. Both of the microspheres similarly exhibited rugged surface and porous internal structures, but their inner pore wall morphologies were quite different. The slowly degrading PLA microspheres had many nano-scale reticulated pores on the wall, while the relatively fast degrading PLGA microspheres had a non-porous and smooth wall structure. From the PLA microspheres, hGH was released out in a sustained manner with an initial approximately 20% burst, followed by constant release, and almost 100% complete release after a 1-month period. In contrast, the PLGA microspheres showed a similar burst level of approximately 20%, followed by much slower release, but incomplete release of approximately 50% after the same period. The different hGH release profiles between PLA and PLGA microspheres were attributed to different morphological characters of the pore wall structure. The inter-connected nano-porous structure of PLA microspheres was likely to be formed due to the preferable crystallization of PLA during the solvent evaporation process.     

Encapsulation of rotavirus into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres.

Two small-scale double emulsion techniques for incorporation of formaldehyde-inactivated rotavirus particles (FRRV) into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microspheres were developed and optimised. The effects of high-speed homogenisation versus vortex mixing on the double emulsion stability, microsphere size, entrapment efficiency and in vitro release of FRRV in the second emulsification step were studied. A stable double emulsion was verified only when using vortex mixing in this step. Slow removal of the organic phase allowed measurement of the size of the emulsion droplets and subsequent prediction of the size of the resulting microspheres. Microspheres in the size range of 1-10 microm were prepared using both techniques. The homogenisation technique was sensitive to changes in the operating time, the emulsification energy and the volume of the outer aqueous phase, while the vortex technique was more robust. Rotavirus was released in vitro in a triphasic manner with both techniques. The more robust vortex technique was selected for preparation of PLG microspheres containing rotavirus for in vivo studies. After immunisation of mice with a single intramuscular injection, the PLG-FRRV microspheres elicited an IgG antibody response in serum detected by ELISA equally high as that elicited with FRRV alone. These results indicate that the antigenicity of FFRV was retained after incorporation into PLG microspheres using the vortex technique.     

Assessment of protein release kinetics, stability and protein polymer interaction of lysozyme encapsulated poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres.

Using lysozyme as a model protein, this study investigated protein stability, protein--polymer interaction in different release media and their influence on protein release profile and in vitro--in vivo correlation. Lysozyme was microencapsulated into PLGA 50:50 by a double emulsion--solvent extraction/evaporation method. Protein stability, protein--PLGA adsorption and protein in vitro release were studied in various test media. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed lysozyme to be most conformationally stable in pH 4.0 acetate buffer with highest T(m) at 77.2 degree C and DeltaH(cal) 83.1 kcal/mol. Lysozyme exhibited good stability in pH 2.5 glycine buffer with T(m) at 63.8 degree C and DeltaH(cal) 69.9 kcal/mol. In pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), lysozyme showed a trend toward aggregation when the temperature was elevated. When PLGA polymer was incubated with lysozyme in the various buffers, adsorption was found to occur in PBS only. The adsorption severely limited the amount of lysozyme available for release from microspheres, resulting in slow and incomplete release in PBS. In contrast, the release of the microspheres in acetate and glycine buffers was complete within 40 and 70 days, respectively. Radiolabeled lysozyme blood levels in rats from the microspheres correlated qualitatively well with in vitro release in glycine buffer as a release medium. This study suggests that protein stability and adsorption are critical factors controlling protein release kinetics and in vitro--in vivo correlation of PLGA microspheres.