title: Enhanced oral uptake of tomato lectin-conjugated nanoparticles in the rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the usefulness of a surface-conjugated, bioadhesive molecule, tomato lectin, to augment intestinal uptake of orally administered inert nanoparticles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluorescent 500 nm polystyrene nanoparticles with tomato lectin covalently surface coupled using a carbodiimide reaction were administered to female Wistar rats by oral gavage daily for 5 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of tissue extracted polymer by gel permeation chromatography revealed a 23% systemic uptake of tomato lectin conjugated nanoparticles compared to < 0.5% of TL nanoparticles blocked with N-acetylchitotetraose thus representing an increase of almost 50 fold across the intestine. Intestinal uptake of tomato lectin-conjugated nanoparticles via the villous tissue was 15 times higher than uptake by the gut-associated lymphoid tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The application of tomato lectin as a bioadhesive agent in vivo has been demonstrated to enhance subsequent intestinal transcytosis of colloidal particulates to which it is bound.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Drug Delivery Research, School of Pharmacy, University of London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: P U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Jani
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Florence
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008863:Microspheres; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011137:Polystyrenes; C034981:tomato lectin