Engineering of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) microcarriers to modulate protein encapsulation capability and release kinetic.
Drug delivery applications using biodegradable polymeric microspheres are becoming an important means of delivering therapeutic agents. The aim of this work was to modulate the microporosity of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) microcarriers to control protein loading capability and release profile. PCL microparticles loaded with BSA (bovine serum albumin) have been de novo synthesized with double emulsion solvent evaporation technique transferred and adapted for different polymer concentrations (1.7 and 3% w/v) and stabilizer present in the inner aqueous phase (0.05, 0.5 and 1% w/v). SEM (scanning electron microscope) and CLSM (confocal laser scanning microscope) analysis map the drug distribution in homogeneously distributed cavities inside the microspheres with dimensions that can be modulated by varying double emulsion process parameters. The inner structure of BSA-loaded microspheres is greatly affected by the surfactant concentration in the internal aqueous phase, while a slight influence of polymer concentration in the oil phase was observed. The surfactant concentration mainly determines microspheres morphology, as well as drug release kinetics, as confirmed by our in-vitro BSA release study. Moreover, the entrapped protein remained unaltered during the protein encapsulation process, retaining its bio-activity and structure, as shown through a dedicated gel chromatographic analytical method.
Coccoli
Valentina
V
Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomaterials (CRIB), University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, Naples 80125, Italy.
Luciani
Alessia
A
Orsi
Silvia
S
Guarino
Vincenzo
V
Causa
Filippo
F
Netti
Paolo Antonio
PA
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002850:Chromatography, Gel / Q000379:methods; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004655:Emulsions; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D011091:Polyesters; D011506:Proteins; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C016240:polycaprolactone; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine