title: Permeation of antigen protein-conjugated nanoparticles and live bacteria through microneedle-treated mouse skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was designed to evaluate the extent to which pretreatment with microneedles can enhance skin permeation of nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. Permeation of live bacteria, which are physically nanoparticles or microparticles, through mouse skin pretreated with microneedles was also studied to evaluate the potential risk of microbial infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that pretreatment of mouse skin with microneedles allowed permeation of solid lipid nanoparticles, size 230 nm, with ovalbumin conjugated on their surface. Transcutaneous immunization in a mouse skin area pretreated with microneedles with ovalbumin nanoparticles induced a stronger antiovalbumin antibody response than using ovalbumin alone. The dose of ovalbumin antigen determined whether microneedle-mediated transcutaneous immunization with ovalbumin nanoparticles induced a stronger immune response than subcutaneous injection of the same ovalbumin nanoparticles. Microneedle treatment permitted skin permeation of live Escherichia coli, but the extent of the permeation was not greater than that enabled by hypodermic injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcutaneous immunization on a microneedle-treated skin area with antigens carried by nanoparticles can potentially induce a strong immune response, and the risk of bacterial infection associated with microneedle treatment is no greater than that with a hypodermic injection.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics Division, USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Xinran
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.forename: B Leticia
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Sloat
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000295:instrumentation; D058726:Nanoconjugates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D009339:Needles; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D010316:Particle Size; D010539:Permeability; D016062:Porosity; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D058726:Nanoconjugates; D014867:Water; D010047:Ovalbumin