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Pulsatile protein release from monodisperse liquid-core microcapsules of controllable shell thickness
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA.
Pharmaceutical Research
|May 17, 2014
Summary
Controlling biodegradable polymer microcapsule shell thickness precisely tunes pulsatile protein release. Thicker shells delay protein release, offering enhanced control over drug delivery profiles for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Pulsatile protein delivery, characterized by short release bursts after dormancy, is crucial for many therapeutic applications.
- Biodegradable polymer microcapsules offer a promising platform for controlled drug release, but achieving precise pulsatile profiles remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of biodegradable polymer shell thickness on the pulsatile release of proteins from microcapsules.
- To determine if controlled shell thickness can modulate the timing and profile of pulsatile protein release.
Main Methods:
- Utilized precision particle fabrication (PPF) technology to create monodisperse poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microcapsules.
- Encapsulated bovine serum albumin (BSA) within a liquid core, surrounded by PLG shells with thicknesses ranging from 14 to 19 μm.
- Employed high molecular weight PLG (Mw 88 kDa) to achieve a distinct core-shell structure.
Main Results:
- Microcapsules demonstrated high BSA loading and encapsulation efficiency (55-65%) with the desired core-shell morphology.
- Particles exhibited an initial slow release of BSA, followed by a rapid release of 80-90% within 7 days, characteristic of pulsatile delivery.
- Increasing PLG shell thickness from 14 to 19 μm successfully shifted the onset of pulsatile release from 25 to 35 days.
Conclusions:
- Biodegradable polymer microcapsules with precisely engineered shell thicknesses enable tunable pulsatile protein release.
- Controlled shell thickness is a critical parameter for optimizing the release kinetics and timing of protein therapeutics delivered via microcapsules.
