Storage stability of keratinocyte growth factor-2 in lyophilized formulations: effects of formulation physical properties and protein fraction at the solid-air interface.

Lyophilized formulations of keratinocyte growth factor-2 (KGF-2) were prepared with a range of disaccharide (sucrose or trehalose) and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) mass ratios. Protein degradation was assessed as a function of time of storage of the dried formulations at 40, 50 and 60°C. Lyophilized and stored samples were rehydrated, and protein degradation was quantified by measuring loss of monomeric protein with size exclusion chromatography and by determining chemical degradation in the soluble fraction with reverse-phase chromatography. The secondary structure of the protein in the lyophilized formulations was studied with infrared spectroscopy. The magnitudes of degradation were compared the key physical properties of the formulations including retention of protein native secondary structure, glass transition temperature (Tg), inverse mean square displacements 〈u(2)〉(-1) for hydrogen atoms (fast ß relaxation), and the relaxation time τ(ß), which correlates with relaxation due to fast Johari-Goldstein motions in the glass (Xu et al., 2013) [1]. In addition, specific surface areas of the lyophilized formulations were determined by Brunauer-Emmet-Teller analysis of krypton adsorption isotherms and used to estimate the fraction of the KGF-2 molecules residing at the solid-air interface. KGF-2 degradation rates were highest in formulations wherein the protein's structure was most perturbed, and wherein ß relaxations were fastest, but the dominant factor governing KGF-2 degradation in freeze-dried formulations was the fraction of the protein found at the glass solid-air interface.

Inhibition of expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and induction of cell death in radioresistant human prostate adenocarcinoma cell line (PC-3) by methyl jasmonate.

Hormone refractory human prostate cancer cell lines are known to be radioresistant, a feature attributed to their ability to induce anti-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family when exposed to radiation. We investigated whether pro-apoptotic compounds such as methyl jasmonate, a plant stress hormone, can counteract the radiation-induced anti-apoptotic mechanism in a human prostate cancer cell line PC-3. Significant (p<0.05) increase in cytotoxicity was observed in the combined treatment groups compared to single treatments with methyl jasmonate or gamma-radiation. Treatment of irradiated PC-3 cells with methyl jasmonate resulted in suppression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and elevation of caspase-3 activity. Our results showed increased apoptosis in the combined treatment group as compared to the irradiated group or the untreated control. In summary, methyl jasmonate suppressed the radiation-induced Bcl-2 expression and enhanced the radiation sensitivity of human prostate cancer cells.

Preparation, characterization, cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) and poly(DL-lactic acid) cationic nanoparticles for controlled delivery of plasmid DNA.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of formulation parameters (i.e. polymer molecular weight and homogenization speed) on various physicochemical and biological properties of cationic nanoparticles. Cationic nanoparticles were prepared using different molecular weights of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and poly(DL-lactic acid) (PLA) by double emulsion solvent evaporation at two different homogenization speeds, and were characterized in terms of size, surface charge, morphology, loading efficiency, plasmid release, plasmid integrity, cytotoxicity, and transfection efficiency. Cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was used to provide positive charge on the surface of nanoparticles. Reporter plasmid gWIZ Beta-gal was loaded on the surface of nanoparticles by incubation. Use of higher homogenization speed and lower molecular weight polymer led to a decrease in mean particle size, increase in zeta potential, increase in plasmid loading efficiency, and a decrease in burst release. The nanoparticles displayed good morphology as evident from scanning electron micrographs. In vitro cytotoxicity study by MTT assay showed a low toxicity. Structural integrity of the pDNA released from nanoparticles was maintained. Transfecting human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells with nanoparticles prepared from low molecular weight PLGA and PLA resulted in an increased expression of beta-galactosidase as compared to those prepared from high molecular weight polymer. Our results demonstrate that the PLGA and PLA cationic nanoparticles can be used to achieve prolonged release of pDNA, and the plasmid release rate and transfection efficiency are dependent on the formulation variables.

Formulation of maltodextrin entrapped in polycaprolactone microparticles for protein and vaccine delivery: effect of size determining formulation process variables of microparticles on the hydrodynamic diameter of BSA.

Size of the microparticle and integrity of the released protein are two crucial factors which dictate the success of any protein or vaccine delivery system. The primary objective was to optimize bovine serum albumin (BSA) loaded polycaprolactone/maltodextrin (PCL/MD) microparticles in terms of its size and the hydrodynamic diameter of the released protein. The effect of size determining formulation process variables (SDFPV) of microparticles on the hydrodynamic diameter of protein antigen was determined. The SDFPV were optimized by a compromise between the microparticle size and the relative hydrodynamic stability of protein released from it. Percentage of secondary structure of the protein released from the optimized formulation as determined by circular dichroism spectra along with SELCON software was also similar to that of native BSA suggesting the potential of PCL /MD microparticles for protein or vaccine delivery.