Circulation time and body distribution of protein A-coated amino modified polystyrene nanoparticles in mice

Abstract

Amino modified polystyrenc nanoparticles of size 240 nm were covalently coated with protein A (cell wall protein of Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan strain) using glutaraldehyde as a spacer. The protein A was then radiolabeled using [ 14C]formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride by the reductive alkylation method. Blood circulation time and body distribution of 14C-labeled protein A-coated particles were studied in mice. After rapid intravenous injection through the tail vein, the coated particles showed higher blood concentrations for the first 3 min compared with that of the uncoated particles. The increased circulation time of protein A-coated particles appears to be the result of reduced uptake by the liver.