Yak interferon-alpha loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for controlled release

Abstract

To explore the potential of a novel animal interferon formulation for controlled release, the yak interferon-alpha (IFN-α) glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli ( E. coli) and the purified recombinant IFN-α was encapsulated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) by double emulsion solvent evaporation (w/o/w) method. The particle size and zeta potential of IFN-α-loaded SLN were 124.2 ± 10.2 nm and −11.2 ± 0.6 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of IFN-α and loading capacity of the SLN were 83.7 ± 4.5% and 1.73 ± 0.15%, respectively. In vitro release study and antiviral assay demonstrated that the IFN-α released from the SLN in a 16-day period exhibited antiviral activity in Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), and showed a release pattern of an initial burst release followed by a sustained and slow release. Cytotoxicity assay in cell culture demonstrated that the SLN were not toxic. The results of this exploratory study suggest that the IFN-α-loaded SLN could be a useful formulation for controlled release in veterinary therapeutics.