Polyethylene Glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine Conjugate Research Articles

Incorporation of Beclomethasone Dipropionate into Polyethylene Glycol‐Diacyl Lipid Micelles as a Pulmonary Delivery System

Abstract Strategy, Management and Health Policy Enabling Technology, Genomics, Proteomics Preclinical Research Preclinical Development Toxicology, Formulation Drug Delivery, Pharmacokinetics Clinical Development Phases I‐III Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing Postmarketing Phase IV Nebulized corticosteroid drugs have several shortcomings due to their poor water solubility and nonoptimal deposition pattern. The aims of this study were to investigate the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP)‐loaded sterically stabilized phospholipid nanomicelles (SSMs) of a polyethylene glycol–phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate as a pulmonary delivery system. The particle size distribution and zeta potential measurements were 14.60 ± 1.11 nm and −46.94 ± 3.27 mV, respectively. The solubility of BDP was highly improved by at least 1,300 times its actual solubility. No chemical interaction was found between the PEGylated polymer and BDP as demonstrated by the Fourier transform infrared results. The in vitro aerodynamic of the aerosolized BDP‐SSMs using an Omron nebulizer showed an improvement in the aerodynamic values, with a significant deposition in the seven‐stage Next Generation Impactor. The BDP‐SSMs showed a prolonged dissolution profile of about 3 days. Intratracheal administration of the BDP‐SSMs (1 mg/kg) 12 or 23 h before a challenge in the asthmatic rat model led to a significant reduction in the inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples compared with the administration of solubilized BDP. The SSM system appears to be an effective way of improving the therapeutic index of nebulized, poorly soluble corticosteroids.

Preparation and properties of mixed micelles made of Pluronic polymer and PEG-PE

Mixed micelles made of Pluronic P105 (P105) and poly(ethylene glycol)–phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE) were prepared. The interaction of Pluronic and PEG-PE was studied and the interaction parameter β and critical micelle concentration (CMC) were used to evaluate the micellar stability toward dilution. The results showed that certain mixed micelles were more stable than pure Pluronic micelles upon dilution. The mixed micelles were used to trap the poorly soluble anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT). The cytotoxicity of the CPT-loaded mixed micelles against MCF-7 cancer cell was higher than that of CPT-loaded P105 micelles and much higher than that of the free drug.

Enhanced in vivo antitumor efficacy of poorly soluble PDT agent, meso-tetraphenylporphine, in PEG-PE-based tumor-targeted immunomicelles

Poorly soluble photosensitizer, meso-tetraphenylporphine (TPP), was solubilized using the polymeric micelles prepared from polyethylene glycol-phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE). TPP-loaded PEG-PE micelles have been additionally modified with tumor-specific monoclonal 2C5 antibody (mAb 2C5), which resulted in significantly improved anticancer effect of the drug under the PDT conditions against murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) in vivo in female C57BL/6 mice. Fourteen days after tumor inoculation, the mice with more than 2 mm diameter tumors were given an intravenous injection of 1 mg/kg of free TPP or TPP loaded into control PEG-PE micelles or into mAb 2C5-PEG-PE tumor-targeted immunomicelles. Twenty four hours after the administration, the animals were anesthetized, and tumor sites were illuminated with light (630 nm) for 12 min. Microscopic evaluation of tumor response was conducted in some mice 24 h after light irradiation, and tumor size was followed in the remaining animals for another 35 days. The attachment of mAb 2C5 to TPP-loaded immunomicelles provided the maximum level of tumor growth inhibition. Enhanced tumor accumulation of TPP-loaded mAb 2C5-PEG-PE-immunomicelles was confirmed by gamma-imaging studies. The modification of the TPP-loaded polymeric micelles with tumor-specific antibodies could be used as a general approach to enhance the efficacy of PDT.

Mixed micelles made of Pluronic and PEG-PE for solubilization of poorly soluble anticancer drug paclitaxel

Stable mixed micelles have been prepared based on Pluronic 105 and poly(ethylene glycol)-phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE) and loaded with the poorly soluble anticancer drug, paclitaxel (PCT). To increase the drug loading, Pluronic L61 was also added to the composition. Drug concentration was achieved of up to 450 μg/mL of the micelle suspension, while the solubility of the free drug is about 1 μg/mL. The PCT-loaded mixed micelles were stable upon storage and firmly retained the incorporated drug. PCT-loaded mixed micelles demonstrated high cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cancer cells in vitro.

Micellar Nanocarriers: Pharmaceutical Perspectives

Micelles, self-assembling nanosized colloidal particles with a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic shell are currently successfully used as pharmaceutical carriers for water-insoluble drugs and demonstrate a series of attractive properties as drug carriers. Among the micelle-forming compounds, amphiphilic copolymers, i.e., polymers consisting of hydrophobic block and hydrophilic block, are gaining an increasing attention. Polymeric micelles possess high stability both in vitro and in vivo and good biocompatibility, and can solubilize a broad variety of poorly soluble pharmaceuticals many of these drug-loaded micelles are currently at different stages of preclinical and clinical trials. Among polymeric micelles, a special group is formed by lipid-core micelles, i.e., micelles formed by conjugates of soluble copolymers with lipids (such as polyethylene glycol-phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate, PEG-PE). Polymeric micelles, including lipid-core micelles, carrying various reporter (contrast) groups may become the imaging agents of choice in different imaging modalities. All these micelles can also be used as targeted drug delivery systems. The targeting can be achieved via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect (into the areas with the compromised vasculature), by making micelles of stimuli-responsive amphiphilic block-copolymers, or by attaching specific targeting ligand molecules to the micelle surface. Immunomicelles prepared by coupling monoclonal antibody molecules to p-nitrophenylcarbonyl groups on the water-exposed termini of the micelle corona-forming blocks demonstrate high binding specificity and targetability. This review will discuss some recent trends in using micelles as pharmaceutical carriers.

Polyethylene glycol–phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate (PEG–PE)-based mixed micelles: Some properties, loading with paclitaxel, and modulation of P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux

Mixed micelles prepared of poly(ethylene glycol)2000–phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG 2000–PE) and d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) in 1:1 molar ratio have been investigated. Micelle formation was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. CMC of the micelles was found to be 1.5 × 10 −5 M. Poorly soluble anti-cancer drug paclitaxel (PCL) was efficiently solubilized in 15 nm non-toxic PEG–PE/TPGS micelles. PCL entrapment was quite stable with only about 20% of the incorporated drug released from micelles after 48 h at 37 °C. In addition, PCL-containing PEG 2000–PE/TPGS micelles were stable in vitro under various conditions modeling the physiological ones, in particular, at low pH values and in the presence of bile acids, which is especially important for their possible oral administration. Fluorescently labeled micelles demonstrated time-dependent internalization by human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, Caco-2. The internalization of PEG 2000–PE/TPGS micelles loaded with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate, rhodamine-123 (RH-123), opposite to the internalization of the free RH-123, was not influenced by the inhibition of the P-gp pump with verapamil hydrochloride, which assumes a P-gp-independent micelle internalization.

Solubilization of poorly soluble PDT agent, meso-tetraphenylporphin, in plain or immunotargeted PEG-PE micelles results in dramatically improved cancer cell killing in vitro

Poorly soluble photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent, meso-tetratphenylporphine (TPP), was effectively solubilized using non-targeted and tumor-targeted polymeric micelles prepared of polyethylene glycol/phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE). Encapsulation of TPP into PEG-PE-based micelles and immunomicelles (bearing an anti-cancer monoclonal 2C5 antibody) resulted in significantly improved anticancer effects of the drug at PDT conditions against murine (LLC, B16) and human (MCF-7, BT20) cancer cells in vitro. For this purpose, the cells were incubated for 6 or 18 h with the TPP or TPP-loaded PEG-PE micelles/immunomicelles and then light-irradiated for 30 min. The phototoxic effect depended on the TPP concentration and specific targeting by immunomicelles. An increased level of apoptosis was shown in the PDT-treated cultures. The attachment of the anti-cancer 2C5 antibodies to TPP-loaded micelles provided the maximum level of cell killing at a given time. The results of this study showed that TPP-containing PEG-PE micelles may represent a useful formulation of the photosensitizer for practical PDT.

Lipid-Core Micelles for Targeted Drug Delivery

Micelles, self-assembling nanosized colloidal particles with a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic shell are currently successfully used for the solubilization of various poorly soluble pharmaceuticals and demonstrate a series of attractive properties as drug carriers. Polymeric micelles, i.e. micelles formed by amphiphilic block co-polymers possess high stability both in vitro and in vivo and good biocompatibility. Among those micelles, lipid-core micelles, i.e. micelles formed by conjugates of soluble copolymers with lipids (such as polyethylene glycol-phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate, PEG-PE) are of special interest. These micelles can effectively solubilize a broad variety of poorly soluble drugs (anticancer drugs in particular) and diagnostic agents. Drug-loaded lipid-core micelles can spontaneously target body areas with compromised vasculature (tumors, infarcts) via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Lipid-core mixed micelles containing certain specific components (such as positively charged lipids) are capable of escaping endosomes delivering incorporated drugs directly into the cell cytoplasm. Various specific targeting ligand molecules (such as antibodies) can be attached to the surface of the lipid-core micelles and bring drug-loaded micelles to and into target cells. Lipid-core micelles carrying various reporter (contrast) groups may become the imaging agents of choice in different imaging modalities.

Tumor-targeted liposomes: doxorubicin-loaded long-circulating liposomes modified with anti-cancer antibody

Commercially available doxorubicin-loaded long-circulating liposomes (Doxil®, Alza Pharmaceuticals) were modified with the monoclonal nucleosome (NS)-specific 2C5 antibody (mAb 2C5) that recognizes a broad variety of tumors via the tumor cell surface-bound NSs. For incorporation into liposomes, mAb 2C5 was modified with poly(ethylene glycol)-phosphatidyl ethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE) with the free PEG terminus activated with the p-nitrophenylcarbonyl group (pNP-PEG-PE). Derivatives of mAb 2C5 containing a variable number of PEG-PE residues (10–32) per protein molecule were prepared with a reasonably good preservation of the antibody specific activity even at the highest degree of modification. PEG-PE-modified antibody quantitatively incorporated into the liposomal membrane of doxorubicin-loaded liposomes with a loss of not more than 20% of the encapsulated doxorubicin. 2C5-targeted Doxil® liposomes acquired the ability to recognize NSs and specifically bind to various tumor cells. Doxorubicin-loaded long-circulating liposomes modified with the mAb 2C5 kill various tumor cells in vitro with the efficiency higher than non-targeted doxorubicin-loaded liposomes.

Cholesteryl N-Monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-succinate-L-phenylalanine: Synthesis and Effect on Liposomes

Poly(ethylene glycol)-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate (PEG-PE) has been used in preparing longcirculating liposomes. As a substitute for PEG-PE which can also be used in the long-circulating liposome formualtions, but can be prepared more readily with a lower cost, PEG-Phe-Chol was synthesized from PEG, phenylalanine, and cholesterol. The addition of the PEG derivative to distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) led to the formation of mixed micelles as well as liposomes when the derivative content was 10 mol% or greater. On the other hand, the addition of just 5 mol% PEG-Phe-Chol to dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) generated mixed micelles as well as liposomes, but the formation of mixed micelles was completely inhibited by the addition of cholesterol. The leakage of entrapped calcein out of DOPE/cholesterol (7/3) liposomes containing 5 mol% PEG-Phe-Chol was about 45% during the incubation time for 24 h in 50% rabbit plasma, which was similar to that of the same liposomes containing 5 mol% PEG-dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) under the identical conditions.