Preparation and characterization of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microparticles containing DNA molecules encoding a malaria vaccine candidate

✍ Scribed by Shan Liu; Michael K. Danquah; Jenny Ho; Charles Ma; Lina Wang; Ross Coppel; Gareth M. Forde

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 253 KB
• Volume: 84
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2575
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.2112

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A novel ultrasonic atomization approach for the formulation of biodegradable poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles of a malaria DNA vaccine is presented. A 40 kHz ultrasonic atomization device was used to create the microparticles from a feedstock containing 5 volumes of 0.5% w/v PLGA in acetone and 1 volume of condensed DNA which was fed at a flow rate of 18 ml h^−1^. The plasmid DNA vectors encoding a malaria protein were condensed with a cationic polymer before atomization.

RESULTS: High levels of gene expression in vitro were observed in COS‐7 cells transfected with condensed DNA at a nitrogen to phosphate (N/P) ratio of 10. At this N/P ratio, the condensed DNA exhibited a monodispersed nanoparticle size (Z‐average diameter of 60.8 nm) and a highly positive zeta potential of 38.8 mV. The microparticle formulations of malaria DNA vaccine were quality assessed and it was shown that the microparticles displayed high encapsulation efficiencies between 82–96% and a narrow size distribution in the range of 0.8–1.9 µm. In vitro release profile revealed that approximately 82% of the DNA was released within 30 days via a predominantly diffusion controlled mass transfer system.

CONCLUSIONS: This ultrasonic atomization technique showed excellent particle size reproducibility and displayed potential as an industrially viable approach for the formulation of controlled release particles. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry