Enhancing Lysozyme Loading in Powderized Liposomes by Controlling Encapsulation Processes

Abstract

Liposomes have demonstrated great potentials as protein carriers in various pharmaceutical applications. However, low loading amount of proteins in liposomes have been a major challenge for maximizing the therapeutics potential of the proteins. We thus aimed to enhance the loading amount of a model protein, lysozyme, in liposomes by controlling key experimental variables of a reverse phase evaporation method. The loading amount of lysozyme in liposomes was evaluated with changing type of organic solvents used, weight ratio of lysozyme/phosphatidylcholine, and volume ratio of aqueous to organic phase along with particle characterization before and after freeze‐drying procedure. As a result, the loading amount of lysozyme in liposomes was considerably enhanced and the physical stability of the liposomes was maintained without any significant changes in the particle characteristics for 7 days. The findings of this study would be useful for highly efficient loading of protein therapeutics in liposomes, leading to improved therapeutic effects of the drugs.

Organic-Solvent-Resistant Polyimide/Hydroxyapatite Mixed Matrix Membranes for Lysozyme Adsorption

“…The whole LZ adsorption capacity in NMP/H2O is the highest among the three organic-solvent-aqueous solutions, which is maybe related to the polarity of the solvent. The solubility and polarity parameter of the three solvents is DMSO (26.7 MPa 1/2 , 16.4 MPa 1/2 ) > DMF (24.8 MPa 1/2 , 13.7 MPa 1/2 ) > NMP (22.9 MPa 1/2 , 12.3 MPa 1/2 ) [40]. LZ is a polarity macromolecule, and the stronger interaction between the LZ macromolecule and solvent happens when the solvent with a higher solubility and polarity LZ is a polarity macromolecule, and the stronger interaction between the LZ macromolecule and solvent happens when the solvent with a higher solubility and polarity parameter is used, which leads to the formation of more entanglements on one LZ molecular chain.…”

“…Kopec et al reported that the adsorption of LZ onto crosslinked PI/cation exchange particle MMMs was 27.9 mg/g [7], lower than the results obtained in this work (34.1 mg/g). Ro et al used powderized liposomes to carry LZ, and the loading amount of LZ in liposome was 5.4% at a volume ratio of aqueous to organic of 1:4 [40]. The absolute values cannot be compared to this work because the units of adsorption capacity are different.…”

“…The whole LZ adsorption capacity in NMP/H 2 O is the highest among the three organic-solvent-aqueous solutions, which is maybe related to the polarity of the solvent. The solubility and polarity parameter of the three solvents is DMSO (26.7 MPa 1/2 , 16.4 MPa 1/2 ) > DMF (24.8 MPa 1/2 , 13.7 MPa 1/2 ) > NMP (22.9 MPa 1/2 , 12.3 MPa 1/2 ) [40]. Figure 9 shows the LZ adsorption of MMMs in different organic-solvent-aqueous solutions.…”