Evaluation of the effect of polyethylene glycol incorporation on the performance of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanoparticle drug delivery is challenged by the binding of proteins in blood which result in their rapid removal from the circulatory system. Nanoparticles engineered to delay protein binding have shown to have extended circulatory times. One such engineering technique is PEGylation, which is the coating of nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG shields the nanoparticle from adhesive interactions with proteins. However, the optimal PEG content required to impart this "stealth" property onto poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, is unknown. Moreover, the effect of PEGylation on drug release has not been thoroughly investigated.