In vivo study of the mucus-permeating properties of PEG-coated nanoparticles following oral administration.

The aim of this work was to investigate the mucus-permeating properties of poly(ethyleneglycol)-coated nanoparticles prepared from the copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride (Gantrez® AN) after oral administration in rats. Nanoparticles were "decorated" with PEGs of different molecular masses (PEG2000, PEG6000 and PEG10000) at a PEG-to-polymer ratio of 0.125.

Oral administration of paclitaxel with pegylated poly(anhydride) nanoparticles: permeability and pharmacokinetic study.

The aim of this work was to study the potential of pegylated poly(anhydride) nanoparticles as carriers for the oral delivery of paclitaxel (PTX). Paclitaxel is an anticancer drug, ascribed to the class IV of the Biopharmaceutical Classification system, characterised for its low aqueous solubility and to act as a substrate of the P-glycoprotein and cytochrome P450. For the pegylation of nanoparticles, three different poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were used: PEG 2000 (PTX-NP2), PEG 6000 (PTX-NP6) and PEG 10,000 (PTX-NP10).

The extradomain a of fibronectin enhances the efficacy of lipopolysaccharide defective Salmonella bacterins as vaccines in mice.

The Extradomain A from fibronectin (EDA) has an immunomodulatory role as fusion protein with viral and tumor antigens, but its effect when administered with bacteria has not been assessed. Here, we investigated the adjuvant effect of EDA in mice immunizations against Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella Enteritidis). Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major virulence factor and the LPS O-polysaccharide (O-PS) is the immunodominant antigen in serological diagnostic tests, Salmonella mutants lacking O-PS (rough mutants) represent an interesting approach for developing new vaccines and diagnostic tests to differentiate infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA tests).

Influence of dextran on the bioadhesive properties of poly(anhydride) nanoparticles.

This work describes the bioadhesive properties of poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) (Gantrez AN) nanoparticles (NP) associated with various types of dextran (two hydroxyl-functionalized dextrans and one amino-derivative of dextran). The association of dextran to the polymer was performed either prior NP formation or by the attachment of dextran to the surface of the just formed NP. The amount of dextran associated to the nanoparticles was quantified by a HPLC/ELSD method and dextran presence in the nanoparticles was confirmed by IR spectroscopy, (1)H NMR and in vitro agglutination assay.

An HPLC with evaporative light scattering detection method for the quantification of PEGs and Gantrez in PEGylated nanoparticles.

A rapid and precise HPLC method with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) for the separation and quantification of polyethyleneglycol 2000 (PEG 2000), polyethyleneglycol 6000 (PEG 6000) and poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) (Gantrez) in a nanosized pharmaceutical formulation has been developed. Separation was carried out on a PL aquagel-OH 30,8 microm column (300 mm x 7.5 mm), in a gradient elution with methanol-water as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min.