Controlled release of bone morphogenetic protein-2 from polyethylenimine-coated albumin nanoparticles
Sufeng Zhang, PhD student in Chemical Engineering
Bone-related diseases, associated with aging, occur frequently worldwide. Growth factors play a key role in bone repair by stimulating bone regeneration. However, the short biological half-life, the lack of long-term stability and non-tissue selectivity of growth factors have been the limitations for their therapeutic applications. The main purpose of this research is to explore a nanoparticulate drug delivery system for the efficient delivery and sustained release of a potent growth factor, Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2). The albumin nanoparticles (NPs), obtained by the coacervation process, were surface-modified by electrostatic adsorption of polyethylenimine (PEI) for NPs stability and sustained release of BMP-2. In this study, the characterization of the NPs and the controlled release of BMP-2 from NPs, as well as the bioactivity of the encapsulated BMP-2 and the cytotoxicity of the PEI retained on the NPs were elaborately investigated.
Bone-related diseases, associated with aging, occur frequently worldwide. Growth factors play a key role in bone repair by stimulating bone regeneration. However, the short biological half-life, the lack of long-term stability and non-tissue selectivity of growth factors have been the limitations for their therapeutic applications. The main purpose of this research is to explore a nanoparticulate drug delivery system for the efficient delivery and sustained release of a potent growth factor, Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2). The albumin nanoparticles (NPs), obtained by the coacervation process, were surface-modified by electrostatic adsorption of polyethylenimine (PEI) for NPs stability and sustained release of BMP-2. In this study, the characterization of the NPs and the controlled release of BMP-2 from NPs, as well as the bioactivity of the encapsulated BMP-2 and the cytotoxicity of the PEI retained on the NPs were elaborately investigated. 
