Functional polymer systems play an increasing role for a variety of biomedical applications. Polymer nanoparticles are used to protect therapeutic proteins (like allergens) or drugs from degradation, obtaining higher local concentrations and enabling targeted transport.[1,2] Degradable nanocarriers combine the advantage of providing a physical barrier between the encapsulated cargo and the biological environment as well as responding to certain local stimuli to release their payload. Encapsulation of allergens inside polymeric nanoparticles could aid to avoid severe side effects occurring sometimes during specific immunotherapy (SIT).We have synthesized a novel type of difunctional, water soluble poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate  macromonomer with acetal-sites that degrade at acidic pH, which was analyzed with 1H-NMR, GPC and MALDI-ToF. The allergen and the macromonomer were entrapped inside liposomes as templates that were produced by dual asymmetric centrifugation. Radical polymerization of the methacrylate groups inside the liposomes generated PEG-nanocarriers. These nanocarriers were allergen-loaded and approximately 150-200 nm in size. It could be demonstrated in in-vitro studies that dendritic cells (DCs) internalize our protein-loaded, non-toxic PEG-nanocarriers. Uptake of nanoparticles into DCs does not lead to cell maturation, but was capable of inducing immune responses necessary for SIT.[3] [1]   Lin, C.-C.; Metters, A.; Anseth, K. S., Biomaterials, 2009 , 30, (28), 4907[2]   Onaca-Fischer, O.; Liu, J.; Inglin, M., et al., Curr. Pharm. Des, 2012 , 18, (18), 2622[3]   K�hring, H.; Sch�mer, M.; Heydenreich, B., et al., manuscript in preparation

Acid-degradable PEG nanocarriers for allergen encapsulation and controlled release

247th National Meeting (2014)

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