Effects of lung surfactants on rifampicin release rate from monodisperse rifampicin-loaded PLGA microspheres

We have prepared inhalable and monodisperse poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres targeting tubercle bacilli residing in alveolar macrophages. The effects of pulmonary surfactant on the rifampicin (RFP) release rate from RFP-loaded poly (lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres were studied. Also, those of their surface properties of RFP-loaded PLGA microspheres were studied.The RFP release from RFP/PLGA microspheres was accelerated by adsorption of pulmonary surfactant on the particle surface. The fastest RFP release rate was observed from pulmonary surfactant-adsorbed PLGA particles in pH 7.4 buffer solution compared with those in pH 4.0 buffer solution and saline solution. The slowest release rate was observed in the case when saline solution was used as dispersion phase of RFP/PLGA microspheres, although RFP release rate increased by the addition of pulmonary surfactant. From these results it is suggested that when RFP/PLGA microspheres are administrated by inhalation, the RFP release rates from the particles which are not taken up by alveolar macrophages and remain in the alveoli will be small. On the other hand, the RFP release rates and release amounts will be high after RFP/PLGA microspheres are taken up by alveolar macrophages existing in phagosomes, but they become relatively small after RFP/PLGA microspheres move into phagosome–lysosomes by the fusion of phagosomes with lysosomes.The absolute values of the electrophoretic mobility of PLGA microspheres increased by the adsorption of pulmonary surfactants on the surfaces of PLGA microspheres. By analyzing the experimental data using the soft-particle theory, it was indicated that the microspheres became ‘softer’ and the surface charge density of microspheres increases by the degradation. On the other hand, the surface of PLGA microspheres became harder and the electric charge density increased by the adsorption of pulmonary surfactant on the surfaces of PLGA microspheres. The changes in the surface charge density with degradation became larger by the adsorption of the lung surfactant on PLGA microsphere surfaces. It is considered that the changes in surface properties of PLGA microspheres affect their uptake efficiency by alveolar macrophage.