Multi-arm histidine copolymer for controlled release of insulin from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microsphere

For long-term, sustained protein delivery, a new, star-shaped block copolymer composed of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG), branched oligoethylenimine (bOEI), and poly(l-histidine) (pHis) was synthesized via the multi-initiation and ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of His N-carboxy anhydride (NCA) on bOEI with a PEG conjugation. The resulting mPEG-bOEI-pHis (POH) had strong buffering capacity within the neutral-to-acidic pH range and was complexed with insulin (Ins) via an electrostatic attraction plus hydrophobic interactions, resulting in the formation of a dual-interaction complex (DIC, weight ratio 2) of approximately 30–60 nm in size. This DIC tolerated high salt concentrations without destabilization, supporting the existence of hydrophobic interactions, and protected Ins from the organic solvent/water interface. The DIC in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres (PLGA MS) as a long-term Ins delivery formulation was evenly distributed via a double-emulsion method. The DIC-loaded PLGA MS offered a higher Ins loading and a lower initial burst than Ins-loaded PLGA MS. This formulation possessed near zero-order release kinetics (for at least one month). In streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, a DIC-loaded PLGA MS formulation was able to maintain blood-glucose levels at 200–350 mg/dL for the first two weeks and even lower levels (100–200 mg/dL) for the next two weeks. Thus, a new POH polymer and its complex with a drug protein could have potential biological application as a long-term, sustained protein delivery system.