PEG-Immobilized Keratin for Protein Drug Sequestration and pH-Mediated Delivery

    January 2016 in “ Journal of Drug Delivery ”
    Roche C. de Guzman, Sina Y. Rabbany
    TLDR PEG and keratin scaffolds can effectively deliver protein drugs by controlling release based on pH levels.
    The study investigated PEG-immobilized keratin (KTN-PEG) scaffolds for protein drug sequestration and pH-mediated delivery, demonstrating their ability to absorb water and solubilize proteins effectively. The scaffolds retained proteins with basic isoelectric points at physiological pH (7.4) due to the negative charge of keratin, while acidic conditions facilitated rapid protein release. The KTN-PEG scaffolds maintained the bioactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and showed potential for delivering growth factors by releasing large quantities in acidic environments. The study concluded that KTN-PEG scaffolds could serve as effective carriers for controlled therapeutic release, with stability in acidic conditions due to protected disulfide bonds.
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