Self-assembling block copolymers (poloxamers, PEG/PLA and PEG/PLGA diblock and triblock copolymers, PEG/polycaprolactone, polyether modified poly(Acrylic Acid)) with large solubility difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties have the property of forming temperature dependent micellar aggregates and, after a further temperature increase, of gellifying due to micelle aggregation or packing. This property enables drugs to be mixed in the sol state at room temperature then the solution can be injected into a target tissue, forming a gel depot in-situ at body temperature with the goal of providing drug release control. The presence of micellar structures that give rise to thermoreversible gels, characterized by low toxicity and mucomimetic properties, makes this delivery system capable of solubilizing water-insoluble or poorly soluble drugs and of protecting labile molecules such as proteins and peptide drugs.
Poloxamer is a very interesting polymer in that it is able to generate a reversible gelling medium from which crystals can be harvested by filtering, without the addition of any chemicals to promote the sol-gel transition.
In conclusion, the knowledge of the state of water and of the viscoelastic characteristics of the systems allow a deeper understanding of the structural features of the ternary phase diagram.
Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is an enzyme widely studied for biotechnological applications due to its involvement in fermentation industry, and various attempts to improve its catalytic properties and its thermal stability have been carried out. In this paper, the influence of a block copolymer (Poloxamer 407) on ADH enzymatic activity and thermal behaviour has been studied in order to get new insights about the use of poloxamers in formulation of sustained release systems for therapeutic proteins. Poloxamer 407 has the ability to form micelles and gel due to its self-assembling and thermoresponsive properties. The effect of the copolymer towards thermal stress and pH changes, which often reduce enzymes activity it has been investigated by means of enzymatic assays and differential scanning calorimetry. Results showed that at pH 9.1 and 7.3, the Poloxamer in the form of unimeric, micellar and gel state is able to effectively preserve the enzyme from thermoinactivation. In addition by calorimetric data Poloxamer 407 has showed an effect in preserving ADH from aggregation at pH 7.3. In conclusion, Poloxamer 407 seems to be very effective in protecting ADH from stress related events, like alkaline inactivation and aggregation.
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