Impact of Surface Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Density on Biodegradable Nanoparticle Transport in Mucus ex Vivo and Distribution in Vivo

Achieving sustained drug delivery to mucosal surfaces is a major challenge due to the presence of the protective mucus layer that serves to trap and rapidly remove foreign particulates. Nanoparticles engineered to rapidly penetrate mucosal barriers (mucus-penetrating particles, "MPP") have shown promise for improving drug distribution, retention and efficacy at mucosal surfaces. MPP are densely coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), which shields the nanoparticle core from adhesive interactions with mucus. However, the PEG density required to impart the "stealth" properties to nanoparticles in mucus, and thus, uniform distribution in vivo, is still unknown. We prepared biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic…

• WW
  W. W. Smith Charitable Trust

  Award: A1302
• CS
  China Scholarship Council
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• NI
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences

  Award: GM056550
• NI
  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

  Awards: R33AI07974, P30AI094189
• NI
  National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  Award: R01HD062844
• DO
  Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences

  Award: MCB-1157506