PEGylation of Model Drug Carriers Enhances Phagocytosis by Primary Human Neutrophils

Overview

Journal Acta Biomater

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2018 Sep 9

PMID 30195083

Citations 30

Authors

William J Kelley

Catherine A Fromen

Genesis Lopez-Cazares

Omolola Eniola-Adefeso

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Statement Of Significance: The work in this manuscript is highly significant to the field of drug delivery, as it explores in-depth the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) coatings, which are frequently used to prevent phagocytic clearance of particulate drug carriers, on the phagocytosis of such carriers by neutrophils, the most abundant leukocyte in blood circulation. Surprisingly, we find that PEGylation enhances uptake by primary human neutrophils, specifically in the presence of human plasma. This result suggests that PEGylation may not confer the benefits in humans once thought, and may help to explain why PEG has not become the "magic bullet" it was once thought to be in the field of particulate drug delivery.

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