Protein encapsulated core-shell structured particles prepared by coaxial electrospraying: investigation on material and processing variables.

Biodegradable polymeric particles have been extensively investigated for controlled drug delivery of various therapeutic agents. 'Coaxial' electrospraying was successfully employed in this study, to fabricate core-shell PLGA particles containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the model protein, and the results were also compared to particles prepared by 'emulsion' electrospraying. Two different molecular weights of PLGA were employed to encapsulate the protein. Solution properties and processing parameters were found to influence the morphology of the core-shell particles. Depending on the type of solvent used to dissolve the polymer as well as the polymer concentration and molecular weight, the mean diameter of the particles varied between 3.0 to 5.5 μm. Fluorescence microscopic analysis of the electrosprayed particles using FITC-conjugated BSA demonstrated the core-shell structure of the developed particles. The encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of BSA was influenced by shell:core feeding ratio, protein concentration, and the electrospraying method. The encapsulation efficiency of BSA within the core-shell particles of high and low molecular weight PLGA was found 15.7% and 25.1% higher than the emulsion electrosprayed particles, respectively. Moreover, the total amount of BSA released from low molecular weight PLGA particles was significantly higher than high molecular weight PLGA particles within 43 days of release studies, with negligible effect on encapsulation efficiency. The technique of coaxial electrospraying has high potential for encapsulation of susceptible protein-based therapeutic agents such as growth factors for multiple drug delivery applications.