Researcher(s)
- Sarah Sergi, Chemical Engineering, Lafayette College
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Catherine Fromen, Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) are of increasing interest in the development of vaccines. Previous work has demonstrated that poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) NPs have the potential to improve the efficacy of pulmonary vaccines by increasing the lifespan of macrophages, which are phagocytic innate immune cells. While it is known that slowly degrading PEGDA NPs lead to increased lysosomal activity and macrophage survival, the underlying mechanism behind this trend is not well understood. The development of novel nanogels that allow for the monitoring of degradation in the lysosome is necessary for understanding the relationship between NP degradation and macrophage survival, especially in the absence of immune activation signaling. This work demonstrates the initial development of photodegradable NPs through the incorporation of PEGdiPDA, a PEG-based polymer with the inclusion of a photolabile crosslinker. PEGdiPDA NPs were synthesized at 15, 25 and 50 wt% solids. Dynamic light scattering was used to characterize the size and zeta potential of the NPs. Rheology was performed to assess the degradation capabilities of the hydrogel under 365nm UV light. To assess cell viability during the NP degradation process, PEGDA NP treated cells were exposed to UV light for 30 minutes and then analyzed using live/dead staining. Successful development of PEGdiPDA NPs will allow for the optimization of future NP vaccine formulations for conferring local immunity within the lungs.