Evaluation of Alginate Microspheres Prepared by Emulsion and Spray Method for Oral Vaccine Delivery System

Alginate microspheres, containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) were prepared and used as a model drug to develop the oral vaccine delivery system. The alginate microspheres were coated with poly-L-lysine or chitosan. Two methods, w/o-emulsion and spray, were used to prepare alginate microspheres. To optimize preparation conditions, effects of several factors on the particle size and particle morphology of microsphere, and loading efficiency of model antigen were investigated. In both preparation methods, the particle size and the loading efficiency were enhanced when the concentration of sodium alginate increased. In the w/o-emulsion preparation method, as the concentration of Span 80 was increased from 0.5% to 2%, the particle size was decreased, but the loading efficiency was increased. The higher the emulsification speed was, the smaller the particle size and loading efficiency were. The concentration of calcium chloride did not show any effect on the particle size and loading efficiency. In the spray preparation method, the particle size was increased as the nozzle pressure and spray rate was raised. Increasing calcium chloride concentration (, larger than that prepared by the w/o emulsion method , and the loading efficiency was also higher with spray method. Furthermore, drying process for the microspheres prepared by the spray was simpler and easier, compared with the w/o emulsion preparation. Therefore, the spray method was chosen to prepare alginate microspheres for further experiments. Release pattern of FITC-BSA in alginate microspheres was evaluated in simulated intestinal fluid and PBS (phosphate buffered saline). Dissolution rate of FITC-BSA from alginate/chitosan microsphere was lower than that from alginate microsphere and alginate/poly-L-lysine microsphere. By confocal laser scanning microscope, it was revealed that alginate/FITC-poly-L-lysine microspheres were present in close apposition epithelium of the Peyer's patches of rabbits following inoculation into lumen of intestine, which proved that microspheres could be taken up by Peyer's patch. In conclusion, it is suggested that alginate microsphere prepared by spray method, showing a particle size of & and a high loading efficiency, can be used as a model drug for the development of oral vaccine delivery system.