Evaluation of the in vivo fate of ultrapure alginate in a BALB/c mouse model

Anitha A; Nicholas L Fletcher; Zachary H Houston; Kristofer J Thurecht; Lisbeth Grøndahl

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117947

Evaluation of the in vivo fate of ultrapure alginate in a BALB/c mouse model

Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Jun 15:262:117947. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117947. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Authors

Anitha A¹, Nicholas L Fletcher², Zachary H Houston², Kristofer J Thurecht², Lisbeth Grøndahl³

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
² Centre for Advanced Imaging (CAI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia; Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Convergent Bio-Nano Science & Technology and ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
³ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia; Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia. Electronic address: l.grondahl@uq.edu.au.

PMID: 33838824
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117947

Abstract

The linear anionic polysaccharide alginate (ALG) has been comprehensively studied for biomedical applications, yet thus far the in vivo fate of this polymer has not been explored in detail. The current study therefore evaluates the biodistribution of ultrapure ALG (M/G ratio ≥ 0.67 with a measured M_w of 530 kg/mol and polydispersity index; PDI of 1.49) over a 14-day period in BALB/c mice. The biodistribution pattern over 2-days after sample administration using PET imaging with ⁶⁴Cu-labelled ALG showed liver and spleen uptake. This was confirmed by the 14-day biodistribution profile of cyanine 5-labelled ALG from in vivo and ex vivo fluorescence imaging. Using MacGreen mice confirmed the uptake of the ALG by macrophages in the spleen at the 2-day time point. This extended biodistribution study confirmed the clearance of only a portion of the administered ALG biopolymer, but also uptake by macrophage populations in the spleen over a 14-day period.

Keywords: Biodistribution; Biomaterials; MTS assay; MacGreen mouse; PET and fluorescent imaging; Ultrapure alginate.

MeSH terms

Alginates / metabolism*
Animals
Flow Cytometry / methods
Liver / metabolism
Macrophages / metabolism
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Optical Imaging / methods
Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
Seaweed / chemistry
Spleen / metabolism
Tissue Distribution

Substances

Alginates