Publications [#62130] of Kam W. Leong

Papers Published

1. Faranesh, A.Z. and Nastley, M.T. and de la Cruz, C.P. and Haller, M.F. and Laquerriere, P. and Leong, K.W. and McVeigh, E.R., In vitro release of vascular endothelial growth factor from gadolinium-doped biodegradable microspheres, Magn. Reson. Med. (USA), vol. 51 no. 6 (2004), pp. 1265 - 71 [mrm.20092]
   (last updated on 2007/04/13)

   Abstract:
   A drug delivery vehicle was constructed that could be visualized noninvasively with MRI. The biodegradable polymer poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) was used to fabricate microspheres containing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the MRI contrast agent gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA). The microspheres were characterized in terms of size, drug and contrast agent encapsulation, and degradation rate. The PLGA microspheres had a mean diameter of 48±18 μm. The gadolinium loading was 17±3 μg/mg polymer and the VEGF loading was 163±22 ng/mg polymer. Electron microscopy revealed that the Gd was dispersed throughout the microspheres and it was confirmed that the Gd loading was sufficient to visualize the microspheres under MRI. VEGF and Gd-DTPA were released from the microspheres in vitro over a period of ~6 weeks in three phases: a burst, followed by a slow steady-state, then a rapid steady-state. Biodegradable Gd-doped microspheres can be effectively used to deliver drugs in a sustained manner, while being monitored noninvasively with MRI

   Keywords:
   biochemistry;biomedical MRI;blood vessels;drug delivery systems;electron microscopy;encapsulation;gadolinium;molecular biophysics;polymers;prosthetics;proteins;