pH-responsive hydrogels to protect IgY from gastric conditions: in vitro evaluation

R. V. BELLINGERI ; N. Y. PICCO; F. E. ALUSTIZA; J. V. CANOVA; MARIA A. MOLINA; DIEGO ACEVEDO; CESAR BARBERO; A. B. VIVAS

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-MYSORE

ASSOC FOOD SCIENT TECHN INDIA

Año: 2014 p. 1 - 6

0022-1155

Oral administration of specific egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) is effective against a number of gastrointestinal pathogens. However, the activity of orally administered IgY is reduced rapidly, since IgY is sensitive to pepsin and low pH. In this study, hydrogels containing acrylamide and acrylic acid were synthesized and used to encapsulate IgY. The capacity of these structures to load, protect and release IgY and the interaction between IgY and hydrogels by FTIR spectroscopy were studied. The particle size and swelling percentage of hydrogels were highly dependent on the pH of the buffer solution. As expected, pH-sensitive hydrogels had a high IgY loading percentage (99.2 ± 12.9 mg IgY/mg hydrogel) at pH 7.4. It means that each gel piece incorporated approximately 8.4 ± 1.1 mg IgY. The results showed that the hydrogels could efficiently incorporate IgY and retain it inside the polymer network at pH