| Summary: | Fei Tong,1 Xiangyuan Tang,2 Daojun Liu2 1Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Provincial Key Discipline of Pharmacology, Jiaxing University Medical College, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, PR China; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou, PR China Background: Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion-induced pancreatic islet injury (HI/RIPII) was an important pathophysiological phenomenon in clinics. In the present study, we observed the effects of phycocyanin on HI/RIPII. However, the half-life of phycocyanin was extremely short and limited its use in vivo. Materials and methods: In order to overcome this shortcoming, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-(poly(L-glutamic acid)-g-polyethylenimine) (PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI)) was synthesized and estimated as a nanocarrier for lengthening delivery of phycocyanin through the abdominal subcutaneous injection in rats. Phycocyanin (isoelectric point=4.3) was encapsulated with PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI) via electrostatic interactions at pH 7.4. Results: In vitro phycocyanin was fast and efficiently encapsulated and showing efficient loading and sustained release. In vivo the anti-HI/RIPII function of phycocyanin/PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI) complex was surveyed in rats using free phycocyanin as the controls, and the results showed that phycocyanin/PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI) complex reduced HI/RIPII property and enlarged islet functionality. Conclusion: These results suggested that PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI) might be treated as a potential phycocyanin nanocarrier. Keywords: phycocyanin, PEG-b-(PG-g-PEI), HI/RIPII, pancreatic islets
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