Dynamical Transition in Dehydrated Proteins

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were used to study the role of the dynamics of biomolecules decoupled from solvent effects. Lyophilized sucrose exhibited steadily increasing absorption with temperature as anharmonic excitations commenced as the system emerged from a deep minimum of the potential energy landscape where harmonic vibrations dominate. The polypeptide bacitracin and two globular proteins, lysozyme and human serum albumin, showed a more complex temperature dependence. Further analysis focused on the spectral signature below and above the boson peak. We found evidence of the onset of anharmonic motions that are characteristic for partial unfolding and molecular jamming in the dry biomolecules. The activation of modes of the protein molecules at temperatures comparable to the protein dynamical transition temperature was observed in the absence of hydration. No evidence of Fröhlich coherence, postulated to facilitate biological function, was found in our experiments.

Study on the crystallization behavior and conformation adjustment scale of poly(lactic acid) in the terahertz frequency range

The observed properties of crystalline polymers are determined by their internal structure, which in turn is the result of their different crystallization behaviors. Here, we investigate the crystallization behavior of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) at varied temperatures. We find that the changes in the chain packing and conformation of PLA are characterized by THz spectroscopy. Combining X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR), we attributed the blue-shift of the THz peak to the tightness of the chain packing, while its absorption enhancement is caused by the conformation transition. The effects of chain packing and chain conformation on the characteristic peak are phased. Furthermore, absorption discontinuities of the characteristic peaks of PLA crystallized at different temperatures are observed, which originated from differences in the degree of conformational transition caused by different thermal energies. We find that the crystallization temperature at which the absorption mutation of PLA occurs corresponds to the temperature at which the motion of the segment and molecular chain is excited, respectively. At these two temperatures, PLA exhibits different scales of conformational transitions leading to stronger absorption and larger absorption changes at higher crystallization temperatures. The results demonstrate that the driving force of PLA crystallization is indeed from changes in chain packing and chain conformation, and the molecular motion scale can also be characterized by THz spectroscopy.

Study of Crystallinity and Conformation of Poly(lactic acid) by Terahertz Spectroscopy

During crystallization, conformational changes are often accompanied by the formation of interactions. Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy exhibits strong responses to the crystalline poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Therefore, we estimate the relative crystallinity and investigate the effect of conformational transition on the vibration of PLA by THz spectroscopy. By comparing with the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the validity of THz spectroscopy to calculate crystallinity is verified. Furthermore, the peak intensity of PLA at 2.01 THz increases with crystallinity. Combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the vibrational intensity of PLA at 2.01 THz is highly correlated with the contribution of gt conformation, showing a linear relationship. In addition, the vibrational peak of PLA also reflects the interchain interactions. We believe that the increase in peak intensity with increasing crystallinity originates from the effect of the dipole-dipole interactions between the carbonyl groups. Our study demonstrates the ability of THz spectroscopy to estimate the crystallinity of PLA, and the peak at 2.01 THz shows conformational and interaction sensitivities.

In Situ Observation of the Structure of Crystallizing Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate Solutions with Terahertz Transmission Spectroscopy

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in a transmission geometry combined with visual analysis was used to investigate the crystallization process of MgSO₄ solution. Careful spectral analysis of both a feature at 1.6 THz and the overall magnitude of absorption allowed the extraction of information about the liquid phase before and during crystallization, aiding the investigation of solvation dynamics and the behavior of molecular species at phase boundaries. The method was reproducibly applied to a number of measurements on a series of solutions of three chosen concentrations at different temperatures. When increasing temperature at the end of the measurement, the dissolution of crystals was observed as well. The temperature-dependent absorption data of the semicrystalline systems were converted to the solvent concentrations using a recently developed method. Solutions of a series of concentrations were also investigated in the temperature range of 4-25 °C. The results were compared to the theoretical calculated values, and the consistent differences proved the existence of a hydration shell around the salt ions whose behavior is different from bulk water. Future work will focus on triggering nucleation at specific positions in order to study the very beginning of the crystallization process. MgSO₄ heptahydrate is used as a model system in this study, while the concept and the setup can be applied to other systems.

The fingerprints of nifedipine/isonicotinamide cocrystal polymorph studied by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Cocrystal is constructed to improve physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredient and prevent polymorphism via intermolecular interactions. However, recent examples on cocrystal polymorphs display significantly different properties. Even though some analytical techniques have been used to characterize the cocrystal polymorphic system, it remains unclear how intermolecular interactions drive and stabilize the structure. In this work, we study the cocrystal polymorphs of nifedipine (NFD) and isonicotinamide (INA) using terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. Form I and form II of NFD-INA cocrystals show spectral fingerprints in THz region. Temperature-dependent THz spectra display distinguished frequency shifts of each fingerprint. Combined with solid-state density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the experimental fingerprints and their distinct responses to temperature are elucidated by specific collective vibrational modes. The vibrations of hydrogen bonding between dihydropyridine ring of NFD and INA are generally distributed below 1.5 THz, which play important roles in stabilizing cocrystal and preventing the oxidation of NFD. The rotations of methyl group in NFD are widely distributed in the range of 1.5-4.0 THz, which helps the steric recognition. The results demonstrate that THz spectroscopy is a sensitive tool to discriminate cocrystal polymorphs. It has the potential to be used as a non-invasive technique for pharmaceutical screening.

Molecular and micro-scale heterogeneities in Raman modes of a relaxing polymer glass

We have used Raman spectroscopy to study relaxation dynamics at two different length scales, molecular level and micro-scale in order to probe the presence of cooperative rearranging regions in a polymer glass. Response to slow thermal cycles and fast quench through the glass transition temperature (T_g) is analyzed for film and unprocessed forms of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). In PVAc film, enhanced disorder and molecular mobility lead to peak broadening by about a factor of 10 compared to unprocessed PVAc. Thermal cycles (10 K min^-1) produce hysteresis in integrated Raman peak intensity (loop areaAINTI).AINTIvalues of film are two orders of magnitude more than unprocessed, indicating more configurational mosaics with higher interfacial energy dissipations. Ageing after 60 K min^-1quench manifests as heterogeneous molecular dynamics of film Raman modes with significant peak-width variations, differentiating high mobility and low mobility modes. Two-dimensional mapping of film Raman modes after quench reveal micro-scale clusters of average size ≈250 molecules having fractal boundaries with fractal dimensiond_f= 1.5, resemblingd_fof percolation clusters below percolation threshold. During thermal cycling and relaxation after a quench, cooperative segmental dynamics with large correlations between skeletal C-C stretch and side branch modes is observed. The observations are analyzed in the context of the random first order transition theory of glasses, which attributes heterogeneous relaxations in glasses to the presence of clusters of variable configurational states.

Potential Roles of the Glass Transition Temperature of PLGA Microparticles in Drug Release Kinetics

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has been used for long-acting injectable drug delivery systems for more than 30 years. The factors affecting the properties of PLGA formulations are still not clearly understood. The drug release kinetics of PLGA microparticles are influenced by many parameters associated with the formulation composition, manufacturing process, and post-treatments. Since the drug release kinetics have not been explainable using the measurable properties, formulating PLGA microparticles with desired drug release kinetics has been extremely difficult. Of the various properties, the glass transition temperature, T_g, of PLGA formulations is able to explain various aspects of drug release kinetics. This allows examination of parameters that affect the T_g of PLGA formulations, and thus, affecting the drug release kinetics. The impacts of the terminal sterilization on the T_g and drug release kinetics were also examined. The analysis of drug release kinetics in relation to the T_g of PLGA formulations provides a basis for further understanding of the factors controlling drug release.

Advancing predictions of protein stability in the solid state

The β-relaxation associated with the sub-glass transition temperature (T_g,β) is attributed to fast, localised molecular motions which can occur below the primary glass transition temperature (T_g,α). Consistent with T_g,β being observed well-below storage temperatures, the β-relaxation associated motions have been hypothesised to influence protein stability in the solid state and could thus impact the quality of e.g. protein powders for inhalation or reconstitution and injection. Why then do distinct solid state protein formulations with similar aggregation profiles after drying and immediate reconstitution, display different profiles when reconstituted following prolonged storage? Is the value of T_g,β, associated with the β-relaxation process of the system, a reliable parameter for characterising the behaviour of proteins in the solid state? Bearing this in mind, in this work we further explore the different relaxation dynamics of glassy solid state monoclonal antibody formulations using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and dynamical mechanical analysis. By conducting a 52 week stability study on a series of multi-component spray-dried formulations, an approach for characterising and analysing the solid state dynamics and how these relate to protein stability is outlined.

Polymer Nanocomposite Microactuators for On-Demand Chemical Release via High-Frequency Magnetic Field Excitation

On-demand delivery of substances has been demonstrated for various applications in the fields of chemistry and biomedical engineering. Single-pulse release profile has been shown previously for micro/nanoparticles in different form factors. However, to obtain a sustained release, a pulsatile release profile is needed. Here, we demonstrate such a release profile from polymer magnetic nanocomposite microspheres loaded with chemicals. By exciting the microactuators with AC magnetic fields, we could achieve up to 61% cumulative release over a five-day period. One of the main advantages of using a magnetic stimulus is that the properties of the environment (e.g., transparency, density, and depth) in which the particles are located do not affect the performance. The operating magnitude of the magnetic field used in this work is safe and does not interact with any nonmetallic materials. The proposed approach can potentially be used in microchemistry, drug delivery, lab-on-chip, and microrobots for drug delivery.

Biodegradable and Antimicrobial PLA-OLA Blends Containing Chitosan-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles with Shape Memory Properties for Potential Medical Applications

To use shape memory materials based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) for medical applications is essential to tune their transition temperature (T_trans) near to the human body temperature. In this study, the combination of lactic acid oligomer (OLA), acting as a plasticizer, together with chitosan-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgCH-NPs) to create PLA matrices is studied to obtain functional shape memory polymers for potential medical applications. PLA/OLA nanocomposites containing different amounts of AgCH-NPs were obtained and profusely characterized relating their structure with their antimicrobial and shape memory performances. Nanocomposites exhibited shape memory responses at the temperature of interest (near physiological one), as well as excellent shape memory responses, shorter recovery times and higher recovery ratios (over 100%) when compared to neat materials. Moreover, antibacterial activity tests confirmed biocidal activity; therefore, these functional polymer nanocomposites with shape memory, degradability and biocidal activity show great potential for soft actuation applications in the medical field.

Determining Thermal Conductivity of Small Molecule Amorphous Drugs with Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Vacuum Molding Sample Preparation

Thermal conductivity is a material specific property, which influences many aspects of pharmaceutical development, such as processing, modelling, analysis, and the development of novel formulation approaches. We have presented a method to measure thermal conductivity of small molecule organic glasses, based on a vacuum molding sample preparation technique combined with modulated differential scanning calorimetry. The method is applied to the two amorphous model compounds indomethacin and celecoxib. The measured values of below 0.2 W/m °C indicate very low thermal conductivity of the amorphous compounds, within the range of organic liquids and low conducting polymers.

Observation of high-temperature macromolecular confinement in lyophilised protein formulations using terahertz spectroscopy

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Structural dynamics in lyophilised protein formulations can be probed with terahertz spectroscopy and two glass transition processes, Tg,α and Tg,β, are observed.

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Vibrational confinement upon thermal activation is observed resulting in no detectable changes in secondary structure but strongly reduced the molecular mobility at temperatures above Tg,α.

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The confinement was found to be strongly dependent on the formulation.

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We hypothesise that confinement is linked to conformational states with potential effects on physical and chemical stability of the biomolecule during storage.

Characterising the structural dynamics of proteins and the effects of excipients are critical for optimising the design of formulations. In this work we investigated four lyophilised formulations containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and three formulations containing a monoclonal antibody (mAb, here mAb1), and explored the role of the excipients polysorbate 80, sucrose, trehalose, and arginine on stabilising proteins. By performing temperature variable terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) experiments it is possible to study the vibrational dynamics of these formulations. The THz-TDS measurements reveal two distinct glass transition processes in all tested formulations. The lower temperature transition, Tg,β, is associated with the onset of local motion due to the secondary relaxation whilst the higher temperature transition, Tg,α, marks the onset of the α-relaxation. For some of the formulations, containing globular BSA as well as mAb1, the absorption at terahertz frequencies does not increase further at temperatures above Tg,α. Such behaviour is in contrast to our previous observations for small organic molecules as well as linear polymers where absorption is always observed to steadily increase with temperature due to the stronger absorption of terahertz radiation by more mobile dipoles. The absence of such further increase in absorption with higher temperatures therefore suggests a localised confinement of the protein/excipient matrix at high temperatures that hinders any further increase in mobility. We found that subtle changes in excipient composition had an effect on the transition temperatures Tg,α and Tg,β as well as the vibrational confinement in the solid state. Further work is required to establish the potential significance of the vibrational confinement in the solid state on formulation stability and chemical degradation as well as what role the excipients play in achieving such confinement.

Terahertz Spectroscopy: An Investigation of the Structural Dynamics of Freeze-Dried Poly Lactic-co-glycolic Acid Microspheres

Biodegradable poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres can be used to encapsulate peptide and offer a promising drug-delivery vehicle. In this work we investigate the dynamics of PLGA microspheres prepared by freeze-drying and the molecular mobility at lower temperatures leading to the glass transition temperature, using temperature-variable terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) experiments. The microspheres were prepared using a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double-emulsion technique and subsequent freeze-drying of the samples. Physical characterization was performed by morphology measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and helium pycnometry. The THz-TDS data show two distinct transition processes, Tg,β in the range of 167–219 K, associated with local motions, and Tg,α in the range of 313–330 K, associated with large-scale motions, for the microspheres examined. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements in the mid-infrared, we were able to characterize the interactions between a model polypeptide, exendin-4, and the PLGA copolymer. We observe a relationship between the experimentally determined Tg,β and Tg,α and free volume and microsphere dynamics.