PEG-Immobilized Keratin for Protein Drug Sequestration and pH-Mediated Delivery

In this study, PEG and keratin were crosslinked to create sponge-like scaffolds (KTN-PEG) for protein drug sequestration and pH-mediated delivery. The scaffolds absorbed proteins with different isoelectric points, affecting release kinetics at physiological pH 7.4 due to electrostatic interactions. At pH 4, release was determined by molecular weight diffusion. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), similar to lysozyme, was absorbed into the scaffold, enhancing endothelial cell attachment and viability. This indicated that PEG and keratin-based sequestration of proteins with basic pIs was a viable strategy for selective biologics delivery.