Optimization of the Preparation and Characterization of Tannylated-Albumin Nanoagents

We optimized the preparation of tannylated-human serum albumin (TA-HSA) nanoagents including indocyanine green (ICG) and lobeglitazone (Lobe)-loaded complexes by simple mixing and characterized them. We set the optimal pH at 5 and the optimal weight ratio of [TA]/[HSA] at 1.5 when considering the redispersion of the prepared suspensions in PBS (pH 7.4) and incubation at 37 ·C for the preparation of ICG and/or Lobe-loaded TA-HSA complexes. The immobilization of methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) molecules on TA-HSA-ICG complexes significantly reduces the mean and Z-average sizes of these complexes from the microscale to the nanoscale. Moreover, the use of ICG increases the drug loading efficiency when preparing mPEG-TA-HSA-ICG/Lobe.