Encapsulation of Pancreatic Lipase in Hydrogel Beads with Self-Regulating Internal pH Microenvironments: Retention of Lipase Activity after Exposure to Gastric Conditions

Oral delivery of lipase is important for individuals with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; however, lipase loses activity when exposed to the highly acidic gastric environment. In this study, pancreatic lipase was encapsulated in hydrogel beads fabricated from alginate (gel former), calcium chloride (cross-linker), and magnesium hydroxide (buffer). Fluorescence confocal microscopy imaging was used to map the pH microclimate within the hydrogel beads under simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions. The pH within buffer-free beads rapidly decreased when they moved from mouth (pH 6.3) to stomach (pH <4), leading to a loss of lipase activity in the small intestine. Conversely, the pH inside buffer-loaded beads remained close to neutral in the mouth (pH 7.33) and stomach (pH 7.39), leading to retention of lipase activity in the small intestine, as shown by pH-stat analysis of lipid digestion. The presence of the encapsulated buffer also reduced bead shrinkage under gastric conditions.