Alginate beads containing pH-sensitive liposomes and glucose oxidase: glucose-sensitive release

Egg PC (EPC) liposomes bearing a copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide, methacrylic acid, and octadecylacrylate (P(NIPAM-co-MAA-co-ODA)) were prepared as pH-sensitive liposomes. They were embedded in glucose oxidase (GOD)-immobilized alginate beads. The ratio of EPC/GOD/alginate in the beads was 7.8:1.0:140.4, and the beads were added to glucose solutions so that the concentration of GOD was 0.0068 mg/ml. The enzymatic activity of the immobilized GOD was one fifth to half of that of native enzyme. As the glucose concentration increased from 0 to 400 mg/dl, the degree of calcein release increased from 17% to 75%. The acidification induced by the enzymatic reaction would be responsible for the glucose-triggered release.