Furthermore, the radiolabel showed stability as predicted from the previous radiolabel stability experiment (Fig. 3), and the pertechnetate remained at the injection site bound to the NFC hydrogel. 123I-NaI was mostly distributed into the thyroid glands and stomach, in addition to being excreted to urine. 5 h post injection, no trace of 123I-NaI was found at the injection site. To explore the use of the NFC hydrogel as a drug release matrix, we selected a small drug (123I-β-CIT) and a large protein drug (99mTc-HSA) to evaluate the effect of molecule size on the rate of release from the NFC hydrogel. The in vivo release and

distribution of 123I-β-CIT and 99mTc-HSA were investigated after injecting the NFC hydrogels imbedded with the study compounds. The study compound and saline solution mixtures were used as controls (injections without the NFC hydrogel). The differences between the HSA–NFC hydrogel “implants” and saline injections

selleck kinase inhibitor were observed as 99mTc-HSA expressed a delayed release from the NFC hydrogel and 41% of the injected dose remained within the hydrogel 5 h post injection (Fig. 5a). Linear release was observed in the beginning of the study, and release AZD6244 rates calculated from the early time points (from first to 5 h) resulted in −0.0233 μg/h and −0.0139 μg/h for saline solution and hydrogel injections, respectively. Release of 99mTc-HSA was steady during the whole study. In addition, a large distribution of 99mTc-HSA was shown in the subcutaneous tissue surrounding the injection site indicating a very poor absorption of 99mTc-HSA into the circulatory system (Fig. 5b). Slight activity was detected within the bloodstream, as indicated by the radioactivity in heart and left kidney (Fig. 6). However, the distinctions between the compound itself and its metabolites cannot be made, as it is well known that 99mTc-HSA does not pass the glomerular filtration under normal renal activity. Slow absorption is probably due to the large protein size and low enzymatic activity within the subcutaneous tissue. It was shown that injections given with NFC hydrogel retained

99mTc-HSA in a smaller area within or around the hydrogel than saline solution injections (Fig. 5b), therefore 99mTc-HSA did not freely distribute into the subcutaneous tissue. This might indicate that rate of release from the hydrogel Dipeptidyl peptidase is limiting 99mTc-HSA absorption. Heart and the left kidney were selected to estimate the 99mTc-HSA absorption into the cardiovascular system. No apparent accumulation of 99mTc-HSA to any other organ was detected. No differences between the saline and hydrogel injections were observed in blood pool activity, i.e. heart (Fig. 6a). However, slight differences were detected in the left kidney of the study animals (Fig. 6b). The amount accumulated in the left kidney during the study period was low in addition to some of the activity might be due to metabolized 99mTc-HSA.