(639a) Investigating the Effect of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs On Material Biocompatibility by In Vivo Fluorescent Imaging

Incorporating anti-inflammatory drugs into biomaterials has been investigated as a strategy to minimize immune response to biopolymers in medical applications. However, existing approaches to evaluate the effect of these drugs rely primarily on histological analysis of excised tissues. Here we developed an in vivo fluorescent imaging technique for real-time monitoring of the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on polymeric materials. Poly-Lactic-Glycolic-Acid (PLGA) microparticles encapsulating a model drug were subcutaneously injected in an array of multi-injection sites on the back of hairless immuno-competent mice. Fluorescent imaging data revealed that the anti-inflammatory drug inhibits enzymatic activity of inflammatory cells. This inhibitory effect was localized at each injection sites and sustained over 24 days. Such information on cellular activity is complementary to analysis by traditional histology. Therefore, this imaging strategy enables a new approach to investigate the effect of new anti-inflammatory drugs in enhancing the biocompatibility of polymeric implants.