Self-assembled nanogels based on hyaluronic acid for antibody protection from heat denaturation

Antibodies are one of the most important molecules in the bio-related fields, and protection technology of antibodies from denaturation is also important. Self-assembled nanogels based on cholesterol-bearing hyaluronic acid (CHHA) are known as molecular chaperones by encapsulating significant amounts of proteins and releasing proteins through host–guest interactions with the cholesterol group and cyclodextrin. In this study, the potential of CHHA nanogels to protect antibodies from heat denaturation was investigated by evaluating the following three objectives: activity of antibody, encapsulation efficiency of antibodies in CHHA nanogels and interaction between antigen and antibody. The results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay suggested that the activity of antibody under heat denaturation conditions with CHHA nanogels was 8-fold higher than that without nanogels. The results of size exclusion chromatography provided the high encapsulation efficiency of antibodies in CHHA nanogels during the heat denaturation conditions. The results of surface plasmon resonance indicated that the interaction between antigen and active antibody was not decreased at the single molecular level by heat denaturation under the present study condition while the number of active antibodies increased by adding CHHA nanogels. These findings suggest that CHHA nanogels encapsulate antibodies and increase activity of antibodies even after heat denaturation because CHHA nanogels increase the number of active antibodies during the heat denaturation condition, and CHHA nanogels are promising stabilizers of antibodies. [Display omitted] •Self-assembled nanogels based on cholesterol-bearing hyaluronic acid protected antibodies from heat denaturation.•The activity of antibody under heat denaturation conditions with nanogels was 8-fold higher than that without nanogels.•High encapsulation efficiency of antibodies in nanogels was shown in the heat denaturation conditions.