Magnetically anchored antibody-coupled nanocomposite as α-Amylase inhibitor for long-time protection against glycemic variability

Glycemic variability is an important risk factor for metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases, which are closely related to life and diet style. Random eating or eating irregular meals and poor patient compliance with lifestyle changes often happens and makes more difficult to control glycemic variability in life through hypoglycemic drugs around meals. The inhibition of the activity of digestion enzymes in the gut represents an effective strategy for prevention and treatment of glycemic variability. In this study, immune response was employed to induce antibodies (immunoglobulin of egg yolk, IgY) against α-amylase through the subcutaneous injection of α-amylase as the antigen in laying hens. IgY-coupled magnetic nanocomposite hydrogel as α-amylase inhibitor was further developed for long-time against glycemic variability. IgY was covalently coupled to PEG-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (PEG/Fe3O4@IgY nanoparticles) and then fabricated by embedding of PEG/Fe3O4@IgY nanoparticles in chitosan-alginate (CS/AS) hydrogels. Under the external magnetic field, lgY-coupled magnetic nanocomposites as α-amylase inhibitors were magnetically anchored in the small intestine for long-time against glycemic variability, resulting in a long-time (>36 h) and effective postprandial hyperglycemia management. This study opens a new door to the health care of the metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.