Facilitated and Controlled Strontium Ranelate Delivery Using GCS-HA Nanocarriers Embedded into PEGDA Coupled with Decortication Driven Spinal Regeneration.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Strontium ranelate (SrR) is an oral pharmaceutical agent for osteoporosis. In recent years, numerous unwanted side effects of oral SrR have been revealed. Therefore, its clinical administration and applications are limited. Hereby, this study aims to develop, formulate, and characterize an effective SrR carrier system for spinal bone regeneration. METHODS: Herein, glycol chitosan with hyaluronic acid (HA)-based nanoformulation was used to encapsulate SrR nanoparticles (SrRNPs) through electrostatic interaction. Afterward, the poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)-based hydrogels were used to encapsulate pre-synthesized SrRNPs (SrRNPs-H). The scanning electron microscope (SEM), TEM, rheometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to characterize prepared formulations. The rabbit osteoblast and a rat spinal decortication models were used to evaluate and assess the developed formulation biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo studies for cytotoxicity and bone regeneration were conducted. The cell viability test showed that SrRNPs exerted no cytotoxic effects in osteoblast in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo analysis for new bone regeneration mechanism was carried out on rat decortication models. Radiographical and histological analysis suggested a higher level of bone regeneration in the SrRNPs-H-implanted groups than in the other experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Local administration of the newly developed formulated SrR could be a promising alternative therapy to enhance bone regeneration in bone-defect sites in future clinical applications.

Immune cell shuttle for precise delivery of nanotherapeutics for heart disease and cancer.

The delivery of therapeutics through the circulatory system is one of the least arduous and less invasive interventions; however, this approach is hampered by low vascular density or permeability. In this study, by exploiting the ability of monocytes to actively penetrate into diseased sites, we designed aptamer-based lipid nanovectors that actively bind onto the surface of monocytes and are released upon reaching the diseased sites. Our method was thoroughly assessed through treating two of the top causes of death in the world, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with or without liver metastasis, and showed a significant increase in survival and healing with no toxicity to the liver and kidneys in either case, indicating the success and ubiquity of our platform. We believe that this system provides a new therapeutic method, which can potentially be adapted to treat a myriad of diseases that involve monocyte recruitment in their pathophysiology.

A bioinspired hyperthermic macrophage-based polypyrrole-polyethylenimine (Ppy-PEI) nanocomplex carrier to prevent and disrupt thrombotic fibrin clots.

Fibrinolytic treatments for venous or arterial thrombotic syndromes using systemic administration of thrombolytics, such as streptokinase, can induce life-threatening bleeding complications. In this study, we offer the first proof of concept for a targeted photothermal fibrin clot prevention and reduction technology using macrophages loaded with polypyrrole-polyethylenimine nanocomplexes (Ppy-PEI NCs) and subjected to near-infrared radiation (NIR). We first show that the developed Ppy-PEI NCs could be taken up by defensive macrophages in vitro through endocytosis. The Ppy-PEI NCs generated local hyperthermia upon NIR treatment, which appeared to produce reactive oxygen species in Ppy-PEI NC-loaded macrophages. Preliminary evidence of efficacy as an antithrombotic tool is provided, in vitro, using fibrinogen-converted fibrin clots, and in vivo, in a rat femoral vascular thrombosis model generated by exposure to ferric chloride substance. The in vivo biocompatibility, photothermal behavior, biodistribution, and histological observation of cellular interactions with the Ppy-PEI NCs in the rat model provide rationale in support of further preclinical studies. This Ppy-PEI NC/NIR-based method, which uses a unique macrophage-guided targeting approach to prevent and lyse fibrin clots, may potentially overcome some of the disadvantages of current thrombolytic treatments. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Fibrinolytic treatments for venous or arterial thrombotic syndromes using systemic administration of thrombolytics, such as streptokinase, can induce life-threatening bleeding complications. In this study, we offer the first proof of concept for a targeted photothermal fibrin clot reduction technology using macrophages loaded with polypyrrole-polyethylenimine nanocomplexes (Ppy-PEI NCs) and subjected to near-infrared radiation (NIR). We first show that the developed Ppy-PEI NCs can be taken up by defensive macrophages in vitro through endocytosis. The Ppy-PEI NCs generated local hyperthermia upon NIR treatment, which appeared to produce reactive oxygen species in Ppy-PEI NC-loaded macrophages. Preliminary evidence of efficacy as an antithrombotic tool is provided, in vitro, using fibrinogen-converted fibrin clots, and in vivo, in a rat femoral vascular thrombosis model generated by exposure to ferric chloride substance. The in vivo biocompatibility, photothermal behavior, biodistribution, and histological observation of cellular interactions with the Ppy-PEI NCs in the rat model provide rationale in support of further preclinical studies. This Ppy-PEI NC/NIR-based method, which uses a unique macrophage-guided targeting approach to disintegrate fibrin clots, may potentially overcome some of the disadvantages of current thrombolytic treatments.