Nanomedicines for back of the eye drug delivery, gene delivery, and imaging

Novel Approaches for Retinal Drug and Gene Delivery

The ARVO 2014 minisymposium on "Novel Approaches for Retinal Drug and Gene Delivery" was held on May 6, 2014 in Orlando, FL. The main intent of the symposium was to review recent advances in retinal drug and gene delivery with specific emphasis on novel approaches that address current limitations and have the potential to translate into clinical practice. The symposium was sponsored by Translational Vision Science and Technology.

Ocular delivery of macromolecules

Biopharmaceuticals are making increasing impact on medicine, including treatment of indications in the eye. Macromolecular drugs are typically given by physician-administered invasive delivery methods, because non-invasive ocular delivery methods, such as eye drops, and systemic delivery, have low bioavailability and/or poor ocular targeting. There is a need to improve delivery of biopharmaceuticals to enable less-invasive delivery routes, less-frequent dosing through controlled-release drug delivery and improved drug targeting within the eye to increase efficacy and reduce side effects. This review discusses the barriers to drug delivery via various ophthalmic routes of administration in the context of macromolecule delivery and discusses efforts to develop controlled-release systems for delivery of biopharmaceuticals to the eye. The growing number of macromolecular therapies in the eye needs improved drug delivery methods that increase drug efficacy, safety and patient compliance.

Promising and delivering gene therapies for vision loss

The maturity in our understanding of the genetics and the pathogenesis of disease in degenerative retinal disorders has intersected in past years with a novel treatment paradigm in which a genetic intervention may lead to sustained therapeutic benefit, and in some cases even restoration of vision. Here, we review this prospect of retinal gene therapy, discuss the enabling technologies that have led to first-in-human demonstrations of efficacy and safety, and the road that led to this exciting point in time.

Planar microdevices enhance transport of large molecular weight molecules across retinal pigment epithelial cells

Large molecular weight drug delivery to the posterior eye is challenging due to cellular barriers that hinder drug transport. Understanding how to enhance transport across the retinal barrier is important for the design of new drug delivery systems. A novel mechanism to enhance drug transport is the use of geometric properties, which has not been extensively explored in the retina. Planar SU-8/Poly(ethyleneglycol)dimethacrylate microdevices were constructed using photolithography to deliver FITC dextran across an in vitro retinal model. The model consists of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells grown to confluence on transwell inserts, which provides an environment to investigate the influence of geometry on paracellular and transcellular delivery of encapsulated large molecules. Planar microdevices enhanced transport of large molecular weight dextrans across different models of RPE in a size dependent fashion. Increased drug permeation across the RPE was observed with the addition of microdevices as compared to a traditional bolus of FITC dextran. This phenomena was initiated by a non-toxic interaction between the microdevices and the retinal tight junction proteins. Suggesting that increased drug transport occurs via a paracellular pathway. These experiments provide evidence to support the future use of planar unidirectional microdevices for delivery of biologics in ocular applications.

Efficacy and safety of dendrimer nanoparticles with coexpression of tumor necrosis factor-α and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase in gene radiotherapy of the human uveal melanoma OCM-1 cell line

Human uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular tumor, and brachytherapy is one of the most common and effective treatment strategies. In order to find a safer and more effective way to increase the radio sensitivity of the tumor, we tried to use the dendrimer nanoparticle performing coexpression gene radiotherapy. In this study, we constructed recombinant DNA plasmids (early growth response-1 tumor necrosis factor-α [pEgr1-TNFα], pEgr1 thymidine kinase [TK], and pEgr1-TNFα-TK) according to the Egr1 promoter sequence. The sequences of human TNFα and herpes simplex virus (HSV) TK that were published by GenBank. Agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing had proven that we constructed the double-gene recombined plasmids pEgr1-TNF-TK correctly, as well as the plasmids pEgr1-TNFα and pEgr1-TK. The dendrimer nanoparticles combined with plasmid DNA as dendriplexes were verified with agarose gel electrophoresis and observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy to define size and shape. Zeta potential was measured using a Zetasizer analyzer. Optimal size and neutral zeta-potential characteristics of dendriplexes were achieved for the transfection studies. DNase I examination proved that the dendriplexes could protect plasmid DNA for at least 6 hours. The recombinant plasmids were transfected with dendrimer nanoparticles into the human choroidal melanoma OCM-1 cell line, followed by exposure to iodine-125 ((125)I) after transfection. After transfection with dendrimer nanoparticles and the irradiation of (125)I, the gene expressions of TNFα and HSV1-TK were significantly increased at the protein level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis in OCM-1 cells. The cellular morphology of OCM-1 cells altering was observed by TEM, and a decrease in cell proliferation was revealed in cell-growth curves. Flow cytometry of annexin V/propidium iodide double-dyeing apoptosis and caspase-3 fluorescence staining showed that this treatment method could turn transfected OCM-1 cells into apoptosis and necrosis by the effects of the gene expression. This study indicated that the dendrimer nanoparticles with coexpression of TNF-α and HSV1-TK gene therapy are effective and safe and can provide us with a novel strategy to treat human uveal melanoma in the future.

Topical delivery of ocular therapeutics: carrier systems and physical methods

OBJECTIVE

The basic concepts, major mechanisms, technological developments and advantages of the topical application of lipid-based systems (microemulsions, nanoemulsions, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles), polymeric systems (hydrogels, contact lenses, polymeric nanoparticles and dendrimers) and physical methods (iontophoresis and sonophoresis) will be reviewed.

KEY FINDINGS

Although very convenient for patients, topical administration of conventional drug formulations for the treatment of eye diseases requires high drug doses, frequent administration and rarely provides high drug bioavailability. Thus, strategies to improve the efficacy of topical treatments have been extensively investigated. In general, the majority of the successful delivery systems are present on the ocular surface over an extended period of time, and these systems typically improve drug bioavailability in the anterior chamber whereas the physical methods facilitate drug penetration over a very short period of time through ocular barriers, such as the cornea and sclera.

SUMMARY

Although in the early stages, the combination of these delivery systems with physical methods would appear to be a promising tool to decrease the dose and frequency of administration; thereby, patient compliance and treatment efficacy will be improved.