Lipopolymers and lipids from lung surfactants in association with N-acetyl-l-cysteine: Characterization and cytotoxicity

Thiolated polyglycerol sulfate as potential mucolytic for muco-obstructive lung diseases

Increased disulfide crosslinking of secreted mucins causes elevated viscoelasticity of mucus and is a key determinant of mucus dysfunction in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other muco-obstructive lung diseases. In this study, we describe the synthesis of a novel thiol-containing, sulfated dendritic polyglycerol (dPGS-SH), designed to chemically reduce these abnormal crosslinks, which we demonstrate with mucolytic activity assays in sputum from patients with CF. This mucolytic polymer, which is based on a reportedly anti-inflammatory polysulfate scaffold, additionally carries multiple thiol groups for mucolytic activity and can be produced on a gram-scale. After a physicochemical compound characterization, we compare the mucolytic activity of dPGS-SH to the clinically approved N-acetylcysteine (NAC) using western blot studies and investigate the effect of dPGS-SH on the viscoelastic properties of sputum samples from CF patients by oscillatory rheology. We show that dPGS-SH is more effective than NAC in reducing multimer intensity of the secreted mucins MUC5B and MUC5AC and demonstrate significant mucolytic activity by rheology. In addition, we provide data for dPGS-SH demonstrating a high compound stability, low cytotoxicity, and superior reaction kinetics over NAC at different pH levels. Our data support further development of the novel reducing polymer system dPGS-SH as a potential mucolytic to improve mucus function and clearance in patients with CF as well as other muco-obstructive lung diseases.

Advances in lipid-based pulmonary nanomedicine for the management of inflammatory lung disorders

Inflammatory lung disorders have become one of the fastest growing global healthcare concerns, with more than 500 million annual cases of disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. Owing to environmental changes and socioeconomic disparity, the numbers are expected to grow even more in years to come. The therapeutic strategies and approved drugs currently employed in the management of inflammatory lung disorders show dose-dependent resistance and pharmacokinetic limitations. This review comprehensively discusses lipid-based pulmonary nanomedicine as a potential platform to overcome these barriers while ensuring site-specific drug delivery and minimal side effects in nontargeted tissues for the management of noninfectious inflammatory lung disorders.