Alginate-based drug carrier systems to target inflammatory bowel disease: A review

Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Infusion of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and p38α Antagonistic Peptides in Myocardial Infarction Fibrosis Mitigation

BACKGROUND

Myocardial fibrosis is a pathological hallmark of heart failure post infarction, emphasizing the need for innovative treatment strategies. This research assesses the antifibrotic potential of a sodium alginate (SA) hydrogel loaded with extracellular vesicles (EVs) from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and PAP (p38α antagonistic peptides), aiming to interfere with fibrosis-inducing pathways in myocardial tissue after infarction.

METHODS

We induced fibrosis in mouse cardiac fibroblasts through hypoxia and disrupted the Mapk14 gene to study its contribution to fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived EVs, loaded with PAP, were encapsulated in the SA hydrogel (EVs-PAP@SA). The formulation was tested in vitro for its effect on fibrotic marker expression and cell behavior, and in vivo in a murine model of myocardial infarction for its therapeutic efficacy.

RESULTS

Map k14 silencing showed a decrease in the fibrotic response of cardiac fibroblasts. Treatment with the EVs-PAP@SA hydrogel notably reduced profibrotic signaling, increased cell proliferation and migration, and lowered apoptosis rates. The in vivo treatment with the hydrogel post myocardial infarction significantly diminished myocardial fibrosis and improved cardiac performance.

CONCLUSIONS

The study endorses the SA hydrogel as an effective vehicle for delivering mesenchymal stem cell-derived EVs and PAP to the heart post myocardial infarction, providing a novel approach for modulating myocardial fibrosis and promoting cardiac healing.

A review on polysaccharide-based tumor targeted drug nanodelivery systems

The tumor-targeted drug delivery system (TTDNS) uses nanocarriers to transport chemotherapeutic agents to target tumor cells or tissues precisely. This innovative approach considerably increases the effective concentration of these drugs at the tumor site, thereby enhancing their therapeutic efficacy. Many chemotherapeutic agents face challenges, such as low bioavailability, high cytotoxicity, and inadequate drug resistance. To address these obstacles, TTDNS comprising natural polysaccharides have gained increasing popularity in the field of nanotechnology owing to their ability to improve safety, bioavailability, and biocompatibility while reducing toxicity. In addition, it enhances permeability and allows for controlled drug delivery and release. This review focuses on the sources of natural polysaccharides and their direct and indirect mechanisms of anti-tumor activity. We also explored the preparation of various polysaccharide-based nanocarriers, including nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanohydrogels, nanoliposomes, nanocapsules, nanomicelles, nanocrystals, and nanofibers. Furthermore, this review delves into the versatile applications of polysaccharide-based nanocarriers, elucidating their capabilities for in vivo targeting, controlled release, and responsiveness to endogenous and exogenous stimuli, such as pH, reactive oxygen species, glutathione, light, ultrasound, and magnetic fields. This sophisticated design substantially enhances the chemotherapeutic efficacy of the encapsulated drugs at tumor sites and provides a basis for preclinical and clinical research. However, the in vivo stability, drug loading, and permeability of these preparations into tumor tissues still need to be improved. Most of the currently developed biomarker-sensitive polysaccharide nanocarriers are still in the laboratory stage, more innovative delivery mechanisms and clinical studies are needed to develop commercial nanocarriers for medical use.

Carbohydrate-based polymer nanocarriers for environmentally friendly applications

Effective delivery of active substances and drugs is an important part of treatment. In order for a drug to work at the right place in the body, it must be transported there in the right way. For this reason, new carriers are being sought for active substances and drugs that can effectively deliver drugs to the target site without causing additional side effects. These include nanoparticles, microneedles, cubosomes and nanogels, among others. Recently, carriers based on biodegradable polymers such as hyaluronic acid or chitosan are becoming popular. In addition, modern carriers are designed to release the active ingredient in response to a specific agent. This paper reviews the literature from the past 5 years on novel delivery systems with medical, agricultural, food and cosmetic applications, with a special emphasis on the use of carbohydrate-based nanocarriers.

Characterization of chitosan-coated PLGA nanoemulsion loaded with cepharanthine and inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia of mice

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), particularly methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), poses a significant threat to global public health due to its resistance to conventional antibiotics. The urgent need for alternative treatments has highlighted cepharanthine (CEP), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the clinical application of CEP is constrained by several factors. These include the requirement for a high therapeutic dosage, low aqueous solubility, restricted oral absorption, and a short half - life. In this study, we developed a chitosan-coated Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) nanoemulsion encapsulating CEP (CCPN) using the double-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The formulation was optimized to achieve ideal physicochemical properties, including a particle size of 588.13 ± 31.87 nm and a zeta potential of 48.60 ± 1.00 mV, ensuring stability and uniformity. Biological evaluations demonstrated that CCPN effectively inhibited hemolysis, suppressed biofilm formation, disrupted mature biofilms, and displayed potent antibacterial activity against S. aureus. In vivo studies using a murine pneumonia model revealed that CCPN significantly alleviated lung damage, reduced bacterial load, mitigated inflammatory responses, and improved survival rates of mice infected with S. aureus or MRSA. These findings highlight CCPN as a promising therapeutic strategy for treating bacterial pneumonia. This novel nanoemulsion effectively tackles the key limitations in antimicrobial therapy by boosting the solubility, stability, and antibacterial efficacy of CEP. It holds great promise in the fight against antibiotic - resistant infections and shows substantial potential for promoting the treatment of pulmonary diseases.

A review on microneedle patch as a delivery system for proteins/peptides and their applications in transdermal inflammation suppression

Transdermal delivery is one of the most recent modes of administration studied due to several shortfalls observed for intra-venous, and oral drug administrations. Among, microneedle-based transdermal delivery is the popular choice due to non-invasive procedure and minimal toxicological effects. Microneedle devices consist of micron scaled needle patch entrapped with the target specific drug molecules. Due to body's immune response and occasional pathogen attack, various inflammatory diseases are developed such as psoriasis, dermatitis, rashes, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, and fibrosis. These inflammatory conditions can be treated by microneedle assisted transdermal delivery. Moreover, for localized suppression of pain and inflammation, various therapeutic peptides and proteins have been investigated. Although, these therapeutic agents can show reduced activity and undergo enzymatic degradation when administered orally or intra-venously. Hence, a microneedle-based delivery system can be used as an effective way to localize these peptides/proteins and reduce the inflammation. Herein, this review includes various microneedle fabrication methods for enhancing drug delivery for suppression of inflammation. Moreover, recent development in microneedle devices of peptide and protein delivery applications are discoursed. At last, future scope and challenges endured for preparing an efficient microneedle patch for peptide and protein delivery are also elaborated.

Berberine‑calcium alginate-coated macrophage membrane-derived nanovesicles for the oral treatment of ulcerative colitis

In this study, we developed calcium alginate-coated nanovesicles derived from macrophage membranes loaded with berberine (Ber@MVs-CA) for the oral treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Ber@MVs-CA demonstrates resistance to gastric acid and controlled drug release in the colonic pH environment, while actively targeting sites of ulcerative colitis injury. pH-responsive release of Ber in Ber@MVs-CA was confirmed through in vitro release experiments. The results indicated a total of 19.35 ± 1.61 % of Ber was cumulatively released from Ber@MVs-CA in SGF and SIF at 4 h, and approximately 87.14 ± 2.33 % release in simulated colonic fluid (pH 7.4) after 24 h. The targeting ability of Ber@MVs-CA was confirmed using laser confocal microscopy (CLSM), Transwell™ system, and in vivo imaging. Results demonstrated effective targeting of inflammatory macrophages and sustained retention in the colon. In vitro and in vivo (mice) assessments via immunofluorescence, ELISA kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays demonstrated that Ber@MVs-CA effectively attenuated inflammatory responses, modulated macrophage polarization, and inhibited oxidative stress. Additionally, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Ber@MVs-CA in a Clostridium perfringens-induced enteritis model in chickens, demonstrating its effectiveness in alleviating enteritis. Consequently, Ber@MVs-CA exhibits great potential as an oral nano-formulation for the treatment of enteritis. Thus, Ber@MVs-CA shows great potential as an oral nano-formulation for the treatment of enteritis.

Innovative Gastrointestinal Drug Delivery Systems: Nanoparticles, Hydrogels, and Microgrippers

Over the past decade, new technologies have emerged to increase intrinsic potency, enhance bioavailability, and improve targeted delivery of drugs. Most pharmaceutical formulations require multiple dosing due to their fast release and short elimination kinetics, increasing the risk of adverse events and patient non-compliance. Due to these limitations, enormous efforts have focused on developing drug delivery systems (DDSs) for sustained release and targeted delivery. Sustained release strategies began with pioneering research using silicone rubber embedding for small molecules and non-inflammatory polymer encapsulation for proteins or DNA. Subsequently, numerous DDSs have been developed as controlled-release formulations to deliver systemic or local therapeutics, such as small molecules, biologics, or live cells. In this review, we discuss the latest developments of DDSs, specifically nanoparticles, hydrogels, and microgrippers for the delivery of systemic or localized drugs to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We examine innovative DDS design and delivery strategies tailored to the GI tract's unique characteristics, such as its extensive length and anatomical complexity, varying pH levels and enzymatic activity across different sections, and intrinsic peristalsis. We particularly emphasize those designed for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with in vivo preclinical studies.

A multifunctional biomimetic double-layer composite hydrogel with wet adhesion and antioxidant activity for dural repair

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage caused by accidents or diseases resulting from traumatic brain injury, inflammation, tumor erosion and surgery can lead to many complications. In this study, a multifunctional composite double-layer hydrogel was designed by simulating the structure of native dura mater, which was composed of polyacrylic acid (PAA), polyethyleneimine (PEI), sodium alginate (SA), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and edaravone (Ed). The PAA/PEI layer had strong wet adhesion characteristics, while the PEI/SA@β-CD/Ed layer exhibited significant antioxidant, drug release and biocompatibility properties. By controlling the concentration of Ca2+, the gelation time can be adjusted rapidly within 95-215 s. Specifically, the final PAA/PEI/SA@β-CD/Ed composite hydrogel exhibited a porous network structure with high porosity and low swelling rate, improved tensile strength, sufficient biodegradability, favourable adhesion performance, enhanced DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging abilities, and sustained Ed release capacity. In addition, the resulting hydrogel also showed excellent biocompatibility and protective effect on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in SH-SY5Y cells. These results preliminarily suggested that the PAA/PEI/SA@β-CD/Ed composite hydrogel would appear to be a promising candidate for dural repair.

Bioinspired and bioderived nanomedicine for inflammatory bowel disease

Due to its chronic nature and complex pathophysiology, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) poses significant challenges for treatment. The long-term therapies for patients, often diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, call for innovative strategies to target inflammation, minimize systemic drug exposure, and improve patients' therapeutic outcomes. Among the plethora of strategies currently pursued, bioinspired and bioderived nano-based formulations have garnered interest for their safety and versatility in the management of IBD. Bioinspired nanomedicine can host and deliver not only small drug molecules but also biotherapeutics, be made gastroresistant and mucoadhesive or mucopenetrating and, for these reasons, are largely investigated for oral administration, while surprisingly less for rectal delivery, recommended first-line treatment approach for several IBD patients. The use of bioderived nanocarriers, mostly extracellular vesicles (EVs), endowed with unique homing abilities, is still in its infancy with respect to the arsenal of nanomedicine under investigation for IBD treatment. An emerging source of EVs suited for oral administration is ingesta, that is, plants or milk, thanks to their remarkable ability to resist the harsh environment of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Inspired by the unparalleled properties of natural biomaterials, sophisticated avenues for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and advancing precision medicine approaches in IBD care are taking shape, although bottlenecks arising either from the complexity of the nanomedicine designed or from the lack of a clear regulatory pathway still hinder a smooth and efficient translation to the clinics. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.

Orally ingestible medication utilizing layered double hydroxide nanoparticles strengthened alginate and hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel bead for bowel disease management

In the treatment of bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis through oral administration, an effective drug delivery system targeting the colon is crucial for enhancing efficacy and minimizing side effects of therapeutic agents. This study focuses on the development of a novel nanocomposite hydrogel bead comprising a synergistic blend of biological macromolecules, namely sodium alginate (ALG) and hyaluronic acid (HA), reinforced with layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDHs) for the oral delivery of dual therapeutics. The synthesized hydrogel bead exhibits significantly enhanced gel strength and controllable release of methylprednisolone (MP) and curcumin (CUR), serving as an anti-inflammatory drug and a mucosal healing agent, compared to native ALG or ALG/HA hydrogel beads without LDHs. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized LDHs and hydrogel beads were characterized using various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential measurement, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In vitro release studies of MP and CUR under simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions demonstrate the superior controlled release property of the nanocomposite hydrogel bead, particularly in minimizing premature drug release in the upper GIT environment while sustaining release of over 82 % of drugs in the colonic environment. Thus, the modularly engineered carrier designed for oral colon targeting holds promise as a potential candidate for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Extraction, structure and antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides from morels (Morchella spp.): A review

Morels (Morchella spp.), which are cultivated only in a few regions of the world, are edible mushrooms known for their various properties including antioxidation, immune regulation, antiinflammation, and antitumor effects. Polysaccharides from Morchella are principally responsible for its antioxidant activity. This paper reviews the extraction, purification, structural analysis and antioxidant activity of Morchella polysaccharides (MPs), providing updated research progress. Meanwhile, the structural-property relationships of MPs were further discussed. In addition, based on in vitro and in vivo studies, the major factors responsible for the antioxidant activity of MPs were summarized including scavenging free radicals, reduction capacity, inhibitory lipid peroxidation activity, regulating the signal transduction pathway, reducing the production of ROS and NO, etc. Finally, we hope that our research can provide a reference for further research and development of MPs.

Alginate microspheres encapsulating hox transcript antisense RNA siRNA regulate the Hedgehog-Gli1 pathway to alleviate epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors resistance

The long non-coding RNA HOTAIR and the Hedgehog-Gli1 signaling pathway are closely associated with tumor occurrence and drug resistance in various cancers. However, their specific roles in the development of EGFR-TKIs resistance in non-small cell carcinoma remain unclear. To address the issue of EGFR-TKIs resistance, this study utilized the electrospray method to prepare sodium alginate microspheres encapsulating HOTAIR siRNA (SA/HOTAIR siRNA) and investigated its effects on RNA interference (RNAi) in the gefitinib-resistant cell line PC9/GR. Furthermore, the study explored whether HOTAIR could modulate EGFR-TKIs resistance through the Hedgehog-GLi1 signaling pathway. The experimental results showed that sodium alginate (SA) microspheres demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with high encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading capacity, effectively enhancing the silencing efficiency of siRNA. HOTAIR siRNA significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of PC9/GR cells while promoting apoptosis. Additionally, HOTAIR siRNA effectively suppressed tumor growth and downregulated the Hedgehog-GLi1 pathway and anti-apoptotic proteins, which were confirmed in animal experiments. Moreover, SA/HOTAIR siRNA exhibited superior inhibition of cellular and tumor functions compared to using HOTAIR siRNA alone. Clinical research findings indicated that monitoring the expression level of HOTAIR in the serum and urine samples of NSCLC patients before and after receiving EGFR-TKIs treatment can predict the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs to a certain extent. This study provided evidence that HOTAIR siRNA effectively mitigated the development of acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs by inhibiting the Hedgehog-GLi1 pathway. Furthermore, it introduced a reliable and long-lasting drug delivery system for combating acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Gracilaria salicornia as potential substratum for green synthesis of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles coupled hydrogel: An effective antimicrobial thin film

Sodium alginate based (SA) hydrogel supplemented Cerium Oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) was produced to fabricate an antimicrobial thin film using an aqueous extract of G. salicornia (Gs). The Gs-CeO2NPs were characterized via SEM, FT-IR, EDX, XRD and DLS, the particle size was 200 nm, agreed with XRD. Gs-SA powder was extracted and incorporated with CeO2NPs. The Gs-SA and its composite thin film (Gs-CeO2NPs-SATF) were characterized including viscosity, FT-IR, TGA, and SEM. The adhesion of Gs-SA coating around Gs-CeO2NPs confirmed via FTIR. The antimicrobial properties of Gs-CeO2NPs and CeO2NPs-SATF were proved in MICs for E. coli and Candida albicans at 62.5 and 250.0 μg/mL. The biofilm inhibition efficiency of CeO2NPs-SATF was 74.67 ± 0.98% and 65.45 ± 0.40% for E. coli and Candida albicans. The CeO2NPs-SATF was polydisperse in nature and film structure gets fluctuated with NPs concentration. Increased NPs into SATF enhances pore size of gel and corroborated with viscous behaviour. The cytotoxicity of Gs-CeO2NP-SA in Artemia salina at higher concentration 100 μg/mL provides less lethal effect into the adult. The antioxidant activity of Gs-CeO2NP-SA in DPPH assay was noticed at 0.6 mg ml-1 with radical scavenging activity at 65.85 ± 0.81%. Thus the Gs-CeO2NP-SATF would be suitable in antimicrobial applications.