HSC-targeted delivery of shRNA-TGFβ1 by vitamin A-functionalized polyaminoglycoside for hepatic fibrosis therapy

Hepatic stellate cell-targeted chemo-gene therapy for liver fibrosis using fluorinated peptide-lipid hybrid nanoparticles

Exploring precise and effective treatments for liver fibrosis is urgent. The effective therapy for liver fibrosis depends on the specific delivery of antifibrotic drugs to activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs). However, this is a challenging task due to pathological barriers, primarily caused by collagen deposition. This study developed vitamin A-functionalized fluorinated peptide/lipid hybrid nanoparticles to co-deliver sorafenib and siRNA against HSP47 (SF-siHSP47@VFPL NPs). This nanoparticle formulation offers significant advantages due to its fluorine‑fluorine and electrostatic interactions, allowing for high SF and siHSP47 loading efficiency and sustained drug release. Importantly, in vitro cell uptake and in vivo biodistribution revealed that VA functionalization significantly improved aHSC-targeted delivery efficiency by engaging retinol-binding protein receptors on HSCs. Furthermore, it dramatically reduced extracellular matrix deposition, as evidenced by diminished levels of liver fibrosis-associated genes (HSP47, TIMP-1, and collagen I), promoting collagen breakdown and preventing collagen production, thus overcoming drug delivery barriers. Thus, SF-siHSP47@VFPL NPs demonstrated optimal antifibrotic effects by triggering apoptosis and ferroptosis in aHSCs. In liver fibrosis mouse models, SF-siHSP47@VFPL NPs remodeled the pathological environment and restored liver functionality through a marked reduction in serum liver transferases, hydroxyproline content, collagen deposition, and α-SMA and CD31 expression in liver tissue, resulting in alleviated liver fibrosis. Consequently, SF-siHSP47@VFPL NPs showed significant potential for HSC-targeted, chemo-gene therapy in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Hydroxyl-rich branched polycations for nucleic acid delivery

Recently, nucleic acid delivery has become an amazing route for the treatment of various malignant diseases, and polycationic vectors are attracting more and more attention among gene vectors. However, conventional polycationic vectors still face many obstacles in nucleic acid delivery, such as significant cytotoxicity, high protein absorption behavior, and unsatisfactory blood compatibility caused by a high positive charge density. To solve these problems, the fabrication of hydroxyl-rich branched polycationic vectors has been proposed. For the synthesis of hydroxyl-rich branched polycations, a one-pot method is considered as the preferred method due to its simple preparation process. In this review, typical one-pot methods for fabricating hydroxyl-rich polycations are presented. In particular, amine-epoxide ring-opening polymerization as a novel approach is mainly introduced. In addition, various therapeutic scenarios of hydroxyl-rich branched polycations via one-pot fabrication are also generalized. We believe that this review will motivate the optimized design of hydroxyl-rich branched polycations for potential nucleic acid delivery and their bio-applications.