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Fathalla Z, Shoman ME, Barakat HS, Al Fatease A, Alamri AH, Abdelkader H. Cyclodextrins and Amino Acids Enhance Solubility and Tolerability of Retinoic Acid/Tretinoin: Molecular Docking, Physicochemical, Cytotoxicity, Scratch Assay, and Topical Gel Formulations Investigation. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:853. [PMID: 39065550 PMCID: PMC11280329 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
With increasing longevity globally, the search for effective and patient-friendly anti-aging solutions has been growing. Retinoic acid (Ret) is an FDA-approved anti-aging and anti-wrinkling formula, however, its poor solubility and poor tolerability hamper its use in cosmetically accepted formulations. In this study, cyclodextrins and arginine were investigated for improving the solubility and tolerability of retinoic acid through the formation of inclusion complexes and salt formation, respectively. Two different methods were employed: physical mixing and kneading. The prepared dispersions were investigated for molecular docking (MD), solubility, thermal and spectral analyses, cytotoxicity, and scratch assays. The optimized disperse systems were formulated in a gel formulation and characterized for rheological, in vitro release, and kinetics. The MD, DSC, and FTIR results indicated that both β- and hydroxy propyl (HP) β-cyclodextrins could host RA in their cavities and form inclusion complexes. Ret can form a salt with the basic amino acid arginine. Solubility studies of RA significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced by 14- to 81-fold increases with the investigated cyclodextrins and arginine. The cell viability recorded for Ret:HP β-CD K and Ret:arginine K was significantly increased compared to that for Ret alone. The IC50% recorded for azelaic acid (mild to non-irritant control), Ret, Ret:HP β-CD K, and Ret:arginine K were 1000, 485, 1100, and 895 µg/mL, respectively. The two carriers (HP β-CD and the amino acid arginine) were able to significantly (p < 0.05) reduce the irritation potential of Ret. Furthermore, comparable gap closure rates were recorded for Ret alone, Ret:HP β-CD K, and Ret:arginine K, indicating that inclusion complexation and ion pair formation reduced the irritation potentials without undermining the efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Fathalla
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt;
| | - Mai E. Shoman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt;
| | - Hebatallah S. Barakat
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21525, Egypt;
| | - Adel Al Fatease
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.F.); (A.H.A.)
| | - Ali H. Alamri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.F.); (A.H.A.)
| | - Hamdy Abdelkader
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.F.); (A.H.A.)
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Ayehunie S, Landry T, Armento A. Vaginal irritation testing-prospects of human organotypic vaginal tissue culture models. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024; 60:569-582. [PMID: 38995526 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-024-00907-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Personal lubricants intended for local or systemic delivery via the vaginal route can induce vaginal irritation, damage the vaginal epithelial barrier which can enhance microbial entry, induce inflammation, and alter the microbiome of the vaginal ecosystem. Therefore, manufacturers of personal lubricants and medical devices are required to show biocompatibility and safety assessment data to support regulatory decision-making within a specified context of use. Furthermore, due to ethical concerns and the introduction of the 7th amendment of the European Council Directive which bans animal testing for cosmetic ingredients and products coupled with the Food and Drug Administration modernization Act 2.0 guidelines, there is a wave of drive to develop alternative test methods to predict human responses to chemical or formulation exposure. In this framework, there is a potential to use three-dimensional organotypic human vaginal-ectocervical tissue models as a screening tool to predict the vaginal irritation potential of personal lubricants and medicaments. To be physiologically relevant, the in vitro tissue models need to be reconstructed using primary epithelial cells of the specific organ or tissue and produce organ-like structure and functionality that recapitulate the in vivo-like responses. Through the years, progress has been made and vaginal tissue models are manufactured under controlled conditions with a specified performance criterion, which leads to a high level of reproducibility and reliability. The utility of vaginal tissue models has been accelerated in the last 20 years with an expanded portfolio of applications ranging from toxicity, inflammation, infection to drug safety, and efficacy studies. This article provides an overview of the state of the art of diversified applications of reconstructed vaginal tissue models and highlights their utility as a tool to predict vaginal irritation potential of feminine care products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyoum Ayehunie
- MatTek Corporation, 200 Homer Avenue, Ashland, MA, 01721, USA.
| | - Timothy Landry
- MatTek Corporation, 200 Homer Avenue, Ashland, MA, 01721, USA
| | - Alex Armento
- MatTek Corporation, 200 Homer Avenue, Ashland, MA, 01721, USA
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3
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Abou-Taleb HA, Fathalla Z, Naguib DM, Fatease AA, Abdelkader H. Chitosan/Solid-Lipid Nanoparticles Hybrid Gels for Vaginal Delivery of Estradiol for Management of Vaginal Menopausal Symptoms. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1284. [PMID: 37765092 PMCID: PMC10536129 DOI: 10.3390/ph16091284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormonal replacement therapy is the mainstay treatment to improve quality of life and reduce mortality. With the increasing number of young women with early menopause, women now live longer (increased life expectancy). However, poor patient compliance with oral estrogen therapy has emerged. Intravaginal estrogen therapy can provide significant benefits with minimal risk for postmenopausal women with symptoms of the lower urinary tract and vaginal area but who do not want to take oral estrogen. In this study, estradiol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLPs) were prepared from compritol ATO 888 and precirol ATO 5, and two different stabilizers (Pluronic F127 and Tween 80) were studied. Selected SLPs (F3 and F6) were coated with different concentrations of the mucoadhesive and sustained-release polymer chitosan. Furthermore, gelation time, viscosity, mucoadhesion, ex vivo permeation, and in vitro irritation for vaginal irritation were studied. Particle sizes ranged between 450-850 nm, and EE% recorded 50-83% for the six SLPs depending on the type and amount of lipids used. Cumulative % drug release was significantly enhanced and was recorded at 51% to 83%, compared to that (less than 20%) for the control suspension of estradiol. Furthermore, extensive thermal gelation and mucoadhesion were recorded for chitosan-coated SLPs. Up to 2.2-fold increases in the permeation parameters for SLPs gels compared to the control suspension gel were recorded, revealing a slight to moderate irritation on Hela cell lines. These findings demonstrated chitosan-coated estradiol SLPs as novel and promising vaginal mucoadhesive hybrid nanogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heba A. Abou-Taleb
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Merit University (MUE), Sohag 82755, Egypt;
| | - Zeinab Fathalla
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt;
| | - Demiana M. Naguib
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University (NUB), Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt;
| | - Adel Al Fatease
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Hamdy Abdelkader
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia;
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4
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Escaffre O, Popov V, Hager E, Freiberg AN. Characterization of an air-liquid interface primary human vaginal epithelium to study Ebola virus infection and testing of antivirals. Antiviral Res 2023; 211:105551. [PMID: 36731656 PMCID: PMC10286122 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ebola virus (EBOV) is the causative agent of the often-fatal Ebola virus disease (EVD) characterized by hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. Sexual transmission from male survivors has been at the origin of multiple outbreak flare-ups between 2015 and 2021. However, this route is still poorly understood and the resulting EVD from it is also understudied. To support epidemiological studies documenting sexual transmission to women, and as a transition from previously using monolayer vaginal epithelial cells (VK2/E6E7), we first determined the biological relevance of two similar air-liquid interface models of the human vaginal epithelium (VEC and VLC Epivaginal™) and then characterized their susceptibility to EBOV and virus-induced inflammation. Finally, we evaluated toxicity of Polyphenylene Carboxymethylene (PPCM) microbicide in VLC and reassessed its antiviral effect. As expected, the VEC, but also VLC model showed stratified layers including a lamina propria under an epithelial structure similar to the full thickness of the human vaginal epithelium. However, we could not detect the immune cells featured in the most relevant model (VLC) of the vaginal epithelium using the dendritic cell CD1a and CD11c markers. Consistent with our previous work using the VK2/E6E7 cell line, infectious virus was detected from the apical side of both primary human cell systems, but only when using a high infective dose, with titers remaining at a constant level of 103-4 pfu/ml over 7 days suggesting lasting infectious virus shedding. In addition, infection caused disruption of the epithelium of both models and virus antigen was found from the apical superficial layers down to the lamina propria suggesting full virus penetration and overall confirming the susceptibility of the human vaginal tissue for EBOV. Just like previously seen in VK2/E6E7 cells, VLC infection also caused significant increase in inflammatory markers including IL-6, IL-8, and IP-10 suggesting vaginitis which is again consistent with tissue lesions seen in non-human primates. Finally, both virus infection and virus-induced inflammatory response in VLC could be prevented by a single 5-min PPCM microbicide treatment prior infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Escaffre
- Department of Pathology, USA; Institute for Human Infections & Immunity and Sealy & Smith Foundation, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
| | - Vsevolod Popov
- Department of Pathology, USA; Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, USA; Institute for Human Infections & Immunity and Sealy & Smith Foundation, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | | | - Alexander N Freiberg
- Department of Pathology, USA; Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, USA; Institute for Human Infections & Immunity and Sealy & Smith Foundation, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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5
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Sica VP, Friberg MA, Teufel AG, Streicher-Scott JL, Hu P, Sauer UG, Krivos KL, Price JM, Baker TR, Abbinante-Nissen JM, Woeller KE. Safety assessment scheme for menstrual cups and application for the evaluation of a menstrual cup comprised of medical grade silicone. EBioMedicine 2022; 86:104339. [PMID: 36370636 PMCID: PMC9664401 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ensuring menstrual cup safety is paramount, yet a menstrual cup safety assessment scheme is lacking. This paper presents a quadripartite scheme, showing how it can be applied. METHODS The Tampax Menstrual Cup was evaluated in the safety assessment scheme: (1) Biocompatibility and chemical safety of cup constituents. Extractables were obtained under different use condition; exposure-based risk assessments (EBRA) were conducted for extractables exceeding thresholds of toxicological concern. (2) Physical impact to vaginal mucosa. After physical evaluations, the Tampax Cup and another cup were assessed in a randomised double-blinded, two-product, two-period cross-over clinical trial (65 women, mean age 34.2 years). (3) Impact to vaginal microbiota (in vitro mixed microflora assay and evaluation of vaginal swabs). (4) In vitro growth of Staphylococcus aureus and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) production. FINDINGS Biocompatibility assessments and EBRA of cup constituents showed no safety concerns. In the randomised clinical trial, all potentially product-related adverse effects were mild, vaginal exams were unremarkable, no clinically relevant pH changes occurred, post-void residual urine volume with and without cup were similar, and self-reported measures of comfort along with reports of burning, itching and stinging between cups were comparable. Cup use had no effect on microbial growth in vitro or in the 62 subjects who completed the trial or on in vitro TSST-1 production. INTERPRETATION The quadripartite safety assessment scheme allows evaluation of menstrual cup safety. The Tampax Cup is safe and well-tolerated upon intended use. As with all feminine hygiene products, post-market safety surveillance confirmed this conclusion. FUNDING By Procter & Gamble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent P Sica
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Corporate Functions Analytical, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, 45040, USA
| | - Maria A Friberg
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Baby, Feminine and Family Care Microbiology, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, 45040, USA
| | - Amber G Teufel
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Baby, Feminine and Family Care Microbiology, 6280 Center Hill Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45224, USA
| | - Jan L Streicher-Scott
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Feminine Care Clinical, 6110 Center Hill Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45224, USA
| | - Ping Hu
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Corporate Biosciences, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, USA
| | - Ursula G Sauer
- Scientific Consultancy - Animal Welfare, Hallstattfeld 16, 85579, Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Kady L Krivos
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Corporate Functions Analytical, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, 45040, USA
| | - Jason M Price
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Corporate Functions Analytical, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, 45040, USA
| | - Timothy R Baker
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Corporate Functions Analytical, 8700 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH, 45040, USA
| | - Joan M Abbinante-Nissen
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Global Product Stewardship, Feminine Care, 6110 Center Hill Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45224, USA
| | - Kara E Woeller
- The Procter and Gamble Company, Global Product Stewardship, Feminine Care, 6110 Center Hill Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45224, USA.
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6
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Schimpf U, Caldas-Silveira E, Katchan L, Vigier-Carriere C, Lantier I, Nachmann G, Gidlöf S, Jonasson AF, Björndahl L, Trombotto S, Druart X, Crouzier T. Topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus barrier to sperm. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabm2417. [PMID: 36449601 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abm2417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Close to half of the world's pregnancies are still unplanned, reflecting a clear unmet need in contraception. Ideally, a contraceptive would provide the high efficacy of hormonal treatments, without systemic side effects. Here, we studied topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus by chitosan mucoadhesive polymers as a form of female contraceptive. Chitosans larger than 7 kDa effectively cross-linked human ovulatory cervical mucus to prevent sperm penetration in vitro. We then demonstrated in vivo using the ewe as a model that vaginal gels containing chitosan could stop ram sperm at the entrance of the cervical canal and prevent them from reaching the uterus, whereas the same gels without chitosan did not substantially limit sperm migration. Chitosan did not affect sperm motility in vitro or in vivo, suggesting reinforcement of the mucus physical barrier as the primary mechanism of action. The chitosan formulations did not damage or irritate the ewe vaginal epithelium, in contrast to nonoxynol-9 spermicide. The demonstration that cervical mucus can be reinforced topically to create an effective barrier to sperm may therefore form the technological basis for muco-cervical barrier contraceptives with the potential to become an alternative to hormonal contraceptives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Schimpf
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Material and Environmental Chemistry (MMK), Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erika Caldas-Silveira
- PIXANIM, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Ljudmila Katchan
- Cirqle Biomedical Contraception ApS, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Isabelle Lantier
- French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE), UMR ISP, Université de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Gilai Nachmann
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Gidlöf
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels alle 8, 141 52 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Aino Fianu Jonasson
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels alle 8, 141 52 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Lars Björndahl
- ANOVA-Andrology, Sexual Medicine, Transmedicine, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, Norra Stationsgatan 69, 113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stéphane Trombotto
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IMP, UMR 5223, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Xavier Druart
- PIXANIM, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, IFCE, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Thomas Crouzier
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), AlbaNova University Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.,Cirqle Biomedical Contraception ApS, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,AIMES-Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences, Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Tyssen D, Hearps AC, Guntur K, Masson L, Cook S, Moulton SE, Ravel J, Bradshaw CS, Ayehunie S, Tachedjian G. The Impact of Over-The-Counter Lactic Acid Containing Vaginal Gels on the Integrity and Inflammatory State of the Vaginal Epithelium in vitro. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 4:915948. [DOI: 10.3389/frph.2022.915948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiome influences a wide range of health outcomes in women, where a microbiome dominated by Lactobacillus spp. is considered optimal and associated with reduced risk of pre-term birth and acquisition of sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Conversely, replacement of lactobacilli by non-optimal bacteria leads to the development of bacterial vaginosis, which is associated with increased risk of these outcomes. Lactobacilli produce the metabolite lactic acid (LA) which is a potent antibacterial and antiviral agent. The potential therapeutic benefits of LA have prompted the development of numerous over-the-counter LA-containing gels for use in the vagina, although a comprehensive analysis of the impact of these formulations on the cervicovaginal epithelium and pro-inflammatory cytokine/chemokine responses, has not been assessed. Here, we evaluated the properties of 11 over-the-counter gels, including 9 containing LA, marketed for use in the vagina. Ten of the 11 gels had an osmolality greater than vaginal fluid from women with Lactobacillus-dominated microbiota (370 ± 40 mOsmol/kg in women with Nugent score 0–3), with six gels that were hyperosmolal >2,000 mOsmol/kg. Using a reconstructed primary cell model of the vaginal epithelium, we found hyperosmolal gels had a detrimental impact on epithelial barrier integrity, resulting in substantial cellular toxicity (<10% viability as compared to untreated cells) and reduced epithelial barrier integrity [≈30% of untreated cells, assessed by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER)]. Treatment of vaginal tissues with most of the gels elicited the production of pro-inflammatory factors including IL-1α (8 of 11) and IL-1β (10 of 11) which are associated with heightened risk of HIV acquisition in vivo. The majority of the OTC gels elicited moderate tissue damage as determined by histology. The detrimental effects of these gels on the human vaginal epithelium in vitro may predict compromised epithelial barrier integrity and genital inflammation in vivo, which has implications for sexual and reproductive health. This study highlights the importance of evaluating the impact of intravaginal products on the integrity and inflammatory status of the mucosal epithelium to avoid unfavorable off target effects.
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Jøraholmen MW, Damdimopoulou P, Acharya G, Škalko-Basnet N. Toxicity Assessment of Resveratrol Liposomes-in-Hydrogel Delivery System by EpiVaginal TM Tissue Model. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14061295. [PMID: 35745867 PMCID: PMC9231258 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The natural polyphenol resveratrol (RES) has shown great potential as an antimicrobial, including against microbes associated with vaginal infections. To fully exploit the activities of RES, an all-natural ingredients formulation for RES delivery at vaginal site has been developed, namely liposomes loaded with RES, incorporated into a chitosan hydrogel as secondary vehicle. Although considered non-toxic and safe on their own, the compatibility of the final formulation must be evaluated for its biocompatibility and non-irritancy to the vaginal mucosa. As a preclinical safety assessment, the impact of RES formulation on the tissue viability, the effect on barrier function and cell monolayer integrity, and cytotoxicity were evaluated using the cell-based vaginal tissue model, the EpiVaginal™ tissue. RES liposomes-in-hydrogel formulations neither affected the mitochondrial activity, nor the integrity of the cell monolayer in RES concentration up to 60 µg/mL. Moreover, the barrier function was maintained to a greater extent by RES in formulation, emphasizing the benefits of the delivery system. Additionally, none of the tested formulations expressed an increase in lactate dehydrogenase activity compared to the non-treated tissues. The evaluation of the RES delivery system suggests that it is non-irritant and biocompatible with vaginal tissue in vitro in the RES concentrations considered as therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Wenche Jøraholmen
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Universitetsveien 57, 9037 Tromsø, Norway;
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.D.); (G.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +47-776-23376
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.D.); (G.A.)
| | - Ganesh Acharya
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden; (P.D.); (G.A.)
- Women’s Health and Perinatology Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of North Norway, Sykehusveien 38, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Nataša Škalko-Basnet
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Universitetsveien 57, 9037 Tromsø, Norway;
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9
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Shafaat S, Mangir N, Chapple C, MacNeil S, Hearnden V. A physiologically relevant, estradiol‐17β [E2]‐responsive in vitro tissue‐engineered model of the vaginal epithelium for vaginal tissue research. Neurourol Urodyn 2022; 41:905-917. [PMID: 35312089 PMCID: PMC9313856 DOI: 10.1002/nau.24908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Aims There are many situations where preclinical models of the human vagina would be valuable for in vitro studies into the pathophysiology of vaginally transmitted diseases, microbicide efficacy, irritability testing, and particularly, for assessing materials to be inserted in the vagina for support of the pelvic floor. The aim of this study is to develop a physiologically relevant, low cost, and ethically suitable model of the vagina using sheep vaginal tissue (SVT) to reduce the need for animal testing in gynecological research. Methods Tissue‐engineered (TE) vaginal models were developed by culturing primary vaginal epithelial cells and vaginal fibroblasts, isolated from the native SVTs on decellularized sheep vaginal matrices at an air–liquid interface. Morphological analyses of the models were conducted by performing hematoxylin and eosin staining and further characterization was done by immunohistofluorescence (IHF) of structural proteins and cytokeratins. Results Histological analysis of the models revealed a gradual formation of a stratified epithelium on our decellularized matrices and cell metabolic activity remained high for 21 days as measured by the resazurin assay. Our models showed a dose‐dependent response to estradiol‐17β [E2] with an increase in the vaginal epithelium thickness and cellular proliferation under higher E2 concentrations (100–400 pg/ml). The physiological relevance of these results was confirmed by the IHF analysis of Ki67, and cytokeratins 10 and 19 expression. Conclusion In this study, we have developed an estradiol‐responsive TE vaginal model that closely mimics the structural and physiological properties of the native SVT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Shafaat
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kroto Research Institute University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Naside Mangir
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine Hacettepe University Ankara Turkey
| | - Christopher Chapple
- Department of Urology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital Urology Clinic Sheffield UK
| | - Sheila MacNeil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kroto Research Institute University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Vanessa Hearnden
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kroto Research Institute University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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10
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Saba I, Barat C, Chabaud S, Reyjon N, Leclerc M, Jakubowska W, Orabi H, Lachhab A, Pelletier M, Tremblay MJ, Bolduc S. Immunocompetent Human 3D Organ-Specific Hormone-Responding Vaginal Mucosa Model of HIV-1 Infection. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2021; 27:152-166. [PMID: 33573474 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2020.0333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of appropriate experimental models often limits our ability to investigate the establishment of infections in specific tissues. To reproduce the structural and spatial organization of vaginal mucosae to study human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection, we used the self-assembly technique to bioengineer tridimensional vaginal mucosae using human cells extracted from HIV-1-negative healthy pre- and postmenopausal donors. We produced a stroma, free of exogenous material, that can be adapted to generate near-to-native vaginal tissue with the best complexity obtained with seeded epithelial cells on the organ-specific stroma. The autologous engineered tissues had mechanical properties close to native mucosa and shared similar glycogen production, which declined in reconstructed tissues of the postmenopausal donor. The in vitro-engineered tissues were also rendered immune competent by adding human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) on the epithelium or in the stroma layers. The model was infected with HIV-1, and viral replication and transcytosis were observed when immunocompetent reconstructed vaginal mucosa tissue has incorporated MDMs into the stroma and infected with free HIV-1 green fluorescent protein (GFP) viral particles. These data illustrate a natural permissiveness of immunocompetent untransformed human vaginal mucosae to HIV-1 infection. This model offers a physiological tool to explore viral load, HIV-1 transmission in an environment that may contribute to the virus propagation, and new antiviral treatments in vitro. Impact statement This study introduces an innovative immunocompetent three-dimensional human organ-specific vaginal mucosa free of exogenous material for in vitro modeling of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection. The proposed model is histologically close to native tissue, especially by presenting glycogen accumulation in the epithelium's superficial cells, responsive to estrogen, and able to sustain a monocyte-derived macrophage population infected or not by HIV-1 during ∼2 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Saba
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Corinne Barat
- Infectious and Immune Diseases, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Stéphane Chabaud
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Nolan Reyjon
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Maude Leclerc
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Weronika Jakubowska
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Hazem Orabi
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada
| | - Asmaa Lachhab
- Infectious and Immune Diseases, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Martin Pelletier
- Infectious and Immune Diseases, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Michel J Tremblay
- Infectious and Immune Diseases, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Stéphane Bolduc
- Centre de Recherche en Organogenèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Québec City, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
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11
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Shah SI, Williams AC, Lau WM, Khutoryanskiy VV. Planarian toxicity fluorescent assay: A rapid and cheap pre-screening tool for potential skin irritants. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 69:105004. [PMID: 33010358 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.105004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Here we report a new planarian (Dugesia lugubris) fluorescent assay as a rapid and cheap pre-screening tool to predict strong skin irritants. Our aim was to provide a simple and cost-effective in vivo method that avoided use of higher vertebrates. Adapting previously reported methods for planaria mobility alongside an acute toxicity assay, different irritants at five concentrations (0.1%, 0.05%, 0.025%, 0.01% and 0.005% w/v) were tested but both methods failed to discriminate the irritation potential of the test compounds. Therefore, a new alternative fluorescence assay was developed, hypothesising that increasing damage from the irritant to the planarian outer protective membrane will increase accumulation of sodium fluorescein in the flatworm. Fourteen test chemicals were selected representing strong, moderate, mild and non-irritants. In general, results showed increasing sodium fluorescein accumulation within planaria following acute exposure to increasingly strong skin irritants; on exposure to the strong irritants, benzalkonium chloride, citronellal, methyl palmitate, 1-bromohexane and carvacrol, fluorescence within the planaria was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the negative controls and the common non-irritants PEG-400, dipropylene glycol and isopropyl alcohol; fluorescence values of planaria tested with negative controls and non-irritants were not significantly different. For all test compounds, Fluorescence Intensity of the planaria was compared with literature Primary Irritation Index data and generated a statistically significant (P < 0.005) Pearson correlation (r) of 0.87. Thus, the planarian fluorescent assay is a promising tool for rapid early testing of potential strong skin irritants, and non-irritants, and avoids use of higher vertebrate models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Ibrahim Shah
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian C Williams
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, United Kingdom
| | - Wing Man Lau
- School of Pharmacy, The Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Vitaliy V Khutoryanskiy
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, United Kingdom.
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12
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Barton BE, Rock JK, Willie AM, Harris EA, Finnerty RM, Herrera GG, Anamthathmakula P, Winuthayanon W. Serine protease inhibitor disrupts sperm motility leading to reduced fertility in female mice†. Biol Reprod 2020; 103:400-410. [PMID: 32303757 PMCID: PMC7401027 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the sperm transport process in the female reproductive tract could lead to infertility. We previously showed that a pan-serine protease inhibitor, 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF), blocked semen liquefaction in vivo and resulted in a drastic decrease in the number of sperm in the oviduct of female mice. In this study, we used a mouse model to test the efficacy of AEBSF as a reversible contraceptive, a sperm motility inhibitor, and a spermicide. Additionally, this study evaluated the toxicity of AEBSF on mouse vaginal tissues in vivo and human endocervical cells in vitro. We found that female mice treated with AEBSF had significantly less pups born per litter as well as fertilization rates in vivo compared to the vehicle control. We then showed that AEBSF reduced sperm motility and fertilization capability in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, AEBSF also exhibited spermicidal effects. Lastly, AEBSF treatment in female mice for 10 min or 3 consecutive days did not alter vaginal cell viability in vivo, similar to that of the vehicle and non-treated controls. However, AEBSF decreased cell viability of human ectocervical (ECT) cell line in vitro, suggesting that cells in the lower reproductive tract in mice and humans responded differently to AEBSF. In summary, our study showed that AEBSF can be used as a prototype compound for the further development of novel non-hormonal contraceptives for women by targeting sperm transport in the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Barton
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Jenna K Rock
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Anna M Willie
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Emily A Harris
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Ryan M Finnerty
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Gerardo G Herrera
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Prashanth Anamthathmakula
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Wipawee Winuthayanon
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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13
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Xia M, Yang M, Wang Y, Tian F, Hu J, Yang W, Tao S, Lu L, Ding X, Jiang S, Li W. dl-Mandelic acid exhibits high sperm-immobilizing activity and low vaginal irritation: A potential non-surfactant spermicide for contraception. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 126:110104. [PMID: 32224371 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
dl-Mandelic acid (MA), an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid, has been widely used as an intermediate of pharmaceutical and fine chemicals. Here, we evaluated the sperm-immobilizing activity of MA and its safety profiles. Spermatozoon motility was assessed by computer-aided sperm analysis, the integrity of the plasma membrane and. mitochondrial potential was assessed using fluorescein isothiocyanate-pisum sativum agglutinin and JC-1, respectively. The local tolerance of the MA-containing gel formulation was evaluated using a rabbit vaginal irritation test. We found that MA inhibited sperm motility and movement patterns in a concentration-dependent manner. Within 20 s, MA-induced spermatozoa immobilization occurred with a minimum effective concentration and a median effective concentration of 0.86 and 0.54 mg/mL, respectively. Plasma membrane disruptions of MA-treated spermatozoa were relatively mild, but mitochondrial depolarization occurred. Histopathological examination showed that MA exposure did not exert obvious effects on the integrity of spermatozoa membrane structures and only caused slight irritation to the rabbit vaginal epithelium. The vaginal irritation scores of the vehicle control and the nonoxynol -9 gel control groups were 1.38 ± 0.65 and 7.88 ± 1.67, respectively (p < 0.01), whereas those of the MA gel groups at 10, 20, and 40 mg/mL were 1.69 ± 1.04, 2.98 ± 0.77, and 4.35 ± 1.04 with p values of >0.05, >0.05, and <0.05 (vs. vehicle control), respectively, which were within the clinically acceptable range (<8). Therefore, our results confirmed that MA exhibited significant sperm-immobilizing effects and caused mild plasma membrane injury, suggesting that it has potential for development as a future non-surfactant spermicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Xia
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mingjun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuzhu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Fang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jingying Hu
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shimin Tao
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xuncheng Ding
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, 130 Dong An Rd., Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Weihua Li
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Health Commission (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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14
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Tyo KM, Minooei F, Curry KC, NeCamp SM, Graves DL, Fried JR, Steinbach-Rankins JM. Relating Advanced Electrospun Fiber Architectures to the Temporal Release of Active Agents to Meet the Needs of Next-Generation Intravaginal Delivery Applications. Pharmaceutics 2019; 11:E160. [PMID: 30987206 PMCID: PMC6523330 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11040160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrospun fibers have emerged as a relatively new delivery platform to improve active agent retention and delivery for intravaginal applications. While uniaxial fibers have been explored in a variety of applications including intravaginal delivery, the consideration of more advanced fiber architectures may offer new options to improve delivery to the female reproductive tract. In this review, we summarize the advancements of electrospun coaxial, multilayered, and nanoparticle-fiber architectures utilized in other applications and discuss how different material combinations within these architectures provide varied durations of release, here categorized as either transient (within 24 h), short-term (24 h to one week), or sustained (beyond one week). We seek to systematically relate material type and fiber architecture to active agent release kinetics. Last, we explore how lessons derived from these architectures may be applied to address the needs of future intravaginal delivery platforms for a given prophylactic or therapeutic application. The overall goal of this review is to provide a summary of different fiber architectures that have been useful for active agent delivery and to provide guidelines for the development of new formulations that exhibit release kinetics relevant to the time frames and the diversity of active agents needed in next-generation multipurpose applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Tyo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
- Center for Predictive Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - Farnaz Minooei
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Keegan C Curry
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Sarah M NeCamp
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Danielle L Graves
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Joel R Fried
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
| | - Jill M Steinbach-Rankins
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
- Center for Predictive Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
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15
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Yang M, Zhi R, Lu L, Dong M, Wang Y, Tian F, Xia M, Hu J, Dai Q, Jiang S, Li W. A CCR5 antagonist-based HIV entry inhibitor exhibited potent spermicidal activity: Potential application for contraception and prevention of HIV sexual transmission. Eur J Pharm Sci 2018; 117:313-320. [PMID: 29496533 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2018.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
B07 is a small-molecule CCR5 antagonist-based HIV-1 entry inhibitor that is being developed as an anti-HIV microbicide for preventing sexual transmission of HIV. Here we evaluated its spermicidal and contraceptive potential, including sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and contraceptive efficacy tested in rabbits. We found that B07 inhibited sperm motility and movement patterns in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Within 30 min, B07 induced sperm immobilization with the minimum 100% effective concentration and median effective concentration of 640.0 and 64.4 μg/mL, respectively. The hypo-osmotic swelling test showed that plasma membranes of B07-treated sperms exhibited slight disruption, as verified by electron micrographs. In both B07 gel and N-9 gel groups, not a single implantation site or embryo was observed based on the contraceptive efficacy test in rabbits, indicating that B07 could effectively block the potential of sperm to reach and/or fertilize oocytes. The safety profile of B07 in vivo was evaluated by use of an optimized rabbit vaginal irritation test. While the pathological scores of the N-9 gel group was 14.67 ± 1.21, those of the blank control and B07 gel groups were 2.17 ± 0.76 and 4.00 ± 0.89, respectively, which were within the clinically acceptable range (<8). The proportion of inflammatory cells and CD45+ cells in the cervicovaginal lavages of the B07 gel group showed no significant change compared to those of the control group. Therefore, our results confirmed that B07 exhibited significant spermicidal and contraceptive effects, suggesting its potential for development as a microbicidal spermicide for contraception and prevention of HIV sexual transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruina Zhi
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingxin Dong
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzhu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Minjie Xia
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingying Hu
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyun Dai
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of MOE/MOH, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, United States.
| | - Weihua Li
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Lechanteur A, das Neves J, Sarmento B. The role of mucus in cell-based models used to screen mucosal drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 124:50-63. [PMID: 28751201 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The increasing interest in developing tools to predict drug absorption through mucosal surfaces is fostering the establishment of epithelial cell-based models. Cell-based in vitro techniques for drug permeability assessment are less laborious, cheaper and address the concerns of using laboratory animals. Simultaneously, in vitro barrier models that thoroughly simulate human epithelia or mucosae may provide useful data to speed up the entrance of new drugs and new drug products into the clinics. Nevertheless, standard cell-based in vitro models that intend to reproduce epithelial surfaces often discard the role of mucus in influencing drug permeation/absorption. Biomimetic models of mucosae in which mucus production has been considered may not be able to fully reproduce the amount and architecture of mucus, resulting in biased characterization of permeability/absorption. In these cases, artificial mucus may be used to supplement cell-based models but still proper identification and quantification are required. In this review, considerations regarding the relevance of mucus in the development of cell-based epithelial and mucosal models mimicking the gastro-intestinal tract, the cervico-vaginal tract and the respiratory tract, and the impact of mucus on the permeability mechanisms are addressed. From simple epithelial monolayers to more complex 3D structures, the impact of the presence of mucus for the extrapolation to the in vivo scenario is critically analyzed. Finally, an overview is provided on several techniques and methods to characterize the mucus layer over cell-based barriers, in order to intimately reproduce human mucosal layer and thereby, improve in vitro/in vivo correlation.
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17
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Cheluvappa R, Scowen P, Eri R. Ethics of animal research in human disease remediation, its institutional teaching; and alternatives to animal experimentation. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2017; 5. [PMID: 28805976 PMCID: PMC5684868 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals have been used in research and teaching for a long time. However, clear ethical guidelines and pertinent legislation were instated only in the past few decades, even in developed countries with Judeo-Christian ethical roots. We compactly cover the basics of animal research ethics, ethical reviewing and compliance guidelines for animal experimentation across the developed world, "our" fundamentals of institutional animal research ethics teaching, and emerging alternatives to animal research. This treatise was meticulously constructed for scientists interested/involved in animal research. Herein, we discuss key animal ethics principles - Replacement/Reduction/Refinement. Despite similar undergirding principles across developed countries, ethical reviewing and compliance guidelines for animal experimentation vary. The chronology and evolution of mandatory institutional ethical reviewing of animal experimentation (in its pioneering nations) are summarised. This is followed by a concise rendition of the fundamentals of teaching animal research ethics in institutions. With the advent of newer methodologies in human cell-culturing, novel/emerging methods aim to minimise, if not avoid the usage of animals in experimentation. Relevant to this, we discuss key extant/emerging alternatives to animal use in research; including organs on chips, human-derived three-dimensional tissue models, human blood derivates, microdosing, and computer modelling of various hues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajkumar Cheluvappa
- Department of Medicine, St. George Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Scowen
- Department of Animal Services, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Rajaraman Eri
- Mucosal Biology Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
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18
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Tyo KM, Vuong HR, Malik DA, Sims LB, Alatassi H, Duan J, Watson WH, Steinbach-Rankins JM. Multipurpose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate electrospun fibers for the prevention of HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections in vitro. Int J Pharm 2017; 531:118-133. [PMID: 28797967 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.08.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Sexually transmitted infections affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and -2) and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) remain incurable, urging the development of new prevention strategies. While current prophylactic technologies are dependent on strict user adherence to achieve efficacy, there is a dearth of delivery vehicles that provide discreet and convenient administration, combined with prolonged-delivery of active agents. To address these needs, we created electrospun fibers (EFs) comprised of FDA-approved polymers, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(DL-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL), to provide sustained-release and in vitro protection against HIV-1 and HSV-2. PLGA and PLCL EFs, incorporating the antiretroviral, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), exhibited sustained-release for up to 4 weeks, and provided complete in vitro protection against HSV-2 and HIV-1 for 24h and 1 wk, respectively, based on the doses tested. In vitro cell culture and EpiVaginal tissue tests confirmed the safety of fibers in vaginal and cervical cells, highlighting the potential of PLGA and PLCL EFs as multipurpose next-generation drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Tyo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States; Center for Predictive Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Hung R Vuong
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Danial A Malik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Lee B Sims
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Houda Alatassi
- Department of Pathology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Jinghua Duan
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States; Center for Predictive Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Walter H Watson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Jill M Steinbach-Rankins
- Department of Bioengineering, Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY, United States; Center for Predictive Medicine, Louisville, KY, United States.
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19
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Ceña-Diez R, García-Broncano P, Javier de la Mata F, Gómez R, Resino S, Muñoz-Fernández M. G2-S16 dendrimer as a candidate for a microbicide to prevent HIV-1 infection in women. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:9732-9742. [PMID: 28675217 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr03034g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Unprotected heterosexual intercourse is the first route for sustaining the global spread of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), being responsible for 80% of new HIV-1 infections in the world. The presence of inflammation in the female reproductive tract and the presence of semen increases the risk of heterosexual HIV-1 transmission. This state-of-the-art research based on an innovative nanotechnology design was focused on a toxicological study of the limitation of the activity of the novel H2O-soluble anionic carbosilane dendrimer G2-S16 in the adult cervical and foreskin epithelia. The G2-S16 dendrimer did not cause any irritation or inflammation in the vaginal epithelium, proving that this dendrimer is a safe nanocompound for vaginal application to control viral transmission. It was shown that no significant differences were found in mortality, sublethal or teratogenic effects when the zebra fish embryos were treated with G2-S16. In short, G2-S16 seems to be an ideal candidate for the development of a topical microbicide against HIV-1 infection and the next step is try in clinical trials, because of its great in vivo biocompatibility, as well as its ability to halt HIV-1 infection in the presence of semen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Ceña-Diez
- Section Immunology and Laboratorio Inmuno Biología Molecular, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (HGUGM), Madrid, Spain
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Zhang L, Herrera C, Coburn J, Olejniczak N, Ziprin P, Kaplan DL, LiWang PJ. Stabilization and Sustained Release of HIV Inhibitors by Encapsulation in Silk Fibroin Disks. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2017; 3:1654-1665. [PMID: 33225060 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.7b00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Topical microbicides have the potential to provide effective protection against sexual transmission of HIV. Challenges in developing microbicides include their application in resource-poor settings with high temperatures and a lack of refrigeration, and low user adherence to a rigorous daily regimen. Several protein-based HIV inhibitors show great promise as microbicides, being highly specific and not expected to lead to resistance that would affect the efficacy of current antiretroviral treatments. We show that four potent protein HIV inhibitors, 5P12-RANTES, 5P12-RANTES-L-C37, Grft, and Grft-L-C37 can be formulated into silk fibroin (SF) disks and remain functional for 14 months at 25, 37, and 50 °C. These HIV inhibitor-encapsulated SF disks show excellent inhibition properties in PBMC and in human colorectal and cervical tissue explants, and do not induce inflammatory cytokine secretion. Further, the SF provides a mechanically robust matrix with versatile material formats for this type of application. Finally, a formulation was developed to allow sustained release of functional Grft for 4 weeks at levels sufficient to inhibit HIV transmission. This work establishes the suitability of HIV inhibitor-encapsulated SF disks as topical HIV microbicides that can be further developed to allow easy insertion for extended protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Molecular Cell Biology, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Carolina Herrera
- Department of Medicine, St. Mary's Campus Imperial College, Room 460 Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Jeannine Coburn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Natalia Olejniczak
- Department of Medicine, St. Mary's Campus Imperial College, Room 460 Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Ziprin
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London, London W2 1PZ, United Kingdom
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Patricia J LiWang
- Molecular Cell Biology, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343, United States
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Serfaty D. Contraception des femmes en périménopause : place des spermicides. J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2017; 46:211-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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22
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Li WZ, Hao XL, Zhao N, Han WX, Zhai XF, Zhao Q, Wang YE, Zhou YQ, Cheng YC, Yue YH, Fu LN, Zhou JL, Wu HY, Dong CJ. Propylene glycol-embodying deformable liposomes as a novel drug delivery carrier for vaginal fibrauretine delivery applications. J Control Release 2016; 226:107-14. [PMID: 26883754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to develop and characterize the fibrauretine (FN) loaded propylene glycol-embodying deformable liposomes (FDL), and evaluate the pharmacokinetic behavior and safety of FDL for vaginal drug delivery applications. FDL was characterized for structure, particle size, zeta potential, deformability and encapsulation efficiency; the ability of FDL to deliver FN across vagina tissue in vitro and the distribution behavior of FN in rat by vaginal drug delivery were investigated, the safety of FDL to the vagina of rabbits and rats as well as human vaginal epithelial cells (VK2/E6E7) were also evaluated. Results revealed that: (i) the FDL have a closed spherical shape and lamellar structure with a homogeneous size of 185±19nm, and exhibited a negative charge of -53±2.7mV, FDL also have a good flexibility with a deformability of 92±5.6 (%phospholipids/min); (ii) the dissolving capacity of inner water phase and hydrophilicity of phospholipid bilayers of deformable liposomes were increased by the presence of propylene glycol, this may be elucidated by the fluorescent probes both lipophilic Nile red and hydrophilic calcein that were filled up the entire volume of the FDL uniformly, so the FDL with a high entrapment capacity (were calculated as percentages of total drug) for FN was 78±2.14%; (iii) the permeability of FN through vaginal mucosa was obviously improved by propylene glycol-embodying deformable liposomes, no matter whether the FN loaded in liposomes or not, although FN loaded in liposomes caused the highest permeability and drug reservoir in vagina; (iv) the FN mainly aggregated in the vagina and uterus, then the blood, spleen, liver, kidney, heart and lungs for vaginal drug delivery, this indicating vaginal delivery of FDL have a better 'vaginal local targeting effect'; and (v) the results of safety evaluation illustrate that the FDL is non-irritant and well tolerated in vivo, thereby establishing its vaginal drug delivery potential. These results indicate that the propylene glycol-embodying deformable liposomes may be a promising drug delivery carrier for vaginal delivery of fibrauretine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ze Li
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, PR China; Center of Drug Research and Development, Yantai Weitenarui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd., Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Xu-Liang Hao
- Shanxi Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 034000, PR China
| | - Ning Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, PR China
| | - Wen-Xia Han
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, PR China
| | - Xi-Feng Zhai
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, PR China
| | - Qian Zhao
- School of Life Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China
| | - Yu-E Wang
- Shanxi Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 034000, PR China
| | - Yong-Qiang Zhou
- Center of Drug Research and Development, Yantai Weitenarui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd., Yantai 264000, PR China.
| | - Yu-Chuan Cheng
- Shanxi Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 034000, PR China
| | - Yong-Hua Yue
- Shanxi Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan 034000, PR China
| | - Li-Na Fu
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, PR China
| | - Ji-Lei Zhou
- Center of Drug Research and Development, Yantai Weitenarui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd., Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Hong-Yu Wu
- Center of Drug Research and Development, Yantai Weitenarui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd., Yantai 264000, PR China
| | - Chun-Jing Dong
- Center of Drug Research and Development, Yantai Weitenarui Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd., Yantai 264000, PR China
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Engineering and characterization of simplified vaginal and seminal fluid simulants. Contraception 2015; 93:337-346. [PMID: 26585883 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2015.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reported vaginal and seminal fluid simulants have complex compositions with multiple preparatory steps that contribute to physical instability. We report the design and characterization of stable and simplified buffers that mimic the salient physical/chemical properties of the physiological fluids. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS Human cervicovaginal and seminal fluid samples were collected and buffering capacity was determined. The major buffering species were identified from published compositions of reproductive tract fluids. These values were used to compute the composition of vaginal and seminal fluid simulants. Ionic strength, buffering capacities, pH and osmolalities were then calculated or experimentally determined. Finally, cytotoxicity was evaluated in HEC-1-A cells and 3D reconstructed EpiVaginal™ tissue (VEC-100-FT) using naïve cells/tissue and nonoxynol-9 as controls. RESULTS The use of calculated amounts of conjugate acid and base for buffer development resulted in compositions that did not require endpoint pH adjustment and could be formulated as stable 10× concentrates. Furthermore, due to the absence of complex divalent salts, all our proposed simulants were stable at 4 °C for 1 month whereas precipitation and pH and osmolality changes were noted in reported buffers. Experimental determination of buffering capacities yielded similar values for undiluted cervicovaginal fluid (β4.2-5.2=35.6 ± 12.3 mM, N=7) and human seminal fluid (β7-6=37.5 ± 5 mM, N=3). All neat simulants showed significant cytotoxicity in HEC-1-A cells but were well tolerated by organotypic vaginal tissue. CONCLUSIONS We report revised and improved compositions of buffers mimicking salient properties of vaginal and seminal fluid necessary for in vitro product evaluation. IMPLICATIONS To support research in reproductive health and in particular drug delivery, we have designed and characterized stable new media to mimic these important fluids that can be used in a variety of in vitro studies.
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Impact of Hydroxychloroquine-Loaded Polyurethane Intravaginal Rings on Lactobacilli. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:7680-6. [PMID: 26416871 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01819-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of polymeric devices for controlled sustained delivery of drugs is a promising approach for the prevention of HIV-1 infection. Unfortunately, certain microbicides, when topically applied vaginally, may be cytotoxic to vaginal epithelial cells and the protective microflora present within the female genital tract. In this study, we evaluated the impact of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-loaded, reservoir-type, polyurethane intravaginal rings (IVRs) on the growth of Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus jensenii and on the viability of vaginal and ectocervical epithelial cells. The IVRs were fabricated using hot-melt injection molding and were capable of providing controlled release of HCQ for 24 days, with mean daily release rates of 17.01 ± 3.6 μg/ml in sodium acetate buffer (pH 4) and 29.45 ± 4.84 μg/ml in MRS broth (pH 6.2). Drug-free IVRs and the released HCQ had no significant effects on bacterial growth or the viability of vaginal or ectocervical epithelial cells. Furthermore, there was no significant impact on the integrity of vaginal epithelial cell monolayers, in comparison with controls, as measured by transepithelial electrical resistance. Overall, this is the first study to evaluate the effects of HCQ-loaded IVRs on the growth of vaginal flora and the integrity of vaginal epithelial cell monolayers.
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Studies and methodologies on vaginal drug permeation. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 92:14-26. [PMID: 25689736 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The vagina stands as an important alternative to the oral route for those systemic drugs that are poorly absorbed orally or are rapidly metabolized by the liver. Drug permeation through the vaginal tissue can be estimated by using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models. The latter ones, although more realistic, assume ethical and biological limitations due to animal handling. Therefore, in vitro and ex vivo models have been developed to predict drug absorption through the vagina while allowing for simultaneous toxicity and pathogenesis studies. This review focuses on available methodologies to study vaginal drug permeation discussing their advantages and drawbacks. The technical complexity, costs and the ethical issues of an available model, along with its accuracy and reproducibility will determine if it is valid and applicable. Therefore every model shall be evaluated, validated and standardized in order to allow for extrapolations and results presumption, and so improving vaginal drug research and stressing its benefits.
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Chatterjee A, Ratner DM, Ryan CM, Johnson PJ, O’Keefe BR, Secor WE, Anderson DJ, Robbins PW, Samuelson J. Anti-Retroviral Lectins Have Modest Effects on Adherence of Trichomonas vaginalis to Epithelial Cells In Vitro and on Recovery of Tritrichomonas foetus in a Mouse Vaginal Model. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135340. [PMID: 26252012 PMCID: PMC4529277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis causes vaginitis and increases the risk of HIV transmission by heterosexual sex, while Tritrichomonas foetus causes premature abortion in cattle. Our goals were to determine the effects, if any, of anti-retroviral lectins, which are designed to prevent heterosexual transmission of HIV, on adherence of Trichomonas to ectocervical cells and on Tritrichomonas infections in a mouse model. We show that Trichomonas Asn-linked glycans (N-glycans), like those of HIV, bind the mannose-binding lectin (MBL) that is part of the innate immune system. N-glycans of Trichomonas and Tritrichomonas bind anti-retroviral lectins (cyanovirin-N and griffithsin) and the 2G12 monoclonal antibody, each of which binds HIV N-glycans. Binding of cyanovirin-N appears to be independent of susceptibility to metronidazole, the major drug used to treat Trichomonas. Anti-retroviral lectins, MBL, and galectin-1 cause Trichomonas to self-aggregate and precipitate. The anti-retroviral lectins also increase adherence of ricin-resistant mutants, which are less adherent than parent cells, to ectocervical cell monolayers and to organotypic EpiVaginal tissue cells. Topical application of either anti-retroviral lectins or yeast N-glycans decreases by 40 to 70% the recovery of Tritrichomonas from the mouse vagina. These results, which are explained by a few simple models, suggest that the anti-retroviral lectins have a modest potential for preventing or treating human infections with Trichomonas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparajita Chatterjee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel M. Ratner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Ryan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Patricia J. Johnson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Barry R. O’Keefe
- Molecular Targets Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America
| | - W. Evan Secor
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Deborah J. Anderson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Phillips W. Robbins
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Samuelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Ayehunie S, Islam A, Cannon C, Landry T, Pudney J, Klausner M, Anderson DJ. Characterization of a Hormone-Responsive Organotypic Human Vaginal Tissue Model: Morphologic and Immunologic Effects. Reprod Sci 2015; 22:980-90. [PMID: 25676577 PMCID: PMC5933095 DOI: 10.1177/1933719115570906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen and progesterone regulate proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells in the female genital tract. We investigated the effects of these hormones on reconstructed human organotypic vaginal epithelial tissue models (EpiVaginal). We ascertained that epithelial cells in the tissue models express estrogen and progesterone receptors. Treatment with estradiol-17β (E(2)) significantly increased epithelium thickness and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), whereas progesterone (P) treatment resulted in thinning of the epithelium and decreased TEER when compared with untreated controls. Exposure to E(2) increased (1) the expression of the progesterone receptor B (PR-B), (2) accumulation of glycogen in suprabasal cells, (3) epithelial differentiation, and (4) the expression of a number of gene pathways associated with innate immunity, epithelial differentiation, wound healing, and antiviral responses. These findings indicate that EpiVaginal tissues are hormone responsive and can be used to study the role of female reproductive hormones in innate immune responses, microbial infection, and drug delivery in the vaginal mucosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyoum Ayehunie
- Research and Development, MatTek Corporation, Ashland, MA, USA
| | - Ayesha Islam
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chris Cannon
- Research and Development, MatTek Corporation, Ashland, MA, USA
| | - Timothy Landry
- Research and Development, MatTek Corporation, Ashland, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Pudney
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Deborah J Anderson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Kaul H, Ventikos Y. On the genealogy of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2015; 21:203-17. [PMID: 25343302 PMCID: PMC4390213 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2014.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we identify and discuss a timeline of historical events and scientific breakthroughs that shaped the principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). We explore the origins of TERM concepts in myths, their application in the ancient era, their resurgence during Enlightenment, and, finally, their systematic codification into an emerging scientific and technological framework in recent past. The development of computational/mathematical approaches in TERM is also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Kaul
- Department of Engineering Science, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yiannis Ventikos
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Sundara Rajan S, Turovskiy Y, Singh Y, Chikindas ML, Sinko PJ. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-lactic acid nanocarrier-based degradable hydrogels for restoring the vaginal microenvironment. J Control Release 2014; 194:301-9. [PMID: 25223229 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) display reduced vaginal acidity, which make them susceptible to associated infections such as HIV. In the current study, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) nanocarrier-based degradable hydrogels were developed for the controlled release of lactic acid in the vagina of BV-infected women. PEG-lactic acid (PEG-LA) nanocarriers were prepared by covalently attaching lactic acid to 8-arm PEG-SH via cleavable thioester bonds. PEG-LA nanocarriers with 4 copies of lactic acid per molecule provided controlled release of lactic acid with a maximum release of 23% and 47% bound lactic acid in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH7.4) and acetate buffer (AB, pH4.3), respectively. The PEG nanocarrier-based hydrogels were formed by cross-linking the PEG-LA nanocarriers with 4-arm PEG-NHS via degradable thioester bonds. The nanocarrier-based hydrogels formed within 20 min under ambient conditions and exhibited an elastic modulus that was 100-fold higher than the viscous modulus. The nanocarrier-based degradable hydrogels provided controlled release of lactic acid for several hours; however, a maximum release of only 10%-14% bound lactic acid was observed possibly due to steric hindrance of the polymer chains in the cross-linked hydrogel. In contrast, hydrogels with passively entrapped lactic acid showed burst release with complete release within 30 min. Lactic acid showed antimicrobial activity against the primary BV pathogen Gardnerella vaginalis with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.6 mg/ml. In addition, the hydrogels with passively entrapped lactic acid showed retained antimicrobial activity with complete inhibition G. vaginalis growth within 48 h. The results of the current study collectively demonstrate the potential of PEG nanocarrier-based hydrogels for vaginal administration of lactic acid for preventing and treating BV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujata Sundara Rajan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yevgeniy Turovskiy
- School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yashveer Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael L Chikindas
- School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Patrick J Sinko
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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Ballou B, Andreko SK, Osuna-Highley E, McRaven M, Catalone T, Bruchez MP, Hope TJ, Labib ME. Nanoparticle transport from mouse vagina to adjacent lymph nodes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51995. [PMID: 23284844 PMCID: PMC3528720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To test the feasibility of localized intravaginal therapy directed to neighboring lymph nodes, the transport of quantum dots across the vaginal wall was investigated. Quantum dots instilled into the mouse vagina were transported across the vaginal mucosa into draining lymph nodes, but not into distant nodes. Most of the particles were transported to the lumbar nodes; far fewer were transported to the inguinal nodes. A low level of transport was evident at 4 hr after intravaginal instillation, and transport peaked at about 36 hr after instillation. Transport was greatly enhanced by prior vaginal instillation of Nonoxynol-9. Hundreds of micrograms of nanoparticles/kg tissue (ppb) were found in the lumbar lymph nodes at 36 hr post-instillation. Our results imply that targeted transport of microbicides or immunogens from the vagina to local lymph organs is feasible. They also offer an in vivo model for assessing the toxicity of compounds intended for intravaginal use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron Ballou
- Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center (MBIC), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Gibbons MC, Foley MA, Cardinal KO. Thinking inside the box: keeping tissue-engineered constructs in vitro for use as preclinical models. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART B-REVIEWS 2012; 19:14-30. [PMID: 22800715 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2012.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tissue engineers have made great strides toward the creation of living tissue replacements for a wide range of tissue types and applications, with eventual patient implantation as the primary goal. However, an alternate use of tissue-engineered constructs exists: as in vitro preclinical models for purposes such as drug screening and device testing. Tissue-engineered preclinical models have numerous potential advantages over existing models, including cultivation in three-dimensional geometries, decreased cost, increased reproducibility, precise control over cultivation conditions, and the incorporation of human cells. Over the past decade, a number of researchers have developed and used tissue-engineered constructs as preclinical models for testing pharmaceuticals, gene therapies, stents, and other technologies, with examples including blood vessels, skeletal muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, cardiac muscle, liver, cornea, reproductive tissues, adipose, small intestine, neural tissue, and kidney. The focus of this article is to review accomplishments toward the creation and use of tissue-engineered preclinical models of each of these different tissue types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Gibbons
- Department of Biomedical and General Engineering, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California 93407, USA
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Kiser PF, Mahalingam A, Fabian J, Smith E, Damian FR, Peters JJ, Katz DF, Elgendy H, Clark MR, Friend DR. Design of Tenofovir–UC781 Combination Microbicide Vaginal Gels. J Pharm Sci 2012; 101:1852-64. [DOI: 10.1002/jps.23089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2011] [Revised: 01/04/2012] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Miessen K, Einspanier R, Schoen J. Establishment and characterization of a differentiated epithelial cell culture model derived from the porcine cervix uteri. BMC Vet Res 2012; 8:31. [PMID: 22429795 PMCID: PMC3337237 DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-8-31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2011] [Accepted: 03/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical uterine epithelial cells maintain a physiological and pathogen-free milieu in the female mammalian reproductive tract and are involved in sperm-epithelium interaction. Easily accessible, differentiated model systems of the cervical epithelium are not yet available to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms within these highly specialized cells. Therefore, the aim of the study was to establish a cell culture of the porcine cervical epithelium representing in vivo-like properties of the tissue. Results We tested different isolation methods and culture conditions and validated purity of the cultured cells by immunohistochemistry against keratins. We could reproducibly culture pure epithelial cells from cervical tissue explants. Based on a morphology score and the WST-1 Proliferation Assay, we optimized the growth medium composition. Primary porcine cervical cells performed best in conditioned Ham's F-12, containing 10% FCS, EGF and insulin. After cultivation in an air-liquid interface for three weeks, the cells showed a discontinuously multilayered phenotype. Finally, differentiation was validated via immunohistochemistry against beta catenin. Mucopolysaccharide production could be shown via alcian blue staining. Conclusions We provide the first suitable protocol to establish a differentiated porcine epithelial model of the cervix uteri, based on easily accessible cells using slaughterhouse material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Miessen
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Veterinary Biochemistry, Oertzenweg 19b, Berlin, Germany
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Sarmento B, Andrade F, da Silva SB, Rodrigues F, das Neves J, Ferreira D. Cell-based in vitro models for predicting drug permeability. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2012; 8:607-21. [PMID: 22424145 DOI: 10.1517/17425255.2012.673586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In vitro cell models have been used to predict drug permeation in early stages of drug development, since they represent an easy and reproducible method, allowing the tracking of drug absorption rate and mechanism, with an advantageous cost-benefit ratio. Such cell-based models are mainly composed of immortalized cells with an intrinsic ability to grow in a monolayer when seeded in permeable supports, maintaining their physiologic characteristics regarding epithelium cell physiology and functionality. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes the most important intestinal, pulmonary, nasal, vaginal, rectal, ocular and skin cell-based in vitro models for predicting the permeability of drugs. Moreover, the similitude between in vitro cell models and in vivo conditions are discussed, providing evidence that each model may provisionally resemble different drug absorption route. EXPERT OPINION Despite the widespread use of in vitro cell models for drug permeability and absorption evaluation purposes, a detailed study on the properties of these models and their in vitro-in vivo correlation compared with human data are required to further use in order to consider a future drug discovery optimization and clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Sarmento
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, LTF/CICF, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal.
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D'Cruz OJ, Qazi S, Yiv S, Uckun FM. A novel vaginal microbicide containing the rationally designed anti-HIV compound HI-443 (N′-[2-(2-thiophene)ethyl]-N′-[2-(5-bromopyridyl)] thiourea]). Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2012; 21:265-79. [DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2012.655422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Ham AS, Ugaonkar SR, Shi L, Buckheit KW, Lakougna H, Nagaraja U, Gwozdz G, Goldman L, Kiser PF, Buckheit RW. Development of a combination microbicide gel formulation containing IQP-0528 and tenofovir for the prevention of HIV infection. J Pharm Sci 2012; 101:1423-35. [PMID: 22227864 DOI: 10.1002/jps.23026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2011] [Revised: 10/28/2011] [Accepted: 12/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
In light of the increasing worldwide AIDS pandemic, there is a continuing need to develop new prevention strategies to inhibit the transmission of HIV-1. In the absence of a successful vaccine, topical microbicides represent the best strategies to reduce the epidemic. Following the success of HIV therapeutic cocktail strategies, combinations of microbicides including nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NtRTIs) and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) may offer significant protection from infection over single agents. We have developed a combination microbicide gel formulation for the delivery of IQP-0528, a novel NNRTI, and tenofovir (TFV), a NtRTI. Gel formulations were evaluated based on quantitative viscoelastic and physiochemical evaluations defined by a target product profile (TPP). For the majority of the evaluations, the gel formulations behaved similarly; all showed shear thinning behavior, were stable, nontoxic, and active against HIV-1 infection. Gel formulation F2759 displayed increased drug release of 289 ± 100 µg/(cm(2) h(1/2) ) and a tissue permeability of 60 times the half maximal effective concentration (EC(50) ) of TFV and 800 times the EC(50) of IQP-0528. In addition, F2759 showed osmolality within TPP and the highest performance in gel spreading. We have identified a gel formulation to deliver a combination microbicide of IQP-0528 and TFV that has significant potential to prevent infection of HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S Ham
- ImQuest BioSciences, Frederick, Maryland 21704, USA.
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Costin GE, Raabe HA, Priston R, Evans E, Curren RD. Vaginal irritation models: the current status of available alternative and in vitro tests. Altern Lab Anim 2011; 39:317-37. [PMID: 21942546 DOI: 10.1177/026119291103900403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal surfaces, such as the vaginal epithelium, are natural barriers to infection that are constantly exposed to bacteria and viruses, and are therefore potential sites of entry for numerous pathogens. The vaginal epithelium can be damaged mechanically, e.g. by the incorrect use of objects such as tampons, and by chemicals that are irritating or corrosive. Consequently, this can lead to an increase in susceptibility to further damage or infection. Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and personal care products that are specifically formulated for application onto human external mucosae can occasionally induce undesirable local or systemic side-effects. Therefore, the compatibility of applied materials with this mucosal surface represents a key issue to be addressed by manufacturers. The most frequently used method for assessing vaginal mucosal irritation is the in vivo rabbit vaginal irritation test. However, the current emphasis in the field of toxicology is to use alternative in vitro methods that reduce, refine, and replace the use of animals, and which model and predict human, not animal, responses. Such an approach is of particular interest to the personal care and cosmetic industries in their effort to comply with European legislative measures, such as the 7th Amendment to the EU Cosmetics Directive that does not permit the marketing of cosmetic products if they, or their ingredients, have been tested for irritation responses in animals. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the alternative and in vitro tests that are currently available for vaginal mucosal irritation assessment, and which are already used, or may become useful, to establish the safety of newly-designed products for human use.
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