Design and application of cationic amphiphilic β-cyclodextrin derivatives as gene delivery vectors

Cationic Cyclodextrin-Based Carriers for Drug and Nucleic Acid Delivery

Cyclodextrins can serve as carriers for various payloads, utilizing their capacity to form unique host-guest inclusion complexes within their cavity and their versatile surface functionalization. Recently, cationic cyclodextrins have gained considerable attention, as they can improve drug permeability across negatively charged cell membranes and efficiently condense negatively charged nucleic acid due to electrostatic interactions. This review focuses on state-of-the-art and recent advances in the construction of cationic cyclodextrin-based delivery systems. First, we identified different cationic moieties that are commonly employed in the design of cyclodextrins with enhanced complexation ability. Subsequently, a wide range of cationic cyclodextrin-based drug delivery systems were analyzed with emphasis on chemistry, drug release profiles, and therapeutic outcomes. The evaluation of the delivery platforms was also based on the four major types of drugs, such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antidiabetic agents. The delivery systems for nucleic acids were also summarized while focusing on their condensation ability, transfection efficiency, and biocompatibility in comparison to commercially available vectors such as PEI 25 kDa and lipofectamine 2000. Furthermore, we highlighted the potential of cationic cyclodextrins in constructing multimodal delivery systems for the simultaneous encapsulation of both drugs and nucleic acids. Finally, the challenges and limitations associated with cationic cyclodextrin setups were discussed.

Amphiphilic Cyclodextrin Nanoparticles as Delivery System for Idebenone: A Preformulation Study

Idebenone (IDE), a synthetic short-chain analogue of coenzyme Q10, is a potent antioxidant able to prevent lipid peroxidation and stimulate nerve growth factor. Due to these properties, IDE could potentially be active towards cerebral disorders, but its poor water solubility limits its clinical application. Octanoyl-β-cyclodextrin is an amphiphilic cyclodextrin (ACyD8) bearing, on average, ten octanoyl substituents able to self-assemble in aqueous solutions, forming various typologies of supramolecular nanoassemblies. Here, we developed nanoparticles based on ACyD8 (ACyD8-NPs) for the potential intranasal administration of IDE to treat neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Nanoparticles were prepared using the nanoprecipitation method and were characterized for their size, zeta potential and morphology. STEM images showed spherical particles, with smooth surfaces and sizes of about 100 nm, suitable for the proposed therapeutical aim. The ACyD8-NPs effectively loaded IDE, showing a high encapsulation efficiency and drug loading percentage. To evaluate the host/guest interaction, UV-vis titration, mono- and two-dimensional NMR analyses, and molecular modeling studies were performed. IDE showed a high affinity for the ACyD8 cavity, forming a 1:1 inclusion complex with a high association constant. A biphasic and sustained release of IDE was observed from the ACyD8-NPs, and, after a burst effect of about 40%, the release was prolonged over 10 days. In vitro studies confirmed the lack of toxicity of the IDE/ACyD8-NPs on neuronal SH-SY5Y cells, and they demonstrated their antioxidant effect upon H2O2 exposure, as a general source of ROS.

Plasmid-Templated Control of DNA-Cyclodextrin Nanoparticle Morphology through Molecular Vector Design for Effective Gene Delivery

Engineering self-assembled superstructures through complexation of plasmid DNA (pDNA) and single-isomer nanometric size macromolecules (molecular nanoparticles) is a promising strategy for gene delivery. Notably, the functionality and overall architecture of the vector can be precisely molded at the atomic level by chemical tailoring, thereby enabling unprecedented opportunities for structure/self-assembling/pDNA delivery relationship studies. Beyond this notion, by judiciously preorganizing the functional elements in cyclodextrin (CD)-based molecular nanoparticles through covalent dimerization, here we demonstrate that the morphology of the resulting nanocomplexes (CDplexes) can be tuned, from spherical to ellipsoidal, rod-type, or worm-like nanoparticles, which makes it possible to gain understanding of their shape-dependent transfection properties. The experimental findings are in agreement with a shift from chelate to cross-linking interactions on going from primary-face- to secondary-face-linked CD dimers, the pDNA partner acting as an active payload and as a template. Most interestingly, the transfection efficiency in different cells was shown to be differently impacted by modifications of the CDplex morphology, which has led to the identification of an optimal prototype for tissue-selective DNA delivery to the spleen in vivo.

Transferrin-functionalized chitosan-graft-poly(l-lysine) dendrons as a high-efficiency gene delivery carrier for nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy

The co-polymer of transferrin-conjugated chitosan-graft-poly(l-lysine) dendrons was used to deliver the MMP-9 shRNA plasmid effectively for nasopharyngeal carcinoma gene therapy.