Nanoparticles Based on Cross-Linked Poly(Lipoic Acid) Protect Macrophages and Cardiomyocytes from Oxidative Stress and Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

Nanotechnological Approaches to Enhance the Potential of α-Lipoic Acid for Application in the Clinic

α-lipoic acid is a naturally occurring compound with potent antioxidant properties that helps protect cells and tissues from oxidative stress. Its incorporation into nanoplatforms can affect factors like bioavailability, stability, reactivity, and targeted delivery. Nanoformulations of α-lipoic acid can significantly enhance its solubility and absorption, making it more bioavailable. While α-lipoic acid can be prone to degradation in its free form, encapsulation within nanoparticles ensures its stability over time, and its release in a controlled and sustained manner to the targeted tissues and cells. In addition, α-lipoic acid can be combined with other compounds, such as other antioxidants, drugs, or nanomaterials, to create synergistic effects that enhance their overall therapeutic benefits or hinder their potential cytotoxicity. This review outlines the advantages and drawbacks associated with the use of α-lipoic acid, as well as various nanotechnological approaches employed to enhance its therapeutic effectiveness, whether alone or in combination with other bioactive agents. Furthermore, it describes the engineering of α-lipoic acid to produce poly(α-lipoic acid) nanoparticles, which hold promise as an effective drug delivery system.

Baicalin nanodelivery system based on functionalized metal-organic framework for targeted therapy of osteoarthritis by modulating macrophage polarization

Intra-articular drugs used to treat osteoarthritis (OA) often suffer from poor pharmacokinetics and stability. Nano-platforms as drug delivery systems for drug delivery are promising for OA therapy. In this study, we reported an M1 macrophage-targeted delivery system Bai@FA-UIO-66-NH2 based on folic acid (FA) -modified metal-organic framework (MOF) loaded with baicalin (Bai) as antioxidant agent for OA therapy. With outstanding biocompatibility and high drug loading efficiency, Bai@FA-UIO-66-NH2 could be specifically uptaken by LPS-induced macrophages to serve as a potent ROS scavenger, gradually releasing Bai at the subcellular level to reduce ROS production, modulate macrophage polarization to M2, leading to alleviation of synovial inflammation in OA joints. The synergistic effect of Bai@FA-UIO-66-NH2 on macrophage polarization and ROS scavenging significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy of OA, which may provide a new insight into the design of OA precision therapy.

The effects of lipoic acid on respiratory diseases

Respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and the recently emerging fatal coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), are the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. The increasing incidence and mortality rates have attracted much attention to the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Lipoic acid (LA), a naturally occurring organosulfur compound, is not only essential for mitochondrial aerobic metabolism but also shows therapeutic potential via certain pharmacological effects (e.g., antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects). In recent years, accumulating evidence (animal experiments and in vitro studies) has suggested a role of LA in ameliorating many respiratory diseases (e.g., lung cancer, fibrosis, asthma, acute lung injury and smoking-induced lung injury). Therefore, this review will provide an overview of the present investigational evidence on the therapeutic effect of LA against respiratory diseases in vitro and in vivo. We also summarize the corresponding mechanisms of action to inspire further basic studies and clinical trials to confirm the health benefits of LA in the context of respiratory diseases.

Poly(lipoic acid)-based nanoparticles as a new therapeutic tool for delivering active molecules

Pluronic-coated polylipoic acid-based nanoparticles (F127@PLA-NPs) have great potential as biodegradable nanovectors for delivering active molecules to different organs in complex diseases. In this study we describe the in vivo biodistribution, safety and ability to deliver molecules of F127@PLA-NPs in healthy rats following intravenous administration. Adult rats were injected with 10 mg/kg of rhodamine B-labeled F127@PLA-NPs, and NPs fluorescence and MFI rate were measured by confocal microscopy in whole collected organs. The NPs accumulation rate was maximal in the heart, compared to the other organs. At the cellular level, myocytes and kidney tubular cells showed the highest NPs uptake. Neither histopathological lesion nor thrombogenicity were observed after NPs injection. Finally, F127@PLA-NPs were tested in vitro as miRNAs delivery nanosystem, and they showed good ability in targeting cardiomyocytes. These results demonstrated that our F127@PLA-NPs constitute a biological, minimally invasive and safe delivery tool targeting organs and cells, such as heart and kidney.