Influence of the Dispersion Medium and Cryoprotectants on the Physico-Chemical Features of Gliadin- and Zein-Based Nanoparticles

Exploring Nanocarriers for Boosting Entacapone Bioavailability: A Journey through System Characterization and Assessment of Toxicity and Pharmacological and 2D Permeability Paybacks

Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors (iCOMT), such as entacapone, have been successfully employed to treat tremor-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, iCOMT has been associated with a short half-life and poor oral bioavailability. Nanobased drug delivery systems have often been used to overcome this type of setbacks. Therefore, entacapone was encapsulated in PEGylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanoparticles (NPs) via a nanoprecipitation process, as well as in PEGylated nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) using a solvent emulsification/evaporation method. Both nanoformulations presented sub-200 nm populations, with zeta-potential (ZP) values close to -30 mV, and showed stability at different pHs, while maintaining their physicochemical properties mostly intact, presenting only a change in their superficial charge (ZP values), indicating their interaction. Both nanoformulations presented interaction with mucins, which anticipates good permeation and bioavailability for oral and topical administration. No cytotoxic effects were observed for lyophilized PLGA NPs encapsulating entacapone, in which 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) was used as a cryoprotectant at 3% concentration (HP-PLGA@Ent), in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y), or human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell lines. Conversely, NLCs encapsulating entacapone (W-NLCs@Ent) presented cytotoxic effects on the HepG2 cell line, likely due to intracellular lipid accumulation or storage. Both nanoformulations maintained a COMT inhibition effect in HepG2 cells, using 3-BTD as the COMT probe. An increase of entacapone permeability in both monolayer and coculture models (Caco-2 and Caco-2/HT29-MTX, respectively) was observed for the developed nanoformulations. Overall, this work shows that encapsulated entacapone in different nanocarriers could be a stimulating alternative to solve entacapone setbacks, since they improve its physicochemical properties and permeability while still maintaining the COMT inhibitory activity.

Safety of Zein Nanoparticles on Human Innate Immunity and Inflammation

In recent years, natural polymers have attracted great interest for the development of release systems for vaccine formulations and drug delivery. Zein, a hydrophobic proline-rich protein mixture obtained from maize, is one of the most widely used polymers, very promising for applications in tissue engineering and the parenteral delivery of bioactive agents. Still, we have a limited understanding of the interaction between zein particles and the human immune system, in particular innate immunity/inflammation, which is the first line of defense of our body. Assessing the immune safety of nanoparticles is of central importance for ensuring that nano-formulations for medical use do not cause adverse effects on human health. Here, we evaluated the capacity of zein nanoparticles to induce/modulate the innate/inflammatory response, the development of innate memory, and the macrophage polarization by using reliable in vitro systems based on human primary monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages. We observed that zein nanoparticles do not influence any of these aspects of the innate immune/inflammatory response, suggesting its safety and its potential efficiency as a nanocarrier for drug or antigen delivery.

Synergistic Therapeutic Effects of D-Mannitol-Cerium-Quercetin (Rutin) Coordination Polymer Nanoparticles on Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a significant global health issue, necessitating novel therapeutic interventions. In our latest study, we pioneered the use of D-mannitol-cerium-quercetin/rutin coordination polymer nanoparticles (MCQ/R NPs) as a potential treatment for ALI. The MCQ/R NPs, which integrate rutin and quercetin for their therapeutic potential and D-mannitol for its pulmonary targeting, displayed exceptional efficacy. By utilizing cerium ions for optimal nanoparticle assembly, the MCQ/R NPs demonstrated an average size of less than 160 nm. Impressively, these nanoparticles outperformed conventional treatments in both antioxidative capabilities and biocompatibility. Moreover, our in vivo studies on LPS-induced ALI mice showed a significant reduction in lung tissue inflammation. This groundbreaking research presents MCQ/R NPs as a promising new approach in ALI therapeutics.

DIFUCOSIN: DIclofenac sodium salt loaded FUCOidan-SericIN nanoparticles for the management of chronic inflammatory diseases

The current investigation emphasizes the use of fucoidan and sericin as dual-role biomaterials for obtaining novel nanohybrid systems for the delivery of diclofenac sodium (DS) and the potential treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. The innovative formulations containing 4 mg/ml of fucoidan and 3 mg/ml of sericin showed an average diameter of about 200 nm, a low polydispersity index (0.17) and a negative surface charge. The hybrid nanosystems demonstrated high stability at various pHs and temperatures, as well as in both saline and glucose solutions. The Rose Bengal assay evidenced that fucoidan is the primary modulator of relative surface hydrophobicity with a two-fold increase of this parameter when compared to sericin nanoparticles. The interaction between the drug and the nanohybrids was confirmed through FT-IR analysis. Moreover, the release profile of DS from the colloidal systems showed a prolonged and constant drug leakage over time both at pH 5 and 7. The DS-loaded nanohybrids (DIFUCOSIN) induced a significant decrease of IL-6 and IL-1β with respect to the active compound in human chondrocytes evidencing a synergistic action of the individual components of nanosystems and the drug and demonstrating the potential application of the proposed nanomedicine for the treatment of inflammation.

Lyophilization process optimization and molecular dynamics simulation of mRNA-LNPs for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

Some studies have shown that lyophilization significantly improves the stability of mRNA-LNPs and enables long-term storage at 2-8 °C. However, there is little research on the lyophilization process of mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Most previous studies have used empirical lyophilization with only a single lyoprotectant, resulting in low lyophilization efficiency, often requiring 40-100 h. In the present study, an efficient lyophilization method suitable for mRNA-LNPs was designed and optimized, shortening the total length of the lyophilization process to 8-18 h, which significantly reduced energy consumption and production costs. When the mixed lyoprotectant composed of sucrose, trehalose, and mannitol was added to mRNA-LNPs, the eutectic point and collapse temperature of the system were increased. The lyophilized product had a ginger root-shaped rigid structure with large porosity, which tolerated rapid temperature increases and efficiently removed water. In addition, the lyophilized mRNA-LNPs rapidly rehydrated and had good particle size distribution, encapsulation rate, and mRNA integrity. The lyophilized mRNA-LNPs were stable at 2-8 °C, and they did not reduce immunogenicity in vivo or in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to compare the phospholipid molecular layer with the lyoprotectant in aqueous and anhydrous environments to elucidate the mechanism of lyophilization to improve the stability of mRNA-LNPs. This efficient lyophilization platform significantly improves the accessibility of mRNA-LNPs.

Different Size Formulations of Fluopyram: Preparation, Antifungal Activity, and Accumulation in the Fungal Pathogen Botrytis cinerea

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing the efficient production and sustainable development of modern agriculture. Understanding the pesticide activity of both nano- and conventional methods is useful for developing new pesticide formulations. In this study, three solid fluopyram formulations with varying particle sizes were developed, and the mechanisms underlying the difference in the antifungal activity among these formulations were investigated. Wet media milling combined with freeze drying was used to prepare fluopyram nanoparticles (FLU-NS) and a micron-sized solid formulation (FLU-MS), and a jet grinding mill was employed to fabricate fluopyram wettable powder (FLU-WP). The mean particle sizes of FLU-NS, FLU-MS, and FLU-WP were 366.8 nm, 2.99 μm, and 10.16 μm, respectively. Notably, FLU-NS displayed a toxicity index against Botrytis cinerea (gray mold) that was approximately double those of FLU-MS and FLU-WP. Similar trends were noticed in the antifungal tests on Alternaria solani. The uptake of FLU-NS by B. cinerea was approximately twice that of FLU-MS and FLU-WP, indicating that fluopyram nanoparticles are more easily taken up by the pathogen (B. cinerea), and display better bioactivity than the larger fluopyram particles. Therefore, the nanosizing of pesticides appears to be a viable strategy to enhance efficiency without increasing the amount of pesticide used.

Strategies of stabilization of zein nanoparticles containing doxorubicin hydrochloride

Hybrid nanoparticles made up of zein and various stabilizers were developed and characterized. In detail, a zein concentration of 2 mg/ml was blended with various amounts of different phospholipids or PEG-derivatives in order to obtain formulations with suitable physico-chemical properties for drug delivery purposes. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was used as a model of a hydrophilic compound and its entrapment efficiency, release profile and cytotoxic activity were investigated. Photon correlation spectroscopy showed that the best formulations were obtained using DMPG, DOTAP and DSPE-mPEG2000 as stabilizers of zein nanoparticles, which were characterized by an average diameter of ~100 nm, a narrow size distribution and a significant time- and temperature-dependent stability. The interaction between protein and stabilizers was confirmed through FT-IR analysis, while TEM analysis showed the presence of a shell-like structure around the zein core. The release profiles of the drug from the zein/DSPE-mPEG2000 nanosystems, evaluated at two pHs (5.5 and 7.4), showed a prolonged and constant leakage of the drug. The encapsulation of DOX within zein/DSPE-mPEG2000 nanosystems did not compromise its biological efficacy, demonstrating the potential application of these hybrid nanoparticles as drug carriers.

Nanosuspension: A Formulation Technology for Tackling the Poor Aqueous Solubility and Bioavailability of Poorly Soluble Drugs

The poor water solubility of numerous novel drug candidates presents significant challenges, particularly in terms of oral administration. This limitation can result in various undesirable clinical implications, such as inter-patient variability, poor bioavailability, difficulties in achieving a safe therapeutic index, increased costs, and potential risks of toxicity or inefficacy. Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class II drugs face particular hurdles due to their limited solubility in the aqueous media of the gastrointestinal tract. In such cases, parenteral administration is often employed as an alternative strategy. To address these challenges, nanosuspension techniques offer a promising solution for enhancing drug solubility and overcoming oral delivery obstacles. This technique has the potential to bridge the gap between drug discovery and preclinical use by resolving problematic solubility. This literature review has delved into contemporary nanosuspension preparation technologies and the incorporation of stabilizing ingredients within the formulation. Furthermore, the manuscript explores nanosuspension strategies for both oral and parenteral/other delivery routes, and separate discussions have been presented to establish a suitable flow that addresses the challenges and strategies relevant to each administration method.

Optimization of storage conditions for lipid nanoparticle-formulated self-replicating RNA vaccines

The recent clinical success of multiple mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has proven the potential of RNA formulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in humans, and products based on base-modified RNA, sequence-optimized RNA, and self-replicating RNAs formulated in LNPs are all in various stages of clinical development. However, much remains to be learned about critical parameters governing the manufacturing and use of LNP-RNA formulations. One important issue that has received limited attention in the literature to date is the identification of optimal storage conditions for LNP-RNA that preserve long-term activity of the formulations. Here, we analyzed the physical structure, in vivo expression characteristics, and functional activity of alphavirus-derived self-replicating RNA (repRNA)-loaded LNPs encoding HIV vaccine antigens following storage in varying temperatures, buffers, and in the presence or absence of cryoprotectants. We found that for lipid nanoparticles with compositions similar to clinically-used LNPs, storage in RNAse-free PBS containing 10% (w/v) sucrose at -20 °C was able to maintain vaccine stability and in vivo potency at a level equivalent to freshly prepared vaccines following 30 days of storage. LNPs loaded with repRNA could also be lyophilized with retention of bioactivity.

Co-Encapsulation of Paclitaxel and JQ1 in Zein Nanoparticles as Potential Innovative Nanomedicine

The manuscript describes the development of zein nanoparticles containing paclitaxel (PTX) and the bromo-and extra-terminal domain inhibitor (S)-tertbutyl2-(4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,3,9-trimethyl-6H-thieno(3,2-f)(1,2,4)triazolo(4,3-a)(1,4)diazepin-6-yl)acetate (JQ1) together with their cytotoxicity on triple-negative breast cancer cells. The rationale of this association is that of exploiting different types of cancer cells as targets in order to obtain increased pharmacological activity with respect to that exerted by the single agents. Zein, a protein found in the endosperm of corn, was used as a biomaterial to obtain multidrug carriers characterized by mean sizes of ˂200 nm, a low polydispersity index (0.1-0.2) and a negative surface charge. An entrapment efficiency of ~35% of both the drugs was obtained when 0.3 mg/mL of the active compounds were used during the nanoprecipitation procedure. No adverse phenomena such as sedimentation, macro-aggregation or flocculation occurred when the nanosystems were heated to 37 °C. The multidrug nanoformulation demonstrated significant in vitro cytototoxic activity against MDA-MB-157 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells by MTT-test and adhesion assay which was stronger than that of the compounds encapsulated as single agents. The results evidence the potential application of zein nanoparticles containing PTX and JQ1 as a novel nanomedicine.

Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Zein/Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles for Ocular Mucosa Delivery

Bacterial conjunctivitis is a worldwide problem that, if untreated, can lead to severe complications, such as visual impairment and blindness. Topical administration of ciprofloxacin is one of the most common treatments for this infection; however, topical therapeutic delivery to the eye is quite challenging. To tackle this, nanomedicine presents several advantages compared to conventional ophthalmic dosage forms. Herein, the flash nanoprecipitation technique was applied to produce zein and hyaluronic acid nanoparticles loaded with ciprofloxacin (ZeinCPX_HA NPs). ZeinCPX_HA NPs exhibited a hydrodynamic diameter of <200 nm and polydispersity index of <0.3, suitable for ocular drug delivery. In addition, the freeze-drying of the nanoparticles was achieved by using mannitol as a cryoprotectant, allowing their resuspension in water without modifying the physicochemical properties. Moreover, the biocompatibility of nanoparticles was confirmed by in vitro assays. Furthermore, a high encapsulation efficiency was achieved, and a release profile with an initial burst was followed by a prolonged release of ciprofloxacin up to 24 h. Overall, the obtained results suggest ZeinCPX_HA NPs as an alternative to the common topical dosage forms available on the market to treat conjunctivitis.