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Carecho R, Marques D, Carregosa D, Masuero D, Garcia-Aloy M, Tramer F, Passamonti S, Vrhovsek U, Ventura MR, Brito MA, Nunes Dos Santos C, Figueira I. Circulating low-molecular-weight (poly)phenol metabolites in the brain: unveiling in vitro and in vivo blood-brain barrier transport. Food Funct 2024; 15:7812-7827. [PMID: 38967492 DOI: 10.1039/d4fo01396d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Circulating metabolites resulting from colonic metabolism of dietary (poly)phenols are highly abundant in the bloodstream, though still marginally explored, particularly concerning their brain accessibility. Our goal is to disclose (poly)phenol metabolites' blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport, in vivo and in vitro, as well as their role at BBB level. For three selected metabolites, benzene-1,2-diol-3-sulfate/benzene-1,3-diol-2-sulfate (pyrogallol-sulfate - Pyr-sulf), benzene-1,3-diol-6-sulfate (phloroglucinol-sulfate - Phlo-sulf), and phenol-3-sulfate (resorcinol-sulfate - Res-sulf), BBB transport was assessed in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). Their potential in modulating in vitro BBB properties at circulating concentrations was also studied. Metabolites' fate towards the brain, liver, kidney, urine, and blood was disclosed in Wistar rats upon injection. Transport kinetics in HBMEC highlighted different BBB permeability rates, where Pyr-sulf emerged as the most in vitro BBB permeable metabolite. Pyr-sulf was also the most potent regarding BBB properties improvement, namely increased beta(β)-catenin membrane expression and reduction of zonula occludens-1 membrane gaps. Whereas no differences were observed for transferrin, increased expression of caveolin-1 upon Pyr-sulf and Res-sulf treatments was found. Pyr-sulf was also capable of modulating gene and protein expression of some solute carrier transporters. Notably, each of the injected metabolites exhibited a unique tissue distribution in vivo, with the remarkable ability to almost immediately reach the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Carecho
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, Lisboa, Portugal.
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniela Marques
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Diogo Carregosa
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Domenico Masuero
- Metabolomics Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Mar Garcia-Aloy
- Metabolomics Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Federica Tramer
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 1, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sabina Passamonti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 1, Trieste, Italy
| | - Urska Vrhovsek
- Metabolomics Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach (FEM), via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - M Rita Ventura
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Maria Alexandra Brito
- Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, Lisboa, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Nunes Dos Santos
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, Lisboa, Portugal.
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Avenida da República, Oeiras, Portugal
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Avenida da República, Apartado 12, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Inês Figueira
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Zhang M, Zhong S, An L, Xiang P, Hu N, Huang W, Tian Y, Battaglia G, Tian X, Wu M. Advancing Central Nervous System Drug Delivery with Microtubule-Dependent Transcytosis of Novel Aqueous Compounds. Biomater Res 2024; 28:0051. [PMID: 39050687 PMCID: PMC11268840 DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The challenge of delivering therapeutics to the central nervous system due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a substantial hurdle in neuropharmacology. Our research introduces a breakthrough approach using microtubule-dependent transcytosis facilitated by novel aqueous compounds. We synthesized a series of red-emitting pyran nitrile derivatives. The molecular structure of compounds, photophysical properties, and water solubility were characterized. BBB permeability of BN1 was assessed in an in vitro BBB model. The transmembrane transport mechanism was next analyzed. The derivative was injected in the wild-type mouse for evaluation of brain penetration and biodistribution in the brain. We further investigated the potential of BN1-functionalized BBB-nonpenetrated silica nanoparticles for brain targeting. This compound demonstrated an ability to form endosomes within the phospholipid layer, thus enabling efficient penetration of the BBB via microtubule-mediated transcytosis, as evidenced in vitro model. This was further confirmed by in vivo experiments that BN1 displays the excellent BBB penetration and retained in brain parenchyma. Furthermore, BBB-impermeable mesoporous silica nanoparticle codelivery system markedly enhanced the transport efficiency to the brain in vivo by BN1-functionalized. These findings indicate that our designed aqueous molecules not only are capable of traversing the BBB but also serve as a viable new strategy for central-nervous-system-targeted drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- The Province Key Laboratory of the Biodiversity Study and Ecology Conservation in Southwest Anhui,
School of Life Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246011 China
- Department of Chemistry,
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry of Anhui Province, Hefei 230039, China
| | - Shaoqi Zhong
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China Biobanks, Clinical Research Management Department,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Lujing An
- The Province Key Laboratory of the Biodiversity Study and Ecology Conservation in Southwest Anhui,
School of Life Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246011 China
| | - Pan Xiang
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Na Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Huang
- West China Biobanks, Clinical Research Management Department,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yupeng Tian
- Department of Chemistry,
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry of Anhui Province, Hefei 230039, China
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Institute for the Physics for Living Systems and Department of Chemistry,
University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalunya (IBEC),
The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xiaohe Tian
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- The Province Key Laboratory of the Biodiversity Study and Ecology Conservation in Southwest Anhui,
School of Life Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246011 China
- West China Biobanks, Clinical Research Management Department,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Min Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Centre (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatrics,
West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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ter Linden E, Abels ER, van Solinge TS, Neefjes J, Broekman MLD. Overcoming Barriers in Glioblastoma-Advances in Drug Delivery Strategies. Cells 2024; 13:998. [PMID: 38920629 PMCID: PMC11201826 DOI: 10.3390/cells13120998] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The world of cancer treatment is evolving rapidly and has improved the prospects of many cancer patients. Yet, there are still many cancers where treatment prospects have not (or hardly) improved. Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, and even though it is sensitive to many chemotherapeutics when tested under laboratory conditions, its clinical prospects are still very poor. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is considered at least partly responsible for the high failure rate of many promising treatment strategies. We describe the workings of the BBB during healthy conditions and within the glioblastoma environment. How the BBB acts as a barrier for therapeutic options is described as well as various approaches developed and tested for passing or opening the BBB, with the ultimate aim to allow access to brain tumors and improve patient perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther ter Linden
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology and Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (E.t.L.); (E.R.A.)
| | - Erik R. Abels
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology and Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (E.t.L.); (E.R.A.)
| | - Thomas S. van Solinge
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Jacques Neefjes
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology and Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (E.t.L.); (E.R.A.)
| | - Marike L. D. Broekman
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology and Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (E.t.L.); (E.R.A.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Haaglanden Medical Center, 2512 VA The Hague, The Netherlands
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Arms LM, Duchatel RJ, Jackson ER, Sobrinho PG, Dun MD, Hua S. Current status and advances to improving drug delivery in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. J Control Release 2024; 370:835-865. [PMID: 38744345 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.05.018] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG), including tumors diagnosed in the brainstem (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma - DIPG), is the primary cause of brain tumor-related death in pediatric patients. DIPG is characterized by a median survival of <12 months from diagnosis, harboring the worst 5-year survival rate of any cancer. Corticosteroids and radiation are the mainstay of therapy; however, they only provide transient relief from the devastating neurological symptoms. Numerous therapies have been investigated for DIPG, but the majority have been unsuccessful in demonstrating a survival benefit beyond radiation alone. Although many barriers hinder brain drug delivery in DIPG, one of the most significant challenges is the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Therapeutic compounds must possess specific properties to enable efficient passage across the BBB. In brain cancer, the BBB is referred to as the blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB), where tumors disrupt the structure and function of the BBB, which may provide opportunities for drug delivery. However, the biological characteristics of the brainstem's BBB/BBTB, both under normal physiological conditions and in response to DIPG, are poorly understood, which further complicates treatment. Better characterization of the changes that occur in the BBB/BBTB of DIPG patients is essential, as this informs future treatment strategies. Many novel drug delivery technologies have been investigated to bypass or disrupt the BBB/BBTB, including convection enhanced delivery, focused ultrasound, nanoparticle-mediated delivery, and intranasal delivery, all of which are yet to be clinically established for the treatment of DIPG. Herein, we review what is known about the BBB/BBTB and discuss the current status, limitations, and advances of conventional and novel treatments to improving brain drug delivery in DIPG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Arms
- Therapeutic Targeting Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Program, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Ryan J Duchatel
- Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Program, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Evangeline R Jackson
- Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Program, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Pedro Garcia Sobrinho
- Therapeutic Targeting Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew D Dun
- Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Cancer Signalling Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Program, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Susan Hua
- Therapeutic Targeting Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Precision Medicine Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia; Paediatric Program, Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, College of Health, Medicine & Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
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Huttunen KM. Improving drug delivery to the brain: the prodrug approach. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2024; 21:683-693. [PMID: 38738934 DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2024.2355180] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The prodrug approach has been thought to be a simple solution to improve brain drug delivery for decades. Nevertheless, it still comes as a surprise that there is relatively little success in the field. The best example anti-parkinsonian drug levodopa has been serendipitously discovered to be a transporter-utilizing brain-delivered prodrug rather than a rationally developed one. AREAS COVERED The lack of success can mainly be explained by the insufficient understanding of the role of membrane proteins that can facilitate drug delivery at dynamic barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but also by the sparse knowledge of prodrug bioconverting enzymes in the brain. This review summarizes the current status of the prodrug attempts that have been developed in the past to improve brain drug delivery. EXPERT OPINION With the expandingly improved analytical and computational technologies, it is anticipated that enhanced brain drug delivery will be eventually achieved for most of the central nervous system (CNS) acting drugs. However, this requires that carrier-mediated (pro)drug delivery methods are implemented in the very early phases of the drug development processes and not as a last step to survive a problematic investigational drug candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiina M Huttunen
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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Pardridge WM. Advanced Blood-Brain Barrier Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2022; 15:pharmaceutics15010093. [PMID: 36678722 PMCID: PMC9866552 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This Special Issue of Pharmaceutics, "Advanced Blood-Brain Barrier Drug Delivery," comprises 16 articles or reviews, which cover a cross-section of brain drug delivery for either small-molecule or large-molecule therapeutics [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- William M Pardridge
- Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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