Topical application of zein-silk sericin nanoparticles loaded with curcumin for improved therapy of dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by leukocyte migration into the skin dermis and typically driven by excessive chemokine production at the site of inflammation. Conventional topical formulations such as gels, creams, and ointments are insufficient for this treatment because of low penetration of drug molecules into the targeted skin tissues. Herein, using a simple, green, sustainable strategy, we have developed novel primary zein nanoparticles embedded in curcumin (Cur) and coated with silk sericin (ZHSCs) for the topical delivery of Cur to penetrate into the dermis and exercise anti-dermatitis effects on the lesion with minimal side-effects. Transdermal delivery experiments and porcine skin fluorescence imaging indicated that ZHSCs facilitate the penetration of Cur across the epidermis layer of skin to reach deep-seated sites. Notably, ZHSCs = 1:0.25 (zein-to-silk sericin mass ratios of 1:0.25) markedly elevated the skin permeability and cumulative turnover of Cur transferred, which were provided a greater than a 3.8-fold increase relative to free Cur. The special nanoparticles of ZHS = 1:0.25 possessed the deepest localization depth and experience a transition of the particle structure and core-shell separation after penetrating into the dermis of skin. In a cell model of dermatitis induced by tumor necrosis factor α/interferon γ co-stimulation, compared with free Cur, Cur-loaded ZHS nanoparticles down-regulated the generation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes through suppression of the nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65 and hence exerted an anti-dermatitis effect. This strategy may provide new avenues and direction for the demanding issues of valid topical delivery systems.     

Dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug as unimolecular micelles for precise ultrasound-activated localized drug delivery

Ultrasound has been recognized as an exciting tool to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in tumor chemotherapy owing to the triggered drug release, facilitated intracellular drug delivery, and improved spatial precision. Aiming for a precise localized drug delivery, novel dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug (DOX-DPU-PEG) was fabricated with a drug content of 18.9% here by conjugating DOX onto the end groups of the functionalized dendritic polyurethane via acid-labile imine bonds. It could easily form unimolecular micelles around 38 nm. Compared with the non-covalently drug-loaded unimolecular micelles (DOX@Ph-DPU-PEG), they showed excellent pH/ultrasound dual-triggered drug release performance, with drug leakage of only 4% at pH 7.4, but cumulative release of 14% and 88% at pH 5.0 without and with ultrasound, respectively. The ultrasound responsiveness was attributed to the unique strawberry-shaped topological structure of the DOX-DPU-PEG, in which DOX was embedded in the skin layer of the hydrophobic DPU cores. With ultrasound, the DOX-DPU-PEG unimolecular micelles possessed enhanced tumor growth inhibition than free DOX but showed no obvious cytotoxicity on the tumor cells without ultrasound. Such feature makes them promising potential for precise localized drug delivery.     

Deciphering the Structure and Chemical Composition of Drug Nanocarriers: From Bulk Approaches to Individual Nanoparticle Characterization

Drug nanocarriers (NCs) with sizes usually below 200 nm are gaining increasing interest in the treatment of severe diseases such as cancer and infections. Characterization methods to investigate the morphology and physicochemical properties of multifunctional NCs are key in their optimization and in the study of their in vitro and in vivo fate. Whereas a variety of methods has been developed to characterize “bulk” NCs in suspension, the scope of this review is to describe the different approaches for the NC characterization on an individual basis, for which fewer techniques are available. The accent is put on methods devoid of labelling, which could lead to artefacts. For each characterization method, the principles and approaches to analyze the data are presented in an accessible manner. Aspects related to sample preparation to avoid artefacts are indicated, and emphasis is put on examples of applications. NC characterization on an individual basis allows gaining invaluable information in terms of quality control, on: i) NC localization and fate in biological samples; ii) NC morphology and crystallinity; iii) distribution of the NC components (drugs, shells), and iv) quantification of NCs’ chemical composition. The individual characterization approaches are expected to gain increasing interest in the near future.     

Improved Method for the Total Synthesis of Azaperone and Investigation of Its Electrochemical Behavior in Aqueous Solution

Azaperone, with anti-anxiety and anti-aggressive activities used in veterinary medicine, is a member of the butyrophenone class. It is ordinarily utilized for a wide range of indications, such as sedation, obstetrics, and anesthesia. In this research, an improved synthetic route is presented for azaperone using a phase-transfer catalyst(PTC). In general, it was synthesized as a dopamine antagonist in four steps. The bis(2-chloroethyl) amine intermediate is easily obtained after the conversion of the alcohol groups into the chloride leaving group using thionyl chloride(95% yields). The alkylation of commercially available 2-amino pyridine in the presence of PTC was then carried out, giving 1-(pyridin-2-yl) piperazine with 75% yield. 1-(Pyridin-2-yl) piperazine was finally alkylated using 4-chloro-1-(4-fluorophenyl) butan-1-one to achieve azaperone with 60% yield. The butyrophenone intermediate was obtained via the Friedel-Crafts reaction of fluorobenzene with 4-chlorobutyryl chloride in the presence of AlCl₃. High efficiency, gentle reaction conditions, and fast and simple procedure are the advantages of this method. Also, the electrochemical oxidation behaviour of azaperone was investigated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. Cyclic voltammetric studies indicated an irreversible process for azaperone electro-oxidation with a peak potential of 0.78 V in a phosphate buffer solution(pH=7.0) vs. Ag/AgCl(saturated KCl) electrode. The value of the peak current vs. the azaperone concentration was enhanced linearly in the range of 10―70 μmol/L, and the detection limit was found to be 3.33 μmol/L.     

Nanomaterials in Cerebrovascular Disease Diagnose and Treatment

Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the most serious diseases with high mortality and disability rates. The prevalent diagnosis and treatment methods of CVDs include imaging and interventional therapy. With the development of nanotechnology, large numbers of nanomaterials have been applied to the diagnosis and treatment of CVDs, mainly including carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, fullerenes, and dendrimers. In this review, the applications of nanomaterials in the field of diagnosis and treatment of CVDs, mainly including drug target delivery, imaging, therapy, endovascular treatment, and angiogenesis, are summarized. The applications of nanomaterials in the field of CVD are almost in the laboratory, and more effort is needed for clinical translation. The aim of this review is to provide useful information for future research and equipment development.     

Het(aryl)isatin to het(aryl)aminoindoline scaffold hopping: A route to selective inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent endoproteases known to exert multiple regulatory roles in tumor progression. A variety of chemical classes have been explored for targeting individual MMP isoforms. In the present study, we further developed our isatin based scaffold BB0223107 capable of binding to and inactivating MMP-2 in a zinc-independent manner (Agamennone et al., 2016). Forty four new compounds were synthesized based on the modified BB0223107. All compounds were tested in enzyme inhibition assays against MMP-2, ?8 and ?13. SAR studies demonstrated that 5-het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-ones (37–39) were active toward MMP-2 and MMP-13. The most potent compounds 33 and 37 displayed an IC₅₀ of 3 µM against MMP-13 and showed a negligible activity toward MMP-8; almost all new compounds were inactive toward MMP-8. Replacement of the isatin ring with a biaryl system (compound 33) did not decrease the potency against MMP-13 but reduced the selectivity. Structure-based computational studies were carried out to rationalize the inhibitory activity data. The analysis of binding geometries confirmed that all fragments occupied the S1′ site in the three enzymes while no ligand was able to bind the catalytic zinc ion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of 3-aminoindolin-2-one-based MMP inhibitors that, based on the computer modeling study, do not coordinate the zinc ion. Thus, the het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-one derivatives emerge as a drug-like and promising chemotype that, along with the hetaryl variations, represents an alternative and thrifty tool for chemical space exploration aimed at MMP inhibitor design.     

Pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma bicyclol by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Bicyclol is a synthetic drug widely used to treat chronic hepatitis B. This study aimed to develop a selective, sensitive and high‐throughput liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric method for the detection of bicyclol in human plasma. Bicyclol was detected using a multiple reaction monitoring mode, with ammonium adduct ions (m/z 408.2) as the precursor ion and the [M‐CH₃]⁺ ion (m/z 373.1) subjected to demethylation as the product ion. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Zobax Eclipse XDB‐C₁₈ column with a gradient elution and a mobile phase of 2 mm ammonium formate and acetonitrile. Bicyclol was extracted from plasma matrix by precipitation. A linear detection response was obtained for bicyclol ranging from 0.500 to 240 ng/mL, and the lower limit of quantification was 0.500 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions were all ≤7.4%, and the accuracies were within ±6.0%. The extraction recovery was >95.9%, and the matrix effects were between 96.0% and 108%. Bicyclol was found to be unstable in human plasma at room temperature, but the degradation was minimized by conducting sample collection and preparation in an ice bath. The validated method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of bicyclol tablets in six healthy Chinese volunteers.     

Development and validation of a sensitive liquid‐chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for mycophenolic acid and metabolites in HepaRG cell culture: Characterization of metabolism interactions between p‐cresol and mycophenolic acid

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), a frequently used immunosuppressant, exhibits large inter‐patient pharmacokinetic variability. This study (a) developed and validated a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay for MPA and metabolites [MPA glucuronide (MPAG) and acyl‐glucuronide (AcMPAG)] in the culture medium of HepaRG cells; and (b) characterized the metabolism interaction between MPA and p‐cresol (a common uremic toxin) in this in vitro model as a potential mechanism of pharmacokinetic variability. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a C₁₈ column (4.6 × 250 mm,5 μm) using a gradient elution with water and methanol (with 0.1% formic acid and 2 mm ammonium acetate). A dual ion source ionization mode with positive multiple reaction monitoring was utilized. Multiple reaction monitoring mass transitions (m/z) were: MPA (320.95 → 207.05), MPAG (514.10 → 303.20) and AcMPAG (514.10 → 207.05). MPA‐d₃ (323.95 → 210.15) and MPAG‐d₃ (517.00 → 306.10) were utilized as internal standards. The calibration curves were linear from 0.00467 to 3.2 μg/mL for MPA/MPAG and from 0.00467 to 0.1 μg/mL for AcMPAG. The assay was validated based on industry standards. p‐Cresol inhibited MPA glucuronidation (IC₅₀ ≈ 55 μm ) and increased MPA concentration (up to >2‐fold) at physiologically relevant substrate‐inhibitor concentrations (n = 3). Our findings suggested that fluctuations in p‐cresol concentrations might be in part responsible for the large pharmacokinetic variability observed for MPA in the clinic.     

Janus Gold Nanostars–Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for NIR-Light-Triggered Drug Delivery

Janus gold nanostar–mesoporous silica nanoparticle ( AuNSt–MSNP ) nanodevices able to release an entrapped payload upon irradiation with near infrared (NIR) light were prepared and characterized. The AuNSt surface was functionalized with a thiolated photolabile molecule ( 5 ), whereas the mesoporous silica face was loaded with a model drug (doxorubicin) and capped with proton-responsive benzimidazole-β-cyclodextrin supramolecular gatekeepers ( N 1 ). Upon irradiation with NIR-light, the photolabile compound 5 photodissociated, resulting in the formation of succinic acid, which induced the opening of the gatekeeper and cargo delivery. In the overall mechanism, the gold surface acts as a photochemical transducer capable of transforming the NIR-light input into a chemical messenger (succinic acid) that opens the supramolecular nanovalve. The prepared hybrid nanoparticles were non-cytotoxic to HeLa cells, until they were irradiated with a NIR laser, which led to intracellular doxorubicin release and hyperthermia. This induced a remarkable reduction in HeLa cells viability.     

Synthesis of boronic acid‐functionalized poly(glycerol‐oligoγ‐butyrolactone): Nano‐networks for efficient electrochemical sensing of biosystems

Despite the outstanding properties of hyperbranched polyglycerols such as biocompatibility and multifunctionality, enough attention has not been paid to the synthesis of their functional copolymers. This problem has limited the structural diversity of hyperbranched polyglycerols and hampers further developments and their practical usage. In this work, butyrolactone segments were incorporated into the backbone of polyglycerols by one‐pot ring‐opening copolymerization of a mixture of glycidol and γ‐butyrolactone in the presence of tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate. Poly(glycerol‐oligoγ‐butyrolactone)s were then crosslinked by 2,5‐thiophenediylbisboronic acid to obtain polymeric nanonetworks with 140 nm average size. Afterwards, the gold electrode was modified by the polymeric nano‐networks, and it was used for the determination of glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and Escherichia coli in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 9.0) through cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopic. Taking advantage of the straightforward synthesis, cheap precursors and multifunctionality of poly(glycerol‐oligoγ‐butyrolactone)s, they could be used for real‐time sensing of a wide range of biosystems. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1430–1439