Tat-functionalized Ag-Fe_3O_4 nano-composites as tissue-penetrating vehicles for tumor magnetic targeting and drug delivery

In this paper, we prepared a dual functional system based on dextrin-coated silver nanoparticles which were further attached with iron oxide nanoparticles and cell penetrating peptide(Tat), producing Tat-modified Ag-Fe_3O_4 nanocomposites(Tat-FeAgNPs). To load drugs, an –SH containing linker, 3-mercaptopropanohydrazide, was designed and synthesized. It enabled the silver carriers to load and release doxorubicin(Dox) in a pH-sensitive pattern. The delivery efficiency of this system was assessed in vitro using MCF-7 cells, and in vivo using null BalB/c mice bearing MCF-7 xenograft tumors. Our results demonstrated that both Tat and externally applied magnetic field could promote cellular uptake and consequently the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles,with the IC_(50) of Tat-FeAgNP-Dox to be 0.63 mmol/L. The in vivo delivery efficiency of Tat-FeAgNP carrying Cy5 to the mouse tumor was analyzed using the in vivo optical imaging tests, in which TatFeAgNP-Cy5 yielded the most efficient accumulation in the tumor(6.772.4% ID of Tat-FeAgNPs).Anti-tumor assessment also demonstrated that Tat-FeAgNP-Dox displayed the most significant tumor-inhibiting effects and reduced the specific growth rate of tumor by 29.6%(P ? 0.009), which could be attributed to its superior performance in tumor drug delivery in comparison with the control nanovehicles.

Nose-to-brain delivery of macromolecules mediated by cell-penetrating peptides

Brain delivery of macromolecular therapeutics (e.g., proteins) remains an unsolved problem because of the formidable blood brain bather (BBB). Although a direct pathway of nose-to-brain transfer provides an answer to circumventing the BBB and has already been intensively investigated for brain delivery of small drugs, new challenges arise for intranasal delivery of proteins because of their larger size and hydrophilicity. h order to overcome the bathers and take advantage of available pathways (e.g., epithelial tight junctions, uptake by olfactory neurons, transport into brain tissues, and intra-brain diffusion), a low molecular weight protamine (LMWP) cell-penetrating peptide was utilized to facilitate nose-to-brain transport. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) have been widely used to mediate macromolecular delivery through many kinds of biobarriers. Our results show that conjugates of LMWP proteinsare able to effectively penetrate into the brain after intranasal administration. The CPP-based intranasal method highlights a promising solution for protein therapy of brain diseases. (C) 2016 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

Developing macromolecular therapeutics:the future drug-of-choice

Macromolecular drugs including peptides,proteins,antibodies,polysaccharides and nucleic acids have been widely used for therapy of major diseases such as carcinoma and AIDS as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders among other medical conditions.Due to their unmatched properties of high selectivity and efficiency,macromolecular drugs have been recognized as the drug-of-choice of the future.Since worldwide progress on macromolecular therapeutics still remains in the infant stage and is therefore wide open for equalground competition,R&D related to macromolecular drugs should be considered as the main point of focus in China in setting up its strategic plans in pharmaceutical development.In this article,research strategies and drug delivery approaches that should be adopted to enhance the therapeutic effects of macromolecular drugs are reviewed.In addition,comments concerning how to implement such strategies to excel from competition in this challenging research field,such as the design of innovative and highly effective delivery systems of macromolecular drugs with self-owned intellectual property rights,are provided.