Therapeutic activity and biodistribution of a nano-sized polymer-dexamethasone conjugate intended for the targeted treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease caused by alteration of the immune system. Current therapies have several limitations and the use of nanomedicines represents a promising strategy to overcome them. By employing a mouse model of adjuvant induced arthritis, we aimed to evaluate the biodistribution and therapeutic effects of glucocorticoid dexamethasone conjugated to a nanocarrier based on biocompatible N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide copolymers. We observed an increased accumulation of dexamethasone polymer nanomedicines in the arthritic mouse paw using non-invasive fluorescent in vivo imaging and confirmed it by the analysis of tissue homogenates. The dexamethasone conjugate exhibited a dose-dependent healing effect on arthritis and an improved therapeutic outcome compared to free dexamethasone. Particularly, significant reduction of accumulation of RA mediator RANKL was observed. Overall, our data suggest that the conjugation of dexamethasone to a polymer nanocarrier by means of stimuli-sensitive spacer is suitable strategy for improving rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

Dexamethasone nanomedicines with optimized drug release kinetics tailored for treatment of site-specific rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases.

The application of polymer-based drug delivery systems is advantageous for improved pharmacokinetics, controlled drug release, and decreased side effects of therapeutics for inflammatory disease. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of linear N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide-based polymer conjugates designed for controlled release of the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone through pH-sensitive bonds. The tailored release rates were achieved by modifying DEX with four oxo-acids introducing reactive oxo groups to the DEX derivatives. Refinement of reaction conditions yielded four well-defined polymer conjugates with varied release profiles which were more pronounced at the lower pH in cell lysosomes. In vitro evaluations in murine peritoneal macrophages, human synovial fibroblasts, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells demonstrated that neither drug derivatization nor polymer conjugation affected cytotoxicity or anti-inflammatory properties. Subsequent in vivo tests using a murine arthritis model validated the superior anti-inflammatory efficacy of the prepared DEX-bearing conjugates with lower release rates. These nanomedicines showed much higher therapeutic activity compared to the faster release systems or DEX itself.

Using surface plasmon resonance, capillary electrophoresis and diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy to study drug release kinetics.

Nanomedicines, including polymer nanocarriers with controlled drug release, are considered next-generation therapeutics with advanced therapeutic properties and reduced side effects. To develop safe and efficient nanomedicines, it is crucial to precisely determine the drug release kinetics. Herein, we present application of analytical methods, i.e., surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology (SPR), capillary electrophoresis, and 1H diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which were innovatively applied for drug release determination. The methods were optimised to quantify the pH-triggered release of three structurally different drugs from a polymer carrier. The suitability of these methods for drug release characterisation was evaluated and compared using several parameters including applicability for diverse samples, the biological relevance of the experimental setup, method complexity, and the analysis outcome. The SPR method was the most universal method for the evaluation of diverse drug molecule release allowing continuous observation in the flow-through setting and requiring a small amount of sample.

Polymer Nanomedicines with Ph-Sensitive Release of Dexamethasone for the Localized Treatment of Inflammation.

Polymer-drug conjugates have several advantages in controlled drug delivery to inflammation as they can accumulate and release the drug in inflamed tissues or cells, which could circumvent the shortcomings of current therapy. To improve the therapeutic potential of polymer-drug conjugates in joint inflammation, we synthesized polymer conjugates based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide) copolymers labeled with a near-infrared fluorescent dye and covalently linked to the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone (DEX). The drug was bound to the polymer via a spacer enabling pH-sensitive drug release in conditions mimicking the environment inside inflammation-related cells. An in vivo murine model of adjuvant-induced arthritis was used to confirm the accumulation of polymer conjugates in arthritic joints, which occurred rapidly after conjugate application and remained until the end of the experiment. Several tested dosage schemes of polymer DEX-OPB conjugate showed superior anti-inflammatory efficacy. The highest therapeutic effect was obtained by repeated i.p. application of polymer conjugate (3 × 1 mg/kg of DEX eq.), which led to a reduction in the severity of inflammation in the ankle by more than 90%, compared to 40% in mice treated with free DEX.

HPMA-based star polymer biomaterials with tuneable structure and biodegradability tailored for advanced drug delivery to solid tumours.

Design, controlled synthesis, physico-chemical and biological characteristics of novel well-defined biodegradable star-shaped copolymers intended for advanced drug delivery is described. These new biocompatible star copolymers were synthesised by grafting monodispersed semitelechelic linear (sL) N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymers onto a 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (bisMPA)-based polyester dendritic core of various structures. The hydrodynamic diameter of the star copolymer biomaterials can be tuned from 13 to 31 nm and could be adjusted to a given purpose by proper selection of the bisMPA dendritic core type and generation and by considering the sL copolymer molecular weight and polymer-to-core molar ratio. The hydrolytic degradation was proved for both the star copolymers containing either dendron or dendrimer core, showing the spontaneous hydrolysis in duration of few weeks. Finally, it was shown that the therapy with the biodegradable star conjugate with attached doxorubicin strongly suppresses the tumour growth in mice and is fully curative in most of the treated animals at dose corresponding approximately to one fourth of maximum tolerated dose (MTD) value. Both new biodegradable systems show superior efficacy and tumour accumulation over the first generation of star copolymers containing non-degradable PAMAM core.

Fluorographene Modified by Grignard Reagents: A Broad Range of Functional Nanomaterials.

Fluorographene is the youngest stoichiometric derivative of graphene; hence, its reactivity is only poorly explored. Compared to graphene, the significantly higher reactivity of C-F bonds makes this material a suitable platform for a large number of chemical modifications. Fluorographene is also the only member of the halographene family that can be prepared in the stoichiometric composition (C1 F1 ). Herein, the chemical modification of fluorographene with Grignard reagents, which are well known in organic synthesis for the formation of new C-C bonds, is presented. The reaction with alkyl magnesium bromides led to successful modification of fluorographene with ethyl, vinyl, ethynyl and propargyl groups. Chemical characterisation showed the presence of covalently bonded functional groups in a high concentration exceeding one functional group per C6 motif. The reactivity of Grignard reagents with fluorographene decreased from ethyl to ethynyl. The terminal carbon-carbon triple bonds were used for click reactions with organic azides leading to the formation of triazole rings. These findings open up a broad spectrum of opportunities for simple and robust modification of graphene by chemical reactions proceeding at room temperature under mild conditions. These results have major application potential in sensing, biomedical and energy-related applications.

Partially Hydrogenated Graphene Materials Exhibit High Electrocatalytic Activities Related to Unintentional Doping with Metallic Impurities.

Partially hydrogenated graphene materials, synthesized by the chemical reduction/hydrogenation of two different graphene oxides using zinc powder in acidic environment or aluminum powder in alkaline environment, exhibit high electrocatalytic activities, as well as electrochemical sensing properties. The starting graphene oxides and the resultant hydrogenated graphenes were characterized in detail. Their electrocatalytic activity was examined in the oxygen reduction reaction, whereas sensing properties towards explosives were tested by using picric acid as a redox probe. Findings indicate that the high electrocatalytic performance originates not only from the hydrogenation of graphene, but also from unintentional contamination of graphene with manganese and other metals during synthesis. A careful evaluation of the obtained data and a detailed chemical analysis are necessary to identify the origin of this anomalous electrocatalytic activity.

Definitive proof of graphene hydrogenation by Clemmensen reduction: use of deuterium labeling.

Graphane is one of the most intensively studied derivatives of graphene. Here we demonstrate the evaluation of exact degree of graphene hydrogenation using the Clemmensen reduction reaction and deuterium labeling. The Clemmensen reduction reaction is based on application of zinc in an acid environment. It effectively reduces various functional groups (like ketones) present in graphite oxide. However, the mechanism of reduction is still unknown and elusive. Here we bring a major insight into the mechanisms of the Clemmensen reduction via deuterium labeling and the topochemical approach applied on graphite oxide. The use of deuterated reactants and the exact measurement of deuterium concentration in reduced/hydrogenated graphene by nuclear methods can be used for accurate estimation of C-H bond abundance in graphene. Various topochemical configurations of experiments showed that the reduction of a ketonic group proceeds in contact with the zinc metal by a carbenoid mechanism. Our results showed that the application of nuclear methods of isotope analysis in combination with deuterium labeling represents a very effective tool for investigation of graphene based materials. Our results demonstrate that graphene based materials can also be effectively used for the investigation of organic reaction mechanisms, because the robust structure of graphene allows the use of various spectroscopic techniques which could not be applied on small organic molecules.