Therapeutic Efficacy of Curcumin Enhanced by Microscale Discoidal Polymeric Particles in a Murine Asthma Model.

Curcumin is considered a potential anti-asthmatic agent owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of the present study was to prepare curcumin-containing poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based microscale discoidal polymeric particles (Cur-PLGA-DPPs) and evaluate their anti-asthmatic properties using a murine asthma model. Cur-PLGA-DPPs were prepared using a top-down fabrication method. The prepared Cur-PLGA-DPPs had a mean particle size of 2.5 ± 0.4 µm and a zeta potential value of -34.6 ± 4.8 mV. Ex vivo biodistribution results showed that the Cur-PLGA-DPPs mainly accumulated in the lungs and liver after intravenous injection. Treatment with Cur-PLGA-DPPs effectively suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and reduced bronchial wall thickening and goblet-cell hyperplasia compared to those in the phosphate-buffered-saline-treated control group. No significant changes in hematology and blood biochemistry parameters were observed after treatment with Cur-PLGA-DPPs. At equal curcumin concentrations, treatment with Cur-PLGA-DPPs exhibited better therapeutic efficacy than treatment with free curcumin. Our results suggest that the microscale Cur-PLGA-DPPs can be potentially used as a lung-targeted asthma therapy.

Dengue Virus-Polymersome Hybrid Nanovesicles for Advanced Drug Screening Using Real-Time Single Nanoparticle-Virus Tracking.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a major infectious viral pathogen that affects millions of individuals worldwide every year, causing a potentially fatal syndrome, while no commercial antiviral drugs are yet available. To develop an antiviral against dengue fever, it is necessary to understand the relationship between DENV and host cells, which could provide a basis for viral dynamics and identification of inhibitory drug targets. In this study, we designed DiD-loaded and BODIPY-ceramide-encapsulated DENV-polymersome hybrid nanovesicles (DENVSomes) prepared by an extrusion method, which trigger red fluorescence in the endosome and green in the Golgi. DENVSome monitors the dynamics of host cell-virus interaction and tracking in living cells with novel state-of-the-art imaging technologies that show images at high resolution. Also, DENVSome can be exploited to screen whether candidate antiviral drugs interact with DENVs. Consequently, we successfully demonstrated that DENVSome is an efficient tool for tracking and unraveling the mechanisms of replication and drug screening for antiviral drugs of DENV.

Cationic Poly(Amino Acid) Vaccine Adjuvant for Promoting Both Cell-Mediated and Humoral Immunity Against Influenza Virus.

Powerful adjuvants to augment vaccine efficacy with a less immunogenic vaccine system are in great demand. In this study, a novel squalene-based cationic poly(amino acid) adjuvant (CASq) that elicits both cellular (Th1) and humoral (Th2) immune responses is developed. CASq is demonstrated to promote cellular uptake of viral antigen and stimulate macrophages, leading to active production of interleukin-12. Furthermore, co-administration of inactivated pdm H1N1 vaccine with CASq significantly increases the generation of antigen-specific antibodies and T cell immune responses in mice, as well as resulting in complete prevention of disease symptoms and protection against lethal infection.