A pharmaceutical study of doxorubicin-loaded PEGylated nanoparticles for magnetic drug targeting.

One of the new strategies to improve cancer chemotherapy is based on new drug delivery systems, like the polyethylene glycol-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (PEG-SPION, thereafter called PS). In this study, PS are loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) anticancer drug, using a pre-formed DOX-Fe(2+) complex reversible at lower pH of tumour tissues and cancer cells. The DOX loaded PS (DLPS, 3% w/w DOX/iron oxide) present a hydrodynamic size around 60nm and a zeta potential near zero at physiological pH, both parameters being favourable for increased colloidal stability in biological media and decreased elimination by the immune system. At physiological pH of 7.4, 60% of the loaded drug is gradually released from the DLPS in ∼2h. The intracellular release and distribution of DOX is followed by means of confocal spectral imaging (CSI) of the drug fluorescence. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the DLPS on MCF-7 breast cancer cells is equivalent to that of a DOX solution. The reversible association of DOX to the SPION surface and the role of polymer coating on the drug loading/release are discussed, both being critical for the design of novel stealth magnetic nanovectors for chemotherapy.

Novel method of doxorubicin-SPION reversible association for magnetic drug targeting.

A new method of reversible association of doxorubicin (DOX) to superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) is developed for magnetically targeted chemotherapy. The efficacy of this approach is evaluated in terms of drug loading, delivery kinetics and cytotoxicity in vitro. Aqueous suspensions of SPION (ferrofluids) were prepared by coprecipitation of ferric and ferrous chlorides in alkaline medium followed by surface oxidation by ferric nitrate and surface treatment with citrate ions. The ferrofluids were loaded with DOX using a pre-formed DOX-Fe(2+) complex. The resulting drug loading was as high as 14% (w/w). This value exceeds the maximal loading known from literature up today. The release of DOX from the nanoparticles is strongly pH-dependent: at pH 7.4 the amount of drug released attains a plateau of approximately 85% after 1h, whereas at pH 4.0 the release is almost immediate. At both pH, the released drug is iron-free. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the DOX-loaded SPION on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line is similar to that of DOX in solution or even higher, at low-drug concentrations. The present study demonstrates the potential of the novel method of pH-sensitive DOX-SPION association to design novel magnetic nanovectors for chemotherapy.

The development of stable aqueous suspensions of PEGylated SPIONs for biomedical applications.

We report here the development of stable aqueous suspensions of biocompatible superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). These so-called ferrofluids are useful in a large spectrum of modern biomedical applications, including novel diagnostic tools and targeted therapeutics. In order to provide prolonged circulation times for the nanoparticles in vivo, the initial iron oxide nanoparticles were coated with a biocompatible polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). To permit covalent bonding of PEG to the SPION surface, the latter was functionalized with a coupling agent, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS). This novel method of SPION PEGylation has been reproduced in numerous independent preparations. At each preparation step, particular attention was paid to determine the physico-chemical characteristics of the samples using a number of analytical techniques such as atomic absorption, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS, used for hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential measurements) and magnetization measurements. The results confirm that aqueous suspensions of PEGylated SPIONs are stabilized by steric hindrance over a wide pH range between pH 4 and 10. Furthermore, the fact that the nanoparticle surface is nearly neutral is in agreement with immunological stealthiness expected for the future biomedical applications in vivo.

Comparative study of doxorubicin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles prepared by single and double emulsion methods.

This study describes how the control of doxorubicin (DOX) polarity allows to encapsulate it inside poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles formulated either by a single oil-in-water (O/W) or a double water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsification method (SE and DE, respectively). DOX is commercially available as a water soluble hydrochloride salt, which is useful for DE. The main difficulty related to DE approach is that the low affinity of hydrophilic drugs to the polymer limits entrapment efficiency. Compared to DE method, SE protocol is easier and should provide an additional gain in entrapment efficiency. To be encapsulated by SE technique, DOX should be used in a more lipophilic molecular form. We evaluated the lipophilicity of DOX in terms of apparent partition coefficient (P) and modulated it by adjusting the pH of the aqueous phase. The highest P values were obtained at pH ranging from 8.6 to 9, i. e. between two DOX pK(a) values (8.2 and 9.6). The conditions favorable for the drug lipophilicity were then used to formulate DOX-loaded PLGA nanoparticles by SE method. DOX encapsulation efficiency as well as release profiles were evaluated for these nanoparticles and compared to those with nanoparticles formulated by DE. Our results indicate that the encapsulation of DOX in nanoparticles formulated by SE provides an increased drug entrapment efficiency and decreases the burst effect.

Development and characterization of sub-micron poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) particles loaded with magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to develop biodegradable sub-micron poly(lactide-co-glycolide) particles loaded with magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles for intravenous drug targeting. METHOD: Sub-micron magnetite/PLGA particles (also called composite nanoparticles) were prepared by a modified double emulsion method (w/o/w) or by an emulsion-evaporation process (o/w). To optimize the composite nanoparticles formulation, the influence of some experimental parameters, such as types of magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles, volume of magnetite suspension and amount of polymer were investigated. The morphology, size and zeta potential of the magnetite/PLGA nanoparticles were determined. The magnetite entrapment efficiency and magnetite content were assessed by dosing iron in the composite nanoparticles. RESULTS: TEM photomicrographs showed that the composite nanoparticles were almost spherical in shape with a rather monomodal distribution in size. All composite nanoparticle formulations were found to have the mean diameter within the range of 268-327 nm with polydispersity index within the range of 0.02-0.15. Magnetite nanoparticles coated with oleic acid showed more efficient entrapment (60%) as compared to uncoated magnetite nanoparticles (48%). In both cases, when the volume of magnetite suspension increased, the magnetite entrapment efficiency decreased but the magnetite content increased. In addition, the two-fold rise in the amount of polymer did not significantly affect the composite nanoparticle characteristics except the magnetite content. Finally, none modification of the mean diameter of the composite nanoparticles was observed after storage for 3 months at 4 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetite/PLGA nanoparticles were prepared and the influence of some process parameters have been assessed. Improvement of the magnetite entrapment efficiency are in progress and the magnetization properties of the composite nanoparticles will subsequently be tested.

Dopamine D4 receptors: a new opportunity for research on schizophrenia.

Classically, the D2 receptors formed the core of the dopamine hypothesis for schizophrenia. Recently, the dopamine D4 receptors have received particular attention in this context. This is due to the atypical antipsychotic, clozapine, which is effective in treating refractory schizophrenics without the side-effect profile of typical neuroleptics, and displays a ten-fold higher affinity for D4 compared to D2 or D3 receptors. Following various reports presenting the interest of D4 receptors in treating schizophrenia, multiple chemical developments were made. During the last five years, various structures were described with a high selectivity for D4 receptor subtype. Currently, although the first clinical report was very disappointing, the observation which support the idea that D4 might serve as a target for clozapine have significantly modified and extended the understanding of mechanism underlying atypical antipsychotic treatment of schizophrenia.

Regulation of retinoidal actions by diazepinylbenzoic acids. Retinoid synergists which activate the RXR-RAR heterodimers.

In human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells, diazepinylbenzoic acid derivatives can exhibit either antagonistic or synergistic effects on the differentiation-inducing activities of natural or synthetic retinoids, the activity depending largely on the nature of the substituents on the diazepine ring. Thus, a benzolog of the retinoid antagonist LE135 (6), 4-(13H-10,11,12,13-tetrahydro-10, 10,13,13,15-pentamethyldinaphtho[2,3-b][1,2-e]diazepin-7-yl) benzoic acid (LE540, 17), exhibits a 1 order of magnitude higher antagonistic potential than the parental LE135 (6). In contrast, 4-[5H-2,3-(2,5-dimethyl-2,5-hexano)-5-methyldibenzo[b,e] [1,4]diazepin-11-yl]-benzoic acid (HX600, 7), a structural isomer of the antagonistic LE135 (6), enhanced HL-60 cell differentiation induced by RAR agonists, such as Am80 (2). This synergistic effect was further increased for a thiazepine, HX630 (29), and an azepine derivative, HX640 (30); both synergized with Am80 (2) more potently than HX600 (7). Notably, the negative and positive effects of the azepine derivatives on retinoidal actions can be related to their RAR-antagonistic and RXR-agonistic properties, respectively, in the context of the RAR-RXR heterodimer.

Synthesis and biological activity of carboxyphenylquinolines and related compounds as new potent retinoids. Retinobenzoic acids. VII.

A series of new quinoline, quinolone, and quinazolinedione derivatives was synthesized and tested for retinoid activity in the human promyelocytic cell line HL-60 differentiation assay. All the quinoline compounds exhibited significant activity, depending on the substituent on the heterocycle. However, the quinolone and quinazolinedione derivatives were poor inducers of the differentiation of the HL-60 cells, the activity depending strongly on the polarity of the molecule.

Retinobenzoic acids. 6. Retinoid antagonists with a heterocyclic ring.

Several candidate retinoid antagonists were designed on the basis of the ligand superfamily concept and synthesized. Retinoidal activities of these benzimidazole and benzodiazepine derivatives were examined by assay of differentiation-inducing activity on human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. The parent benzimidazole derivative, 4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8- tetramethylnaphth-[2,3-d]imidazol-2-yl)benzoic acid (7a), and related compounds with a small alkyl group instead of the hydrogen on the nitrogen (1N) atom of the imidazole ring exhibited retinoidal activity, and the potency strongly depended on the bulkiness of the substituent. The compounds having a phenyl or benzyl group on the nitrogen lacked differentiation-inducing activity on HL-60 cells and acted as antagonists to the potent retinoid 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8- tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid (Am80). Among the compounds possessing a seven-membered heterocyclic ring as a linking group, 4-(5H-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-5,7,7,10,10- pentamethylbenzo[e]- naphtho[2,3-b][1,4]diazepin-13-yl)benzoic acid (16) also exhibited the antagonistic activity. The binding abilities of these compounds to retinoic acid receptors alpha and beta were consistent with their potency for the inhibition of HL-60 cell differentiation induced by the retinoid Am80.