Preparation and Evaluation of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Loaded Tween 80-Albumin Nanoparticle for Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment

Int J Nanomedicine. 2020 Oct 30:15:8495-8506. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S264025. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious health problem with few available treatment options. Rh-erythropoietin (rh-EPO) is a potential therapeutic drug for TBI, but it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) directly. In this regard, a novel strategy to deliver rh-EPO for enhanced TBI treatment is via the development of Tween 80 modified albumin nanoparticles using electrostatic spray technology.

Methods: The rh-EPO loaded Tween 80 modified albumin nanoparticles (rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs) were prepared by electrostatic spray technology, while the process parameters were optimized via a single factor design. Investigation of physicochemical properties, bioactivity and stability of rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs was carried out. The in vitro release and biocompatibility with nerve cells were also analyzed. The in vivo brain targeting efficiency, brain edema relieving effect and the expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the brain were evaluated in TBI model rats.

Results: The particle size of optimal rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs was about 438 ± 45 nm, with a zeta potential of -25.42 ± 0.8 mv. The average drug loading ratio of rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs was 21.3± 3.7 IU/mg with a relative bioactivity of 91.6 ± 4.1%. The in vitro release of rh-EPO from the nanoparticles was rather slow, while neither the blank Tw-ABNPs nor rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs exhibited toxicity on the microglia cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments indicated that the rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs could enhance the distribution of EPO in the brain and relieve brain edema more effectively. Moreover, compared with an rh-EPO injection, the rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs could increase the AQP4 level but reduced GFAP expression in the brain with more efficiency.

Conclusion: The rh-EPO-Tw-ABNPs could enhance the transport of rh-EPO into the brain with superior therapeutic effect for TBI.

Keywords: Tween 80 modified albumin nanoparticle; electrostatic spray technology; rh-erythropoietin; traumatic brain injury.

MeSH terms

  • Albumins / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Aquaporin 4 / metabolism
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Edema / drug therapy
  • Brain Injuries, Traumatic / drug therapy*
  • Drug Liberation
  • Erythropoietin / pharmacology
  • Erythropoietin / therapeutic use*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Particle Size
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Rheology
  • Static Electricity

Substances

  • Albumins
  • Aquaporin 4
  • EPO protein, human
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Erythropoietin

Grants and funding

This work supported by Nanjing Medical Science and Technology Development Fund Project (YKK17230), Nanjing Young Health Talents Training Project (QRX 17084), Jiangsu University Clinical Medical Science and Technology Development Project (JLY20180213, JLY20180216) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2017M610309, 2019T120403).