Hyaluronic acid-coated polypeptide nanogel enhances specific distribution and therapy of tacrolimus in rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and complex immune cell interactions, leading to joint destruction. Traditional treatments are often limited by off-target effects and systemic toxicity. This study introduces a novel therapeutic approach using hyaluronic acid (HA)-conjugated, redox-responsive polyamino acid nanogels (HA-NG) to deliver tacrolimus (TAC) specifically to inflamed joints. The nanogels' disulfide bonds enable controlled TAC release in response to high intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels in activated macrophages, prevalent in RA-affected tissues. In vitro results demonstrated that HA-NG/TAC significantly reduced TAC toxicity to normal macrophages and showed high biocompatibility. In vivo, HA-NG/TAC accumulated more in inflamed joints c

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11378632 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature