An intraocular drug delivery system using targeted nanocarriers attenuates retinal ganglion cell degeneration.

ABSTRACT: Glaucoma is a common blinding disease characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). To date, there is no clinically available treatment directly targeting RGCs. We aim to develop an RGC-targeted intraocular drug delivery system using unimolecular micelle nanoparticles (unimNPs) to prevent RGC loss. The unimNPs were formed by single/individual multi-arm star amphiphilic block copolymer poly(amidoamine)-polyvalerolactone-poly(ethylene glycol) (PAMAM-PVL-PEG). While the hydrophobic PAMAM-PVL core can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs, the hydrophilic PEG shell provides excellent water dispersity. We conjugated unimNPs with the cholera toxin B domain (CTB) for RGC-targeting and with Cy5.5 for unimNP-tracing. To exploit RGC-protective sigma-1 receptor (S1R), we loaded unimNPs with an endo

SUBMITTER: Zhao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5323250 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature