Redox nanoparticles: synthesis, properties and perspectives of use for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Oxidative stress (OS) and nitrative stress (NS) accompany many diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Antioxidants have been proposed to counteract OS/NS in these diseases. Nevertheless, the effects of antioxidants are limited and new, more efficient antioxidants are searched for. Redox-active nanoparticles (RNPs), containing antioxidants create a new therapeutical perspective. This review examines the recent literature describing synthesis and potential applications of cerium oxide RNPs, boron cluster-containing and silica containing RNPs, Gd3N@C80 encapsulated RNPs, and concentrates on nitroxide-containing RNPs. Nitroxides are promising antioxidants, preventing inter alia glycation and nitration, but their application poses several problems. It can be expected that application of RNPs containing covalently bound nitroxides, showing low toxicity and able to penetrate the blood–brain barrier will be more efficient in the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, in particular AD and PD basing on their effects in cellular and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.

Nitroxide Radical-Containing Redox Nanoparticles Protect Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells against 6-Hydroxydopamine Toxicity

“…Oxidative stress inevitably accompanies PD. The employment of antioxidants in this disease has been proposed to ameliorate OS and its consequences [50][51][52][53][54]. Nevertheless, the effects of antioxidants, among them natural components of the diet are limited and new, more efficient antioxidants are searched for.…”

“…Nitroxides and NRPNs are able to oxidize Fe 2+ ions, eliminating their activity in free radical reactions, and this effect may also contribute to their protective action. Thus, nitroxide radical-containing redox nanoparticles are effective compounds for the protection of neuronal cells against the 6-OHDA-induced damage, and as they are more stable in vivo and less prone to reduction than free nitroxides [40,54], they could be promising as agents inhibiting the neuronal damage in PD.…”

Ophthalmic Applications of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

“…For this reason, CeO 2 -NPs were tested in vitro and in vivo to study their neuroprotective efficacy. 5 Oxidative stress is also involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes 6 ; therefore CeO 2 -NPs were effective in reducing the hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage in vivo. 7 Furthermore, another interesting aspect is the applicability of nanoceria particles as antibacterial.…”

The Antiaggregative and Antiamyloidogenic Properties of Nanoparticles: A Promising Tool for the Treatment and Diagnostics of Neurodegenerative Diseases

“…Nanoparticles loaded with synthetic antioxidants can also serve as antiaggregative agents. Nitroxides exhibited better efficacy in prevention of nitration reactions and were more reactive than natural antioxidant, vitamin E [ 59 ]. It has been established that nitroxide-containing redox NPs are able to alleviate typical aspects of neurodegenerative diseases, namely, protect cells against oxidative stress, improve mitochondrial function, and inhibit A β aggregation [ 60 , 61 ].…”