Transcytosis and brain uptake of transferrin-containing nanoparticles by tuning avidity to transferrin receptor

Abstract

Receptor-mediated transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may be a useful way to transport therapeutics into the brain. Here we report that transferrin (Tf)-containing gold nanoparticles can reach the brain parenchyma from systemic administration in mice through a receptor-mediated transcytosis pathway. This transport is aided by tuning the nanoparticle avidity to Tf receptor (TfR), which is correlated with nanoparticle size and total amount of Tf decorating the nanoparticle surface. Nanoparticles of both 45 nm and 80 nm diameter reach the brain parenchyma, and their accumulation there (visualized by silver enhancement light microscopy in combination with transmission electron microscopy imaging) is observed to be dependent on Tf content (avidity); nanoparticles with large amounts of Tf remain strongly attached to brain endothelial cells, whereas those with less Tf are capable of both interacting with TfR on the luminal side of the BBB and detaching from TfR on the brain side of the BBB. The requirement of proper avidity for nanoparticles to reach the brain parenchyma is consistent with recent behavior observed with transcytosing antibodies that bind to TfR.E ffective delivery of therapeutics to the brain has remained elusive owing to many factors, including inadequate transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Numerous multidisciplinary-based strategies for transporting therapeutic agents from the blood into the brain have been proposed (1), including the use of receptor-mediated transcytosis. Recently, Yu et al. (2) reported increased accumulation of antibodies to transferrin (Tf) receptor (TfR) in the brain parenchyma when the antibody affinity was reduced. In that work, antibodies with high TfR affinity bound strongly to and remained associated with TfRs in the BBB, whereas antibodies with lower TfR affinity allowed for their detachment from TfRs and subsequent release into the brain parenchyma. These results are consistent with a previous report of a low-affinity (nearly identical to Tf-TfR interaction strength) antibody that significantly accumulated in the brain parenchyma (3).Targeted nanoparticles are finding applications for the delivery of a wide variety of therapeutic agents, and several have already reached the clinical testing stage in humans (4, 5). For example, in a Phase I clinical trial, a Tf-containing nanoparticle was used to deliver siRNA to cancer patients and shown to deliver functional siRNA to melanoma tumors in a dose-dependent manner (6). The results demonstrate that Tf-containing nanoparticles can be administered safely to humans.It is well known that the avidity and receptor selectivity of targeted nanoparticles can be tuned by the choice of targeting ligand and its number density; multivalent nanoparticles can engage multiple cell surface receptors simultaneously (7,8). When an individual targeting ligand is conjugated to a nanoparticle, the affinity of the ligand to the receptor is reduced. However, if the receptor density is such that multiple targeting ligands on...

Central nervous system toxicity of metallic nanoparticles

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‘Stealth’ nanoparticles evade neural immune cells but also evade major brain cell populations: Implications for PEG-based neurotherapeutics

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Acute and Chronic Neural Stimulation via Mechano-Sensitive Ion Channels

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