mPEG-PLGA from PolySciTech used in development of peptide-loaded nanoparticles to treat bone-disease

Normal human bone is in a constant state of growth and remodeling by a balance between osteoblasts (which grow new bone) and osteoclasts (which remove old bone). Several bone-diseases (osteoporosis and others) involve an imbalance in these processes where bone is resorbed in an unhealthy manner. Recently, researchers at University of Maryland used mPEG-PLGA (AK010) from PolySciTech (www.polyscitech.com) to create nanoparticles loaded with a newly developed peptide-based medicine that reduces bone resorption process. This research holds promise to provide for improved therapies against a variety of diseases which attack bone. Read more: Sunipa Majumdar, Aniket S. Wadajkar, Hanan Aljohani, Mark A. Reynolds, Anthony J. Kim, and Meenakshi Chellaiah “Engineering of L-Plastin Peptide-Loaded Biodegradable Nanoparticles for Sustained Delivery and Suppression of Osteoclast Function In Vitro” International Journal of Cell Biology Volume 2019, Article ID 6943986, 13 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/6943986

“Abstract: We have recently demonstrated that a small molecular weight amino-terminal peptide of L-plastin (10 amino acids; “MARGSVSDEE”) suppressed the phosphorylation of endogenous L-plastin. Therefore, the formation of nascent sealing zones (NSZs) and bone resorption are reduced. The aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable and biocompatible PLGA nanocarrier that could be loaded with the L-plastin peptide of interest and determine the efficacy in vitro in osteoclast cultures. L-plastin MARGSVSDEE (P1) and scrambled control (P3) peptide-loaded PLGA-PEG nanoparticles (NP1 and NP3, respectively) were synthesized by double emulsion technique. The biological effect of nanoparticles on osteoclasts was evaluated by immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, rhodamine-phalloidin staining of actin filaments, and pit forming assays. Physical characterization of well-dispersed NP1 and NP3 demonstrated ~130-150 nm size, < 0.07 polydispersity index, ~-3 mV ζ-potential, and a sustained release of the peptide for three weeks. Biological characterization in osteoclast cultures demonstrated the following: NP1 significantly reduced (a) endogenous L-plastin phosphorylation; (b) formation of NSZs and sealing rings; (c) resorption. However, the assembly of podosomes which are critical for cell adhesion was not affected. L-plastin peptide-loaded PLGA-PEG nanocarriers have promising potential for the treatment of diseases associated with bone loss. Future studies will use this sustained release of peptide strategy to systematically suppress osteoclast bone resorption activity in vivo in mouse models demonstrating bone loss.”

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