Published in

MDPI, Pharmaceutics, 11(14), p. 2297, 2022

DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112297

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Pulmonary Safety Profile of Esc Peptides and Esc-Peptide-Loaded Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoparticles: A Promising Therapeutic Approach for Local Treatment of Lung Infectious Diseases

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

In recent years, we have discovered Esc(1-21) and its diastereomer (Esc peptides) as valuable candidates for the treatment of Pseudomonas lung infection, especially in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Furthermore, engineered poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were revealed to be a promising pulmonary delivery system of antimicrobial peptides. However, the “ad hoc” development of novel therapeutics requires consideration of their stability, tolerability, and safety. Hence, by means of electrophysiology experiments and preclinical studies on healthy mice, we demonstrated that neither Esc peptides or Esc-peptide-loaded PLGA NPs significantly affect the integrity of the lung epithelium, nor change the global gene expression profile of lungs of treated animals compared to those of vehicle-treated animals. Noteworthy, the Esc diastereomer endowed with the highest antimicrobial activity did not provoke any pulmonary pro-inflammatory response, even at a concentration 15-fold higher than the efficacy dosage 24 h after administration in the free or encapsulated form. The therapeutic index was ≥70, and the peptide was found to remain available in the bronchoalveolar lavage of mice, after two days of incubation. Overall, these studies should open an avenue for a new up-and-coming pharmacological approach, likely based on inhalable peptide-loaded NPs, to address CF lung disease.