Luminescent Alendronic Acid-Conjugated Micellar Nanostructures for Potential Application in the Bone-Targeted Delivery of Cholecalciferol.
Federica RizziAnnamaria PannielloRoberto ComparelliIlaria ArduinoElisabetta FanizzaRosa Maria IacobazziMaria Grazia PerroneMarinella StriccoliMaria Lucia CurriAntonio ScilimatiNunzio DenoraNicoletta DepaloPublished in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (2024)
Vitamin D, an essential micronutrient crucial for skeletal integrity and various non-skeletal physiological functions, exhibits limited bioavailability and stability in vivo. This study is focused on the development of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted phospholipid micellar nanostructures co-encapsulating vitamin D3 and conjugated with alendronic acid, aimed at active bone targeting. Furthermore, these nanostructures are rendered optically traceable in the UV-visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum via the simultaneous encapsulation of vitamin D3 with carbon dots, a newly emerging class of fluorescents, biocompatible nanoparticles characterized by their resistance to photobleaching and environmental friendliness, which hold promise for future in vitro bioimaging studies. A systematic investigation is conducted to optimize experimental parameters for the preparation of micellar nanostructures with an average hydrodynamic diameter below 200 nm, ensuring colloidal stability in physiological media while preserving the optical luminescent properties of the encapsulated carbon dots. Comprehensive chemical-physical characterization of these micellar nanostructures is performed employing optical and morphological techniques. Furthermore, their binding affinity for the principal inorganic constituent of bone tissue is assessed through a binding assay with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, indicating significant potential for active bone-targeting. These formulated nanostructures hold promise for novel therapeutic interventions to address skeletal-related complications in cancer affected patients in the future.
Keyphrases
- bone mineral density
- bone regeneration
- end stage renal disease
- soft tissue
- photodynamic therapy
- quantum dots
- bone loss
- high resolution
- physical activity
- chronic kidney disease
- current status
- ejection fraction
- peritoneal dialysis
- big data
- human health
- mental health
- newly diagnosed
- cancer therapy
- body composition
- drug delivery
- postmenopausal women
- sensitive detection
- prognostic factors
- risk factors
- risk assessment
- high speed
- artificial intelligence
- machine learning
- deep learning
- young adults
- transcription factor
- mass spectrometry
- fatty acid
- water soluble
- single molecule
- case control