Permeability, anti-inflammatory and anti-VEGF profiles of steroidal-loaded cationic nanoemulsions in retinal pigment epithelial cells under oxidative stress

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Fernandes, AR (Author) Other; dos Santos, T (Author) Other; Granja, PL (Author) Other; Sanchez Lopez, E (Author) Other; Garcia, ML (Author) Other; Silva, AM (Author) Other; Souto, EB (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: International Journal of Pharmaceutics

Vol. 617

ISSN: 0378-5173

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

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Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00W-6JR

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.121615

Abstract (EN): Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is defined as a degenerative, progressive and multifactorial disorder that affects the macula with a complex etiology. The retinal pigment epithelium is a monolayer of cells that has the function to separate the surface of the choroid from the neural retina that is involved in the signal transduction leading to vision. The blood-aqueous barrier and the blood retinal barrier limit the permeation of drugs into the retina and thereby reducing their efficacy. Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is widely used as antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory drug that promotes the inhibition of the inflammatory processes. The factors that stimulate or inhibit angiogenesis in AMD create a local balance that is responsible for the growth of sub-retinal neovascularization. In AMD, the main angiogenic stimulus is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this work, nanoemulsions with cationic surfactants (mono- and dicationic DABCO and quinuclidine) were produced to deliver TA, and were found to reduce the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), which stimulates the choroidal neovascularization development by upregulating the VEGF production, and consequently decreased the VEGF levels. Our results support the potential use of mono- and dicationic DABCO and quinuclidine-based cationic nanoemulsions for the delivery of TA in the treatment of AMD.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11