Dexamethasone-Loaded Lipid Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Treat Experimental Colitis by Regulating Macrophage Polarization in Inflammatory Sites

Int J Nanomedicine. 2024 Jan 27:19:993-1016. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S442369. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: The M1/M2 polarization of intestinal macrophages exerts an essential function in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC), which can be adjusted to alleviate the UC symptoms.

Purpose: A kind of pH-sensitive lipid calcium phosphate core-shell nanoparticles (NPs), co-loading with dexamethasone (Dex) and its water-soluble salts, dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dsp), was constructed to comprehensively regulate macrophages in different states towards the M2 phenotype to promote anti-inflammatory effects.

Methods: Dex and Dsp were loaded in the outer lipid shell and inner lipid calcium phosphate (Cap) core of the LdCaPd NPs, respectively. Then, the morphology of NPs and methods for determining drug concentration were investigated, followed by in vitro protein adsorption, stability, and release tests. Cell experiments evaluated the cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and macrophage polarization induction ability of NPs. The in vivo distribution and anti-inflammatory effect of NPs were evaluated through a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced BALB/c mice ulcerative colitis model.

Results: The LdCaPd NPs showed a particle size of about 200 nm and achieved considerable loading amounts of Dex and Dsp. The in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that in the acidic UC microenvironment, the cationic lipid shell of LdCaPd underwent protonated dissociation to release Dex first for creating a microenvironment conducive to M2 polarization. Then, the exposed CaP core was further engulfed by M1 macrophages to release Dsp to restrict the pro-inflammatory cytokines production by inhibiting the activation and function of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) through activating the GC receptor and the NF kappa B inhibitor α (I-κBα), respectively, ultimately reversing the M1 polarization to promote the anti-inflammatory therapy.

Conclusion: The LdCaPd NPs accomplished the sequential release of Dex and Dsp to the UC site and the inflammatory M1 macrophages at this site, promoting the regulation of macrophage polarization to accelerate the remission of UC symptoms.

Keywords: calcium phosphate; colon targeted delivery system; dexamethasone; macrophage polarization; ulcerative colitis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Calcium Phosphates / pharmacology
  • Colitis* / chemically induced
  • Colitis* / drug therapy
  • Colitis, Ulcerative* / chemically induced
  • Colitis, Ulcerative* / drug therapy
  • Colitis, Ulcerative* / pathology
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology
  • Dexamethasone / therapeutic use
  • Lipids / adverse effects
  • Macrophages
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Dexamethasone
  • Calcium Phosphates
  • Lipids

Grants and funding

This work was supported financially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81973253), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2021M702633), the Key R&D Program Project for Shaanxi Province (No. 2022SF-081, 2020SF-218), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. xzy012023097).