Polymeric micelles potentially able to carry to hepatocytes a ribavirin (RBV) prodrug, exploiting the presence of carbohydrate receptors, that is, ASGPR, were prepared starting from a galactosylated polylactide-polyaminoacid conjugate. This latter was obtained by chemical reaction of α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl) (2-aminoethylcarbamate)-dl-aspartamide (PHEA-EDA) with polylactic acid (PLA), and subsequent reaction with lactose, obtaining PHEA-EDA-PLA-GAL copolymer. To enhance the entrapment into obtained nanostructures, a hydrophobic RBV prodrug, that is, RBV tripalmitate, was synthesized and its capability to release RBV in the presence of an adequate enzymatic activity was demonstrated. Liver-targeted RBV tripalmitate-loaded micelles were obtained in aqueous media at low PHEA-EDA-PLA-GAL copolymer concentration value with nanometric size. By in vitro experiments, the specificity of RBV tripalmitate-loaded PHEA-EDA-PLA-GAL micelles toward HepG2 was demonstrated by using a competitive inhibition assay in the presence of free GAL. This finding raises hope in terms of future micelles-based liver-targeted drug delivery strategy for the hepatitis C treatment.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/bm4002409 | DOI Listing |
PLoS Pathog
September 2024
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
A diverse group of RNA viruses have the ability to gain access to the central nervous system (CNS) and cause severe neurological disease. Current treatment for people with this type of infection is generally limited to supportive care. To address the need for reliable antivirals, we utilized a strategy of lethal mutagenesis to limit virus replication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA diverse group of RNA viruses including Rabies, Polio, La Crosse, West Nile, Zika, Nipah, Eastern and Western equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses have the ability to gain access to and replicate in the central nervous system (CNS), causing severe neurological disease. Current treatment for these patients is generally limited to supportive care. To address the need for a generalizable antiviral, we utilized a strategy of mutagenesis to limit virus replication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
September 2022
Department of Clinical Medicine, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
The most commonly used antiviral treatment against hepatitis C virus is a combination of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and ribavirin (RBV), which leads to a shortened duration of therapy and a sustained virologic response until 98%. Nonetheless, several dose-related side effects of RBV could limit its applications. This study aims to measure the urinary concentration of RBV and its main metabolites in order to evaluate the drug metabolism ability of HCV patients and to evaluate the adverse effects, such as anemia, with respect to RBV metabolite levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSemin Liver Dis
February 2014
Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
A key to effective interferon- (IFN-) free therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) with a high barrier to resistance that can act as the backbone to any regimen. Ideally, this agent should also be active against all HCV genotypes, be well tolerated and have few drug interactions. Nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) that inhibit the function of the HCV RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase fit these requirements and thus hold promise as a cornerstone for new IFN-free regimens.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomacromolecules
November 2013
Department of Chemistry and ‡iNano Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
Ribavirin (RBV), a broad-spectrum antiviral agent, is a standard medication against hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, despite the decades of clinical success, the mechanism of action of this drug against HCV remains a subject of debate. Furthermore, the appeal of this therapeutic agent is considerably lessened by unfavorable pharmacokinetics.
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