Therapy of spinal cord injury by folic acid polyethylene glycol amine-modiﬁed zeolitic imidazole framework-8 nanoparticles targeted activated M/Ms

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2022 · DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.959324 · Published: September 15, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Immunology Biomedical

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) can cause motor and sensory dysfunction, which can be exacerbated by inflammation. This study explores a new treatment using nanoparticles to reduce inflammation and promote recovery after SCI. The researchers created nanoparticles called FA-PEG/ZIF-8, which are designed to target and eliminate pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages (M/Ms) in the injured spinal cord. This is important because these immune cells contribute to inflammation and hinder tissue repair. The study found that FA-PEG/ZIF-8 treatment reduced inflammation in the injured area and showed little toxicity in mice with SCI, suggesting it has the potential to help recover from early-stage SCI by suppressing pro-inflammatory M/Ms.

Study Duration

4 Weeks

Participants

Male C57BL/6 mice (6–8 weeks old, 22–30 g)

Evidence Level

Original Research

Key Findings

1
FA-PEG/ZIF-8 treatment significantly eliminated pro-inflammatory M/Ms in vivo without targeting other nerve cells and downregulated inflammation in the injured lesion.
2
FA-PEG/ZIF-8 administration to LPS-induced M/Ms at proper concentrations induced ROS generation and apoptosis
3
The proper concentrations of FA-PEG/ZIF-8 were beneﬁcial to the SCI mice for the long-term in vivo experiment.

Research Summary

The study successfully fabricated FA-PEG/ZIF-8 nanoparticles, demonstrating their potential to restore function in vivo by selectively eliminating pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages (M/Ms) without harming other nerve cells. Results indicated that FA-PEG/ZIF-8 treatment significantly reduced inflammation in the injured spinal cord lesion and caused minimal toxicity in SCI mice compared to normal mice. The findings suggest that FA-PEG/ZIF-8 holds promise as a therapeutic agent for early-stage SCI by targeting and suppressing pro-inflammatory M/Ms, offering a novel approach for spinal cord injury treatment.

Practical Implications

Targeted SCI Therapy

FA-PEG/ZIF-8 nanoparticles can be used as a targeted therapy to reduce inflammation and promote recovery after spinal cord injury.

Novel Nanomaterial Platform

FA-PEG/ZIF-8 serves as a novel nanomaterial platform for targeted treatment of M/Ms during SCI recovery, which can be applied to other M/Ms-related diseases.

Reduced Side Effects

FA-PEG/ZIF-8 shows little toxicity in SCI mice, offering a safer alternative to traditional anti-inflammatory drugs that have side effects such as nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity.

Study Limitations

1
The study focuses on early-stage SCI and does not explore the long-term effects of FA-PEG/ZIF-8 treatment.
2
The study is conducted on mice, and further research is needed to determine the efficacy and safety of FA-PEG/ZIF-8 in humans.
3
The precise mechanisms by which FA-PEG/ZIF-8 selectively targets and eliminates pro-inflammatory M/Ms require further investigation.

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