Conjugated Alpha-Alumina Nanoparticle With Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide As a Nano-Drug in Treatment of Allergic Asthma in Mice Publisher Pubmed



Athari SS¹ ; Pourpak Z^{2, 3} ; Folkerts G⁴ ; Garssen J^{4, 5} ; Moin M^{2, 3} ; Adcock IM⁶ ; Movassaghi M⁷ ; Ardestani MS⁸ ; Moazzeni SM¹ ; Mortaz E^{4, 6, 9, 10}
Source: European Journal of Pharmacology Published:2016

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, airway hyperresponsiveness and recurring attacks of impaired breathing. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been proposed as a novel anti-asthma drug due to its effects on airway smooth muscle relaxation, bronchodilation and vasodilation along with its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In the current study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of VIP when conjugated with α-alumina nanoparticle (α-AN) to prevent enzymatic degradation of VIP in the respiratory tract. VIP was conjugated with α-AN. Balb/c mice were sensitized and challenges with ovalbumin (OVA) or PBS and were divided in four groups; VIP-treated, α-AN-treated, α-AN-VIP-treated and beclomethasone-treated as a positive control group. Specific and total IgE level, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), bronchial cytokine expression and lung histology were measured. α-AN-VIP significantly reduced the number of eosinophils (Eos), serum IgE level, Th2 cytokines and AHR. These effects of α-AN-VIP were more pronounced than that seen with beclomethasone or VIP alone (P<0.05). The current data indicate that α-AN-VIP can be considered as an effective nano-drug for the treatment of asthma. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.