Lactoferrin Coupled Lower Generation PAMAM Dendrimers for Brain Targeted Delivery of Memantine in Aluminum-Chloride-Induced Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice

• Published in: Bioconjugate chemistry Vol. 30; no. 10; pp. 2573 - 2583
• Main Authors: Gothwal, Avinash, Kumar, Hitesh, Nakhate, Kartik T, Ajazuddin, Dutta, Ankumoni, Borah, Anupom, Gupta, Umesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 16.10.2019
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Aluminum; Aluminum chloride; Alzheimer's disease; Bioavailability; Biocompatibility; Brain; Conjugates; Dendrimers; Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid; Dopamine; Drug delivery; Drug delivery systems; In vivo methods and tests; Lactoferrin; Memantine; Mice; Neurodegenerative diseases; Optical density; Toxicity; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 1043-1802; 1520-4812; 1520-4812
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00505

Lower generation PAMAM dendrimers have an immense potential for drug delivery with lower toxicity, but these dendrimers yet need certain basic ameliorations. In this study, the brain delivery potential of the synthesized PAMAM-Lf (lower generation PAMAM and lactoferrin conjugate) loaded with memantine (MEM) was explored and evaluated in vitro and in vivo in the disease-induced mouse model. The developed nanoscaffolds were characterized for size, zeta potential and in vitro release. Increase in the average size from 11.54 ± 0.91 to 131.72 ± 4.73 nm, respectively, was observed for drug-loaded PAMAM (i.e., PAMAM-MEM) and PAMAM-Lf (i.e., MEM-PAMAM-Lf).  Release profile of MEM from MEM-PAMAM-Lf was slow and sustained up to 48 h. In vivo biodistribution in the Sprague–Dawley rat model revealed that the brain uptake of MEM-PAMAM-Lf was significantly higher than that of MEM alone. The behavioral response study in the healthy rats did not result in any significant changes. The in vivo study in an AlCl3-induced Alzheimer’s (AD) mice model showed a significant improvement in behavioral responses. Optical density, which reflects the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, was highest in the AL group 0.16 ± 0.01 (higher than the CON group, 0.09 ± 0.02; p < 0.05). No significant suppression of AChE activity was recorded in all the other treated groups. Similarly, the DOPAmine and 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels were unaffected by the developed formulations. The study reported improved brain bioavailability of MEM in AlCl3-induced Alzheimer’s mice leading to improved memory, with the resultant mechanism behind in a descriptive manner. This study is among the preliminary studies reporting the memory improvement aspect of PAMAM-Lf conjugates for MEM in AlCl3-AD induced mice. The formulation developed was beneficial in AD-induced mice and had a significant impact on the memory aspects.