Macrophage biomimetic nanocarriers for anti-inflammation and targeted antiviral treatment in COVID-19

• DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-00926-0
• Publication Date: 2021-06-10T11:08:58Z
• Authors: Qingqin Tan; Lingjie He; Xiaojun Meng; Wei Wang; Hudan Pan; Weiguo Yin; Tianchuan Zhu; Xi Huang; Hong Shan
• Keywords: Inflammation; Drug Carriers; 0303 health sciences; SARS-CoV-2; Research; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; COVID-19; Antiviral Agents; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Cytokine storm syndrome; Antiviral treatment; Biomimetics; Anti-inflammation; Medical technology; Biomimetic nanocarriers; Humans; Nanoparticles; R855-855.5; Cytokine Release Syndrome; TP248.13-248.65; Biotechnology

AbstractBackgroundThe worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 remains a serious public health menace as the lack of efficacious treatments. Cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) characterized with elevated inflammation and multi-organs failure is closely correlated with the bad outcome of COVID-19. Hence, inhibit the process of CSS by controlling excessive inflammation is considered one of the most promising ways for COVID-19 treatment.ResultsHere, we developed a biomimetic nanocarrier based drug delivery system against COVID-19 via anti-inflammation and antiviral treatment simultaneously. Firstly, lopinavir (LPV) as model antiviral drug was loaded in the polymeric nanoparticles (PLGA-LPV NPs). Afterwards, macrophage membranes were coated on the PLGA-LPV NPs to constitute drugs loaded macrophage biomimetic nanocarriers (PLGA-LPV@M). In the study, PLGA-LPV@M could neutralize multiple proinflammatory cytokines and effectively suppress the activation of macrophages and neutrophils. Furthermore, the formation of NETs induced by COVID-19 patients serum could be reduced by PLGA-LPV@M as well. In a mouse model of coronavirus infection, PLGA-LPV@M exhibited significant targeted ability to inflammation sites, and superior therapeutic efficacy in inflammation alleviation and tissues viral loads reduction.ConclusionCollectively, such macrophage biomimetic nanocarriers based drug delivery system showed favorable anti-inflammation and targeted antiviral effects, which may possess a comprehensive therapeutic value in COVID-19 treatment.